This is page numbers 545 - 573 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was assembly.

Topics

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, I spoke of volunteers. I would like to recognize two of the community's most dedicated volunteers, Glen Abernethy and Sue Glowach. I would also like to recognize Lynn White, Mr. Speaker, a former director of the Aven senior facility and a key consultant in the recently passed Liquor Act, the work that we just completed yesterday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been a strange session. I have been doing things twice about the weddings and now I am doing it again for the Pages. I would like to thank the Pages from Fort Simpson, Hilary Norwegian and Tanis Browning, for helping us here this week. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my beautiful wife up in the gallery, Mrs. Lucille Pokiak...

---Applause

...and also my constituency assistant, Donna Bernhardt, who is here assisting with the Pages that I have.

---Applause

In the Chamber today, there is Trevor Okheena and out back here is Tyler Inuktalik from Ulukhaktok. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a constituent, Ms. Sue Tkachuk, who is with us this afternoon. I'd also like to recognize a former co-worker, Mr. Glen Abernethy.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure and honour to introduce my wife of 32 years in the gallery, the longest serving public librarian in the Northwest Territories, Jeri Miltenberger.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 560

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we've missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It's certainly nice to have an audience in here. Acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Item 7: Acknowledgements
Item 7: Acknowledgements

Page 561

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to make special mention of a family here in my riding of Yellowknife Centre who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A heartfelt congratulation goes out to Judith and Forrest Krause, who were surrounded by friends and family over the weekend to celebrate this golden occasion. Mr. and Mrs. Krause are long-time northerners, coming to the North for opportunity and excitement and proudly made Yellowknife their home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 7: Acknowledgements
Item 7: Acknowledgements

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Oral questions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

August 22nd, 2007

Page 561

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Bell. Sorry. The question I have for the Minister responsible for Seniors is: Is the government looking at implementing a one-stop shop for seniors in small communities where they can all go to one building, get all their services, get all their programs that they need, get the services that they need to find out about, in our smaller communities? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday in my statement about income security, the government's plan is to eventually move towards providing all of our social programs, if possible, through one office in all communities. It will take some time to get there, but eventually that would be the plan.

Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would ask if government would make it a priority to look at the seniors first in terms of having this plan here. Give some thought to the strong recommendations that the seniors programs be looked at in terms the seniors can go to one place and deal with all their issues in one spot rather than to look at other buildings where they have to go in their communities as it is done today. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government already has a 1-800 number that is delivered in conjunction with the Seniors' Society in order to make sure that seniors are able to access clear and concise information about programs that are available. As I have said, over the next few years we expect that this government will move to ensure that all of its front-line services are delivered through one-stop shopping in the communities. So I can commit to the Member that moving in that direction will be a priority for this government.

Further Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the 1-800 number. I would like to see if there's more of a cultural relevance in terms of small communities where the elders -- their primary language is their aboriginal language -- in terms of having something else besides a 1-800 number; somebody in the community that is dedicated just for seniors that has a strong language and can speak to the seniors; one person in the community that can work with the seniors in terms of coordinating some of the programs and services they are dealing with today. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It would be a marvellous opportunity if we could find a way to have a person in every community to deal exclusively with seniors but, as the Members knows, we don't have enough of a demand in all of our communities to have staff available for such dedication. That's one of the reasons that we're looking at service centres, or government service centres in communities where programs like income security programs can be delivered. Hopefully, over time, we can expand the programming that they're able to deliver to include those services for seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Question 186-15(6): Centralized Services For Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 561

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think there are lots of ways we can look at dedicating this one person. There is lots of work in the region that needs to get to the seniors that I think this government, hopefully, would make some strong recommendations as to how to coordinate some of the approaches and having some of the workers just be dedicated for the seniors. If we don't do something like this, it's going to be very difficult later on. So I ask again if they would look at dedicating some of this work to their staff in the communities. Thank you.