Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this motion. For me, the preamble, the whereas clauses of this motion say it all. The government keeps saying that we value families, that we want to support families, but I find this is a very strange way of showing it by cutting a program of such value.

Further, this action flies in the face of the recently tabled report on the review of the Child and Family Services Act. Throughout that report there’s a recurring theme of the need for provision of supports for families and communities. How can the Minister of Health and Social Services accept the Child and Family Services Act report, acknowledge the value of it, if the philosophy of these two actions are so totally different? On the one hand I feel she’s saying rip the supports out from underneath our families in the NWT. On the other hand she’s saying let’s provide the supports needed.

For me it can’t be said often enough that the effects of cancellation of this program will only add to our growing health care costs, care for the children and, potentially, care necessary for the parents when they reach the end of their rope. The Minister says she is working to find a solution to keep the program going. That’s very good to hear. But not all solutions that I’ve heard so far are okay. One suggestion has been for parents to use voluntary support agreements to get the respite care their child needs. Will that mean that the child will have a steady respite worker? Will there be a worker at all? How safe can the parent feel when, in the wisdom of Social Services and their assessment of the safety and security of the child in his or her own home, the child could be apprehended? There will always be that lurking thought in the mind of the parent. It is not an acceptable solution, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it provides access to dollars to get some respite for families, but it is stealing money from one pot to continue an essential service on the other hand.

I anticipate the plan that the Minister says she will bring to the committee in December. I certainly hope that it includes the recommendation of this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.