Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Members for their comments on the motion. I would also like to thank the respite care families and their children and clients who came to the gallery today. As this motion is a recommendation to the government, we will consider and respond to the motion accordingly.
Mr. Speaker, over the past two weeks there has been a great deal of concern regarding the Yellowknife Association for Community Living’s respite care program funding. Respite for families with disabled children is important for many who are currently in the program and will continue to be in future for families in Yellowknife and in communities across the Northwest Territories.
Over the past three years the department supported, through the government’s strategic investment initiative Building our Future funding, a piloted respite care program in a few communities outside of Yellowknife, communities with fewer support resources for families. We also have had a pilot program we had for the families in Yellowknife through YACL. YACL is funded until March 2011. The department will take this opportunity to work with YACL and Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority to develop an exit strategy from a Yellowknife-specific program. Furthermore, the department will develop a proposal and implementation plan for a territorial-wide respite service program. This will ensure families in Yellowknife continue to have respite support while we expand the program to other NWT communities and families.
Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, we are under a huge fiscal pressure. Options we will look at would include using and maximizing the existing resources in the department. Mr. Speaker, the department’s work and oversight of a territorial respite program will be prepared for the next budget cycle. I will also seek support from all Members for inclusion in the future business plans. I look forward to coming to the Standing Committee on Social Programs to discuss the issue and this programming more in detail. Mr. Speaker, as we present and debate the next budget, we will have many difficult choices to make, choices over which programs to find alternative funding mechanisms for and which to stop will be ours collectively to make. We must also consider reasonable and fair program access for all communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.