Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I just want to reiterate some of the concerns I raised during last week's session. These concerns are with denying persons with developmental disabilities in Edmonton, Alberta, who were receiving care and are now not receiving financial support from this government. Mr. Speaker, this is NWT Disability Awareness Week 2004 with the theme being, "Remember to Include Everyone - We All Benefit." That being said, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to say that it seems that this government has not included everyone and that the nine clients and their families that we did not include are definitely not benefiting from some of the decisions and actions that have been unfolding over the past two months with respect to their well-being and proper care by this government.
Mr. Speaker, these clients are still in the same institution, as they refuse to be relocated and it worries me why this government can only state that they're pretty much on their own now that they refuse to relocate. I do not understand how this government can say that they will help by having on-call services available to these clients should they want to receive support from this government.
Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that these people have developmental disabilities, and a help line does not seem like a good alternative to what I would term as abandonment by the government and Department of Health and Social Services with regard to their proper care and support received by the institution which has stated that they will continue to care for these people with developmental disabilities regardless of GNWT funding arrangements which are being terminated because of unsubstantiated allegations and accusations which seem to be plaguing this House of late.
Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services more questions about this important issue later on today. Mahsi.
---Applause