Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was listening to the radio and there was a report on and there was a representative from the Yellowknife Health and Social Services who indicated that, basically, they’re offering families who need respite an opportunity to enter into a voluntary service agreement, a VSA. To me, this is an acknowledgement that respite services are needed here in the Northwest Territories. Even indirectly, Yellowknife Health and Social Services is recognizing that respite is required. Unfortunately, I don’t believe in any way, shape or form, requiring a family to enter into a VSA through the Child and Family Services Act, which is about child protection… These children aren’t being neglected. They’re not being abused. Their well-being isn’t in question. We’re talking about care of these children for short periods of time.

My question to the Minister is: Given that the authority has acknowledged the importance, can we get them to find some money within the authority or within the department to help actually fund a continuation of respite in this particular organization as well as the Territory as a whole?