Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by Mr. Braden on June 19, 2002, regarding income support programs.
The Government of the Northwest Territories continues to reinvest funds arising from the National Child Benefit, in the Healthy Children Initiative, NWT Child Benefit, and Territorial Workers' Supplement.
The Healthy Children Initiative is administered jointly by the departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services, and provides support and service development in the following five key areas: strengthening young people, healthy babies, building stronger families, supporting parents, and healthy communities.
The Healthy Children Initiative is a community-based program that provides funding to local organizations for the enhancement of existing childhood programs and services for children zero to six years of age and their families. Funding, based on written proposals, is provided to community groups to deliver programs specifically for their community needs. The funding provided through the National Child Benefit reinvestment allows for the delivery of programs that meet the needs of young children and their families.
In Yellowknife, the following Healthy Children initiatives, currently funded through the National Child Benefit reinvestment, are typical of programs supported throughout the NWT:
- Early Intervention Program, NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities;
- Family Support Program, Yellowknife Women's Centre;
- 4 Plus Program (pre-school), Catholic School Board; and
- Parent-Child Resource Centre, Yellowknives Dene First Nation -- N'dilo/Detah.
The NWT also reinvests funds arising from the National Child Benefit in the NWT Child Benefit, which includes the Territorial Workers' Supplement. These are cash payments included in the monthly federal cheque that is sent to all low-income NWT residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.