Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding food services at the new dementia centre that’s being constructed right now. There’s a concern out there that the food services won’t be adequately delivered or of adequate quality for the long term care people at the dementia centre. I’d like to ask the Minister: will the food services be privatized at the new dementia centre, and will that subsequently lead to the privatization of all the food services at Aven centre?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Department of Health and Social Services is providing 100 per cent of the funding and 100 per cent of the O&M. We’re creating 28 beds at the territorial dementia centre at almost half a million dollars each for 28 units. We’re funding 100 per cent of O&M. It is an NGO organization; it is not a government organization. But we’re providing them with the capital funding and O&M to fund that. It’s up to YACCS as to how they use their money to provide the services that they do. At the same time, the YACCS board has instructed the staff to work with the staff of the Department of Health and Social Services to work out the details, and they’re working on that in a very cooperative manner.

Mr. Speaker, this reminds me of the old adage that when it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. If YACCS is only paid in Sodexo coupons and there’s only one place that takes Sodexo coupons and they are privatized food services that offer only short term food delivery based on a seven day meal plan, what is the Minister doing to accommodate the long term meal plan as designed by the single point design that this dementia centre is designed on?

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Member is trying to say Signal Pointe facility based in Calgary. I want to tell you, and I’m sure he knows from talking to YACCS, that this new facility has three kitchens. It will be a beautiful facility. It’s a facility that’s very much required in the Territories. It will allow us to take our elders who are suffering from dementia into extended care, some of them for ten to 12 years. It will take care of elders who are being sent away from Yellowknife. It will be a wonderful facility, very needed, and the seniors will be very well taken care of. The Member should be cautious in suggesting that this…. We don’t want to alarm the public. This will be a very beautiful facility with beautiful programming.

Mr. Speaker, I’m not alarming the public. The bell has already rung. I cannot unring the bell that’s been rung, that’s been brought to me. The fear and concern is because YACCS is not allowed to build their own independent kitchen at this time. The fact is that no one’s one hundred per cent clear where these meals are going to come from, and no one’s one hundred per cent sure at this time why you would have three kitchens when you only need one. So where are the meals coming from? Clearly, the question simply is: will the meal plan be delivered by Sodexo, and is that privatization of the meal plan going to lead to the privatization of the meal plan at Aven as well?

The staffing and programming services are the jurisdiction of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, which is YACCS. I have every confidence that YACCS will use the money they get from the government and provide the best services for the seniors. There is no suggestion or conclusion that any of those services will be privatized.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. A final short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In that report it cites that long term patients need long care meal plans. That’s typically based on a 30 day meal plan. I’d like to know exactly who will be making the meals for the dementia centre. Is it strictly based on YACCS only having the Sodexo contractors to go to? Or are they able to design and cook and create their own meal plans within their own facility? Which is it?

Mr. Speaker, once again, YACCS has one hundred per cent control over what services they provide. This government provides funding for that. It’s not within the purview of this Legislature as to what they do in terms of providing food services to the seniors. I can assure you that those seniors are going to have a beautiful facility, and it’s going to be beautiful programming.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of ITI, and interestingly enough, it’s on bathroom facilities.

On our highway system on Highway No. 1, ITI provides at the pullover stops the safety cabins and washrooms. There are indications that they’re all run down now and they’re kind of unsightly. I’m just wondering if there’s a plan to replace them in the next little while.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the NWT highway system has long stretches of road without communities or other identifying points of interest in between. We work very closely with the Department of Transportation so that our travelling public and tourists that come up here can have points of interest identified to them and we can make stops available to them when nature calls — also that they can stop safely. We’re working with the Department of Transportation so that we can strategically identify and place pullouts. As funding becomes available, we can put in place rest stops and other facilities.

The roadside pullouts and those rest stops are existing, but some of them are the outdoor type. The Minister didn’t really identify when they’re going to replace them. Should they be replaced? Can they look at the more sanitary style, the more modern stucco style or the cisterns?

Mr. Speaker, we do have some rest stop facilities. Where it becomes difficult is that some of them are located quite far away from communities. Generally we make arrangements with either a contractor or the Department of Transportation. Those are the arrangements we have in place, and as we progress with our plan, we could look at better and more effective ways to have these facilities.

Once again I’d just like to ask the Minister if they can develop a plan to replace the toilets. Some of our campgrounds, too, are distant, and maybe they can do some cost savings. Instead of going out there with the sewer trucks, they can stop at the roadside pullouts.

We would look at that where it’s feasible. I know that in some instances we do have sewage pickup. I don’t know how feasible it is if they have to travel long distances to go to a campsite, but we’re prepared to look at that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question in regard to the cost of child and family services in Mackenzie Delta communities.

My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services:

1) How many children from the Mackenzie Delta

communities are receiving services through Child and Family Services, Department of Health and Social Services?

2) Please provide the monthly costs to administer

voluntary support services and agreements, plan of care agreements and child apprehensions per child in the Mackenzie Delta constituency under the following situations:

• care in the parental home;

• care through extended family;

• foster care; and

• treatment from a facility in southern

Canada

3) What steps are taken when a child turns of age

and is released from the care of Health and Social Services?

4) What type of planning and support is provided

in these children upon their release from care?

5) What follow up measures does the Department

of Health and Social Services undertake to track these children/young adults over time?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 19, Donation of Food Act, and wishes to report that Bill 19 is now ready for Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I

wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to CR 2-16(2): Standing Committee on

Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.

Document 106-16(2), GNWT Response to CR

2-16(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation, tabled.