Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my very grave concerns with a recent action by the Department of Health and Social Services also referenced by Mr. Abernethy. It’s over the cancellation of the respite care program run by the Yellowknife Association for Community Living, a local NGO.

The respite program provides much needed relief to 29 families in Yellowknife. Some of these families have moved to Yellowknife from other NWT communities to access services available here; services like specialized health care and the respite program.

What began as a very small pilot project in 2003 has grown into an essential service and it has been administered very successfully for the last five years by the Yellowknife Association for Community Living.

Now, as you know, a few months ago the association was told that as of the end of March 2011 all funding for the respite program would be cut.

What are these 29 families expected to do then? There is no other option for respite. The association’s program is it, and parents are justifiably concerned. The support they derive from the respite program impacts their lives in a very

positive way and they fear losing the serenity just a few hours a week of respite brings to them.

We’ve just finished reviewing GNWT business plans for budget year 2011-2012. The Department of Health and Social Services plan was reviewed in detail by the Social Programs committee, of which I am a member. At no time during our review of that business plan did we hear anything about changes to the respite program. In fact, the business plan suggests that the respite program will be expanded in 2011-2012.

Since I learned of the cancellation of this program I have tried to get confirmation of that business plan information from the Minister and the department. So far I have been advised that there is no change to funding for respite services. In fact, they’ve confirmed that a strategic initiative, an increase of $75,000 for the respite program for 2011-2012, is correct. But the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority who receives funding from the GNWT for this program has advised that funding ceases in 2011.

What’s really going on here? The Minister and the department tell me one thing and then the Health and Social Services Authority contradicts that information. I can’t get a clear answer about this funding cut and, once again, it’s a case of the right hand of the Health and Social Services department not knowing what the left hand is doing.