Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services with regard to the respite program which was cancelled during the 16th Assembly. I would like to know from the Minister whether or not the review that was scheduled has been completed and ask the Minister to share the results of that review with the Assembly.
Debates of Dec. 8th, 2011
This is page numbers 69 - 86 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 1st Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was territories.
Topics
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Tom Beaulieu](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-tom-beaulieu/4072f283cd140349b2a6b2f960cc5c4c.jpg)
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry about that. The department is completing a review. It is not complete. The plan is to expand the program from what was in only Yellowknife, to expand outside of Yellowknife. A few of the committees have been established. A territorial advisory committee has been established by the department to assist with a working group that has been developed, a territorial respite model framework that is the strategy that will take us to 2017.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Wendy Bisaro](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-wendy-bisaro/822516b10dcde201cc792a162d868a92.jpg)
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thanks to the Minister. The Minister says that the review is not yet complete. In Yellowknife here, the Yellowknife Association for Community Living was instrumental in delivering the program here in Yellowknife to some 25 or 29 families. It was an extremely successful program. It was a very valued program. I would like to know from the Minister, if this review is still ongoing, what role the Yellowknife Association for Community Living either has played or will play in the completion of the review.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Tom Beaulieu](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-tom-beaulieu/4072f283cd140349b2a6b2f960cc5c4c.jpg)
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Yes, the department is dealing or consulting with the Yellowknife Association for Community Living as it expands the current program, which, again, was in Yellowknife and the intention of expanding outside. There is consultation between the department and YACL to expand the program outside of just Yellowknife.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Wendy Bisaro](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-wendy-bisaro/822516b10dcde201cc792a162d868a92.jpg)
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
I guess I’d like a little bit more elaboration from the Minister on how the Association for Community Living is being used. There is great expertise there with their staff and the way that they deliver the program here in Yellowknife. I know they were assisting the other three or four communities outside of Yellowknife who were trying to get a respite program started. Could the Minister tell me a bit more about what the association is doing? It’s one thing to consult, but are you using the expertise that the association has? When this new revised program is up and running, will the Association for Community Living help deliver that program in other communities?
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Tom Beaulieu](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-tom-beaulieu/4072f283cd140349b2a6b2f960cc5c4c.jpg)
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Both NWT Disabilities Council and YACL have agreed to provide data to the department in order for the department to develop the program outside of Yellowknife.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Wendy Bisaro](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-wendy-bisaro/822516b10dcde201cc792a162d868a92.jpg)
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It will be short. My usual question: When can we see the results of this review?
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![Tom Beaulieu](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-tom-beaulieu/4072f283cd140349b2a6b2f960cc5c4c.jpg)
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
I don’t have the date right now but I can get back to the Minister with the date.
Question 25-17(1): Review Of Respite Care Services
Oral Questions
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. You got a promotion, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
![Daryl Dolynny](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-daryl-dolynny/15817f2ae82c9c7469125380e4246d41.jpg)
Daryl Dolynny Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the honourable Minister of Finance, Michael Miltenberger, gave us a summary here regarding the borrowing limit. Being a businessperson of mind, it’s important to always have a strong balance sheet. I think that’s very agreeable. I think the Government of the Northwest Territories does have a very strong balance sheet in place. The Minister also uses terms like “economic levers,” and I’ve heard him speak many times about it and leveraging those economic levers. One such lever is our very own Crown corporation, the Power Corporation. Unfortunately, the Crown corporation rests on the government balance sheet as a liability, which is going against the borrowing limit. Can the Minister discuss how, if and when were negotiations ever achieved with the Minister of Finance federally about removing this liability from our borrowing limit?
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
Thebacha
![Michael Miltenberger](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-michael-miltenberger/7a4fe0ff4356da96ae60c1b266833912.jpg)
Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The debt that is held by the Power Corporation that is on our books is what is called self-liquidating. They generate revenues and pay it down. While it’s on our balance sheet and goes against our borrowing limit, they are generating the revenue to pay down the debt.
To the Member’s point, there have been discussions and to this point the federal government is not willing to remove or separately treat the Power Corporation or the Housing Corporation or even the bridge, which are in similar circumstances, of having revenue that would pay down the debt that is on our books.
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
![Daryl Dolynny](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-daryl-dolynny/15817f2ae82c9c7469125380e4246d41.jpg)
Daryl Dolynny Range Lake
I can understand the Minister indicating that this is a definite “no” from the federal Minister. However, everyone knows that to leverage
our assets is critical in order to remove that off our borrowing limit. Is this a dead issue or is this something that can be revisited here?
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
Thebacha
![Michael Miltenberger](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-michael-miltenberger/7a4fe0ff4356da96ae60c1b266833912.jpg)
Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance
As I’ve indicated in my update before this House today, there’s been extensive work on the whole issue of the borrowing limit, redefining borrowing. As the federal government has indicated, they want to now include other instruments under the borrowing limit that weren’t currently there. There will be offset provided for that.
As I indicated in my statement, the big issue for us is going to be the negotiations and discussions with Finance Canada, Minister Flaherty, about the issue of adequacy, about what we need as a mature, well-run, fiscally responsible jurisdiction to be able to make the strategic investments that I referred to in my statement.
We’ve looked at every avenue. I’m going to be meeting next week on the 18th and 19th in Victoria
with all the Finance Ministers. We’ll have an opportunity then to pursue the arguments or the discussions with Minister Flaherty. We met this time last year at Kananaskis, so we are both intent on concluding that borrowing limit discussion before the end of this fiscal year. Thank you.
Question 26-17(1): Accounting For NWT Power Corporation Debt
Oral Questions
Question 27-17(1): Funding For Youth Programs
Oral Questions
![Frederick Blake Jr.](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-frederick-blake/cf692bb5cb4787baab061f49d705960a.jpg)
Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have a question for the Minister responsible for Youth.
The communities I represent, the funding levels for youth, the most one community gets is $25,000; the others receive less. I was just wondering what their plans are in the next year if we plan to increase that amount.
Question 27-17(1): Funding For Youth Programs
Oral Questions
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of MACA, Honourable Robert C. McLeod.
Question 27-17(1): Funding For Youth Programs
Oral Questions
December 7th, 2011
![Robert C. McLeod](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/16-robert-c-mcleod/714d3744f76b921118ae9edc064c271e.jpg)
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The money that’s been invested in the youth in the last Assembly – and I’m sure the commitment will carry on in this Assembly – has been increased like it never has been before. I’m not sure about the exact figure the Member is quoting, but I do know there are many opportunities for youth and communities to access some of the funding. We have different pots of funding that our youth are able to access or they’re able to access through their community.
I could look up the amount of money that’s gone to the Members’ communities and have a discussion with the Members so we can have an exact figure. Thank you.
Question 27-17(1): Funding For Youth Programs
Oral Questions
Question 27-17(1): Funding For Youth Programs
Oral Questions
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents.
Tabled Document 6-17(1): NWT Human Rights Commission 2010-2011 Annual Report And NWT Human Rights Commission Financial Statement At March 31, 2011
Tabling of Documents
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-jackie-jacobson/9ee24101e5f32e5a700733590d722ba9.jpg)
The Speaker Jackie Jacobson
Pursuant to Section 21 of the Human Rights Act, I wish to table the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission 2010-2011 Annual Report. Pursuant to Section 100 of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Financial Statements at March 31, 2011.
Item 15, notices of motion. Mr. Bouchard, Hay River North.
Motion 17-17(1): Revocation Of Appointment Of Human Rights Commission Member
Notices of Motion
![Robert Bouchard](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/17-robert-bouchard/1a425e43f0ee08c0b0f2dac39a11cb18.jpg)
Robert Bouchard Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, December 12, 2011, I will be moving the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that this Assembly recommend to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that the appointment of William Turner as a member of the Human Rights Commission be revoked effectively immediately.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.
Motion 17-17(1): Revocation Of Appointment Of Human Rights Commission Member
Notices of Motion