Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on May 18, 2010, regarding Health Canada’s funding to NWT residential school survivors.
Federal government funding for counselling survivors of residential schools through the Aboriginal Health Foundation (AHF) expired on March 21, 2010. The amount of federal funding that expired was substantial and totalled over $5.1 million. However, none of the federal funding through the AHF was provided directly to the Department of Health and Social Services, but was flowed directly from the AHF to the organizations that provided community-based healing projects.
It is important that residential school survivors receive the counselling services they need to continue the healing process. The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has formed partnerships with other Government of the Northwest Territories departments, aboriginal governments, communities, and organizations to support Northerners in making healthy choices and getting the services they need, including support through the GNWT Community Counselling Program.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is the GNWT lead for residential schools. As such, ECE leads the NWT Residential Schools Interagency Committee, which the DHSS participates in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.