Again, Mr. Chair, I believe that we do have to revisit and relook at our Income Support programs, but I think Ms. Bisaro was right when she stated that the cost of putting these people in long-term care, or having to pay somebody to care for these individuals in their homes.... If these people decide to move out of their homes and move into social housing, this government will have to pay the full cost of that person being in social housing.
As communities that want their parents to be close by and also be able to live comfortably in the homes that they lived their lives in with their husbands, their children — watched their kids grow up and whatnot.... For most of them, that’s where home is, and that’s where they want to live their lives out.
It’s awfully frustrating when you know — as in the situation I mentioned earlier — a person that’s worked basically for this government and put their years in by serving the people of the Northwest Territories. Then finding out later on that you have cancer and then having to battle that battle. Then find out you’re being told, “Well, sorry; you’re out of fuel and there’s nothing we can do about it.” And it’s forty below and they’re running around town talking to myself and the chief and whoever else to try to get fuel into this person’s home.
We have to be able to, as somebody mentioned, put some humanity into what we do here as government and especially in this case. With that, it’s imperative that we do have a system that’s fair; we do allow for some flexibility. If it means we change exactly the income threshold that’s going to be used — finding ways to ensure that the majority of the people that really need these programs, and need the care and comfort of their family members to live with them — we have to do whatever we can.
So with that, Mr. Chair, I would be requesting a recorded vote.