This is page numbers 2215 - 2266 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd 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 communities.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Question has been called.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Mr. Hawkins.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I seek committee’s consent to go back to page 8-18 for clarification on the line item. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee, for your indulgence. Under primary community services, primary care, you have a number of line items broken out. I know the other day there was at least one specific item where a Member sought clarity. Could I get the funding allocation for each one of these individual line items broken out? What we have here listed under the main estimates is $522,000. For example, in looking for what is under funding for seniors 1-800 line, the breakout for NWT Seniors Advisory Council, et cetera, all the way through. If I can I get that on the official record, it would be much appreciated. I think we can do this on one try. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

February 15th, 2009

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Lee.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the $522,000, it breaks down to $183,000 for NWT Seniors’ Society; $212,000 for Council of Persons with Disabilities; $62,000 for CNIB; $20,000 for Rick Hansen ‘Man in Motion’; and $45,000 is for miscellaneous. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thanks to the Minister for that. Does NWT Seniors Games have its own budget line item or is it wrapped into the Rick Hansen ‘Man in Motion’ activity? Would it specifically have its own number attached to it? Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Seniors Games would be funded through the miscellaneous category, but that funding is provided every second year. This year is not the year where we would be asked to fund that. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Minister Lee. Next I have Ms. Bisaro.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask a question on page 8-23.

---Interjection

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Okay, fine.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that we concluded 8-18?

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, committee. We will return now to page 8-23, health services programs, operations expenditure summary. Ms. Bisaro.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My apologies for rushing you. I wanted to ask a question relative to the NWT health centre services funding that goes to the various health and social service agencies or authorities, specifically the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority which does receive funding for an organization in Yellowknife known as SideDoor. It is my understanding that SideDoor is scheduled to receive $100,000 in the 2009-10 budget year. If I can get that confirmed by the Minister, please. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lee.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Chairman, that funding would not be coming from this category, but I could confirm that SideDoor is scheduled to receive $100,000. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks for the confirmation. Maybe after the next question the Minister can tell me

where it is coming from so I won’t ask the question again.

I wanted to mention that Yellowknife MLAs met with the SideDoor executive director a little while ago. They are specifically struggling to meet the financial requirements for an overnight program. The program itself is to provide for youth aged 16 to 19 who kind of slip through the cracks of social service coverage and are a particularly difficult group to find accommodations for. This is an overnight program for them to go to SideDoor if they feel that need and stay overnight from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. if they have to. They are struggling to fund this particular overnight program and are very happy to be receiving the $100,000 that is scheduled to be put into the budget for them, but their budget actually is about $200,000. When MLAs met with this particular group, we did suggest that they go to aboriginal groups within the city to try and see whether or not they could get some extra funding there. Of course, they are meeting with us to try and get more funding.

It is certainly our intent to try and have the group find as much funding outside of GNWT funding as possible. With that said, though, I know that the group is really having difficulty accessing funds. I would like to know from the Minister whether or not there is any possibility that even an extra $20,000 could be found in next year’s budget somewhere that would assist this particular organization with their program. It is an extremely valuable program. Again, it is servicing kids who are most at risk. If I could ask the Minister that question, that would be great. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I was at the same meeting, so I understand the ask from SideDoor for additional funding. I have recently communicated to SideDoor and asked them for more information about their revenue. Because during the meeting they suggested that their revenue is much larger than some of the NGOs that I know of who provide youth services. I appreciate that all of the youth shelters and youth programs in the North are not funded as much as they would like. At the same time, the $100,000 that we provide for SideDoor is larger than any funding we provide to any youth centre for a day programming or otherwise. It is, in fact, larger than the money we provide to most shelters, I believe.

I could say that I will commit to the Member that I will discuss with the officials again if it is at all possible to find anything else. But, as it stands now, I am being asked by every NGO, whether it be the Centre for Northern Families, YWCA, Inuvik Shelter in Inuvik and many other youth centres all around the Territories asking for extra money. We do actually have to work hard to keep that $100,000 funding for SideDoor. Sally Ann just recently met

with me last week asking for more money. It is just the demands are much higher than the supply. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks for the answer, to the Minister. I appreciate that everybody has their hand out looking for funds. I think I have to state that this particular community houses 50 percent, give or take, of the Territories population. That is an awful lot larger group of kids that need to be looked after. I also think that some of the kids in this 16 to 19 age group are kids who are coming from the communities and end up here in Yellowknife and then have no place to stay. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment to look at finding some funds. As I said earlier, I think even $10,000 or $20,000 would certainly be of assistance to the SideDoor for this particular program. I would urge the Minister to do whatever she can, and either I or Mr. Abernethy will be following up with her on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I will look again and I will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Minister Lee. Thank you, committee. We are on page 8-23, health services programs, operations expenditure summary, $176.717 million.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Page 8-24, activity summary, health services programs, grants and contributions, grants, $25,000. Contributions. Mr. Krutko.

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Contributions?

Committee Motion 1-16(3): Strategy To Improve The Health And Social Services Programs In Small And Remote Communities Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I was just calling contributions, so I will call contributions, $134.026 million. Mr. Krutko.