Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an issue that is critical to the well-being of every resident in the Northwest Territories. This is an issue that I have addressed in this House in the past, but one that I feel cannot get too much attention.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak to the issue of our seniors and the critical lack of funding they face. Mr. Speaker, our elders are a very valuable resource to us in every sense. They possess a wealth of information for our young people to learn from and our elders are only too happy to impart their vast knowledge of a wide variety of subjects to our future generations.
Mr. Speaker, I feel strongly that our government is not fulfilling its responsibility with regard to seniors. Mr. Speaker, our seniors population, age 65 and older, in Hay River in 1999 was 189 residents. The population projections by the Bureau of Statistics estimates that our seniors population in Hay River will grow to 341 by the year 2018. Mr. Speaker, this is almost a 200 percent increase. In addition, Mr. Speaker, the overall seniors population in the Northwest Territories is expected to increase by 134 percent by the year 2019.
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have appointed a Minister responsible for Seniors, but have not provided any direct funding for this portfolio. Mr. Speaker, I question how we are to effect change if we are not providing the means to do so. Mr. Speaker, we have to provide for our ageing population and set in place a plan of action for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I suggest the time for action is now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause