Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the disability action plan. In May of 2001, the former Premier, Stephen Kakfwi, tasked the Disability Steering Committee Partnership with developing an interdisciplinary and multidimensional framework that would guide the development of effective programs and services and promote the full inclusion of persons with disabilities throughout the Territories.
Mr. Speaker, the partnership had representation from the GNWT and a myriad of non-government organizations
and aboriginal organizations, including Health and Social Services; Education, Culture and Employment; Municipal and Community Affairs; NWT Housing Corporation; the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities; the YK Association for Community Living; the YWCA of Yellowknife; the Dene Nation; and, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. I am happy to note, Mr. Speaker, the partnership started with 100 needs and concerns, and they have distilled all of the issues into five building blocks and now it has been turned into a disability action plan.
The five priority areas that were identified in the action plan are as follows: under education, to ensure that barrier-free, lifelong learning opportunities that maximize the potential of individuals with disabilities are realized; under the heading of employment, to enhance the employability of persons with disabilities, encourage entry and re-entry into the labour market and support more work opportunities; under income support, to design a system that is responsive to the needs of people with disabilities, and to provide for an income safety net which rewards individual work efforts to the greatest extent possible, but which provides financial assistance if self-support isn't possible or insufficient to meet basic needs.
The fourth item, under independence, is to ensure that disability supports provide for active participation at home, at school and in the community, and that they maximize personal and economic independence. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, the action plan deals with housing issues: to ensure that persons with disabilities will be provided with a range of housing options that are affordable, accessible and that maximizes independence.
I do believe, Mr. Speaker, the government has the final action plan of this and I am in full support of the findings and the plan under this action. I would be looking to the government to make sure that they follow up on this plan and implement them as much and as early as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause