Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be talking about the delivery of care services in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Delta riding I represent has some 35 individuals who were identified as disabled. Mr. Speaker, the special needs individuals, persons with disabilities and, more importantly, the elderly should be receiving this important care. In Fort McPherson alone, I have some 223 elders over the age of 60. Of that, 66 elders are over the age of 70 to the age of 97.
Mr. Speaker, families in our communities are having to take care of their loved ones on their own. Mr. Speaker, that is not the way programs and services should be delivered. In most cases, the individuals have to look for support elsewhere or have their loved ones sent to regional health centres such as Inuvik and the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik, which they call respite care. Mr. Speaker, that is no way to deal with the individuals of our society who should be getting the attention they deserve and the programs and services they require.
Again, it’s important to realize that the question of quality of life to all residents is critical to providing services throughout the Northwest Territories to ensure we are providing respite care services and other services in all our communities where people with disabilities and special needs are located and that they don’t have to be removed from their home communities to receive that care.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services on exactly what this government is doing to ensure we have adequate programs and services in all our communities. Mahsi.