Mr. Speaker, our income security programs provide support for those residents over the age of 19 and their families. It covers basic food, shelter and clothing needs, child care benefits, heating subsidies, income support and student financial assistance. It also provides supports for disabled residents.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that not one formula fits all needs. This is why our client service officers have a difficult job, one that few people can do. They do their best to meet the unique needs of their diverse clients, while at the same time adhering to the general guidelines and requirements set out by our acts and regulations in the Northwest Territories. No one client’s needs are the same as another’s, so these are all complex cases and our CSOs do a tremendous job given their often huge caseloads. Annually, we have approximately 3,300 unique income assistance cases in the NWT. With economic circumstances and opportunities varying in some communities, some of the client services

officers manage extremely high volumes of caseloads.

We know that the challenges faced by disabled residents and seniors are significantly different than those of other income assistance clients, and this has already been identified in the draft action plan the Department is developing in response to last week’s tabled report by the Auditor General. A streamlined application process will be implemented for both disabled residents and seniors, with a dedicated staff position to provide information and support for only those clients. This will ensure their unique challenges are met while balancing requirements to verify our processes to fulfill the recommendations of the Auditor General.

Mr. Speaker, this remains one of our challenges: to verify clients’ information per our requirements and guidelines, and serve our clients according to their needs. They are the people on the ground, who meet with clients daily and see the hardship of broken families, mental illness, disability, infirmity and hopelessness, and they deserve our collective respect.

That said, I have directed the department’s deputy minister to contact the client that Mr. Bromley spoke on behalf of yesterday, and senior staff will meet with her to discuss her challenges and work on a solution.

Mr. Speaker, as we go through the process of improving and identifying the gaps in our income security programs, our CSOs will continue to serve our clients with the best advice, support and commitment that they have provided so far, with the hope that with every case we review, we get closer to an effective and efficient program. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.