Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our government has a vision of the people of the Northwest Territories -- that of "a vibrant, prosperous and unified Territory that we can all be proud of." As part of this, we recognize the importance of ensuring "safety, security and respect for all citizens, with a focus on women, children, elders and persons with disabilities." To achieve our vision overall, we must ensure that all residents are given the opportunity to contribute to their families and communities.
Mr. Speaker, on January 25th to 27th, the first ever Northwest Territories conference on disabilities issues was held in Yellowknife. I was pleased to have attended this conference with my colleague, the Honourable Jake Ootes, Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. We both spoke to delegates on the various initiatives which our departments are undertaking to address the needs of persons with disabilities. I was pleased to be able to return to the plenary session on the last day to hear the conclusions that came out of the three-day conference. I found this to be very illuminating, as did, I am sure, Mr. Braden and Ms. Lee, who also took the time to attend.
The title of the conference, Count Me In, speaks to the need for including people with disabilities in all aspects of family and community life. This includes ensuring disabled people help identify program supports and services that will improve their quality of life. It also speaks to the need to create greater awareness in our northern society about the issues facing those with disabilities, and how our communities can involve and provide them with opportunities.
The conference represented an important step in making sure that the views of people with disabilities are indeed heard and considered in program planning by both government and non-government agencies. "Count Me In" brought together a number of people, groups and agencies with an interest in this area, including frontline caregivers, people with disabilities and their families from across the Northwest Territories. Community groups, service providers, aboriginal organizations and all levels of government are now more aware and informed of their needs.
During the conference, the findings of the recently released report, Living with Disability, Living with Dignity, were presented. This report provided valuable information for government and non-government agencies, which deliver programs and services, as well as for people with disabilities, their families and caregivers. Participants discussed the report's findings and moved the dialogue on to identifying the actions that should be taken to improve service delivery and supports.
Count Me In allowed the opportunity for people to provide information on available resources, share personal stories and experiences of living with a disability in the Northwest Territories and discuss how quality of life and program supports can be improved. The outcomes of this conference, together with findings of the disabilities report, will send a clear message about the needs and priorities of people with disabilities and we are looking forward to receiving the final report of the conference. As a follow up, we have received letters from many of the conference delegates detailing some of the personal challenges and circumstances that they face in their own life and we will be taking the opportunity to respond to each and every one.
In the budget address, the Minister responsible for Finance indicated that the allowances for disabled persons who receive income support will be raised in order to help cover additional costs that disabled Northerners face in their daily lives. Also, as Minister Allen stated, the Seniors and/or Disabled Preventative Maintenance Initiative has been implemented to assist persons with disabilities who own and occupy their own homes and who require servicing and repairs to their homes in order to properly maintain them. Our government wants to continue to work with representative organizations such as the Northwest Territories Council for Disabled Persons in order to address these and other needs of persons with disabilities.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Northwest Territories Council for Disabled Persons and their partners for organizing this important event -- for their key role in and contributions to the Living with Disability Report and for their ongoing commitment to ensure the needs of the disabled are not overlooked. I would also like to thank all of the conference participants for helping all of us understand how important it is that everyone is "counted in." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.