Thank you, Mr. Chair. There’s certainly a little overlap. I know the Minister is hearing that, so I’ll try not to repeat too much. This department is up 8 percent in budget and that’s the reality, but it is a high increase this year. Although I do note, as I think it’s been noted, that the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative funding came in after this budget was drafted, so I’ll be looking for an update when we get into detail. Just a heads up there.

I notice in the directorate that it’s up 25 percent over two years, which is not typical of the rest of the divisions. On closer examination, a lot of it is compensation, but again that didn’t happen with the other divisions, so I will have questions on that. I also note that there’s a modest contribution to the Anti-Poverty Strategy, which is a smaller proportion of that increase.

The ECD, early childhood development, obviously needs extremely strong partnership and collaboration between Health and Social Services and ECE, but I’d like the Minister to know that I do support the suggestion that Health and Social Services should take the lead role, especially for the zero to three category of early childhood development, recognizing that it depends on big efforts on both departments and real collaboration. I think the problem is that ECE is so overwhelmingly

domineered by their education commitments, and perhaps rightfully so, that it tends to distort the absolutely essential, the absolute requirement that we bring this focus as the topmost priority in our ECD work to zero to three, and I know there are lots of things starting to happen and that have been happening. I think this is not a new recognition, but we do need a renewed emphasis.

I am very pleased, as I know others are, with the establishment of the Aboriginal health and community wellness division, and I’m looking forward to a positive start with that work on mental health and addictions. Again, the Minister knows my and committee’s view that mental health or a wellness court can really be one of the most effective things that we can do to address one of the most serious and costly sets of cases that we deal with for many reasons, and I won’t drearily go over them again here, that we must deal with. Again, we’ve been at it. Let’s really get going on this. What we’ve heard to date is too modest. It’s not acceptable, so we’re looking for better effort there.

There is some reorganization, perhaps, that will be coming down the pipe. We really do need to clarify and simplify our lines of authority to seek consistent direction and emphasis, the things that you would expect from a leader, and I think the department needs to provide that in the management of this huge health system. I’m not totally knowledgeable on this. I know it’s early days and the Minister is working hard on this effort. I’m supportive to the degree that I am aware of it and know anything about it. It seems like we’re going in a good direction there now and I urge the Minister to continue with that development and implementation.

Some concerns, I know that the department has not fulfilled the direction provided by the House in, for example, areas where we have provided specific resources in the past, and the examples that come to mind, as we’ve heard, are ECD and midwifery. I did hear the Minister’s reference to starting work in the Beau-Del. That’s very positive and that would catch him up, as the Minister can do that, this fiscal year that’s coming up and complete the Hay River work. I think there would be a little catch-up happening there and I’d be very happy to see that.

The last thing, long-term care beds. We are doing things in this area, but I know the Minister is aware that we need a lot more. We’ve heard ad infinitum that our age structure is changing demographics. Perhaps we’ll hear more about the plan to address that and come up with a well thought out, comprehensive plan. I was disappointed to hear that Avens is backing off on their efforts, because I think one of the worst areas will certainly be Yellowknife where people tend to migrate to when they have particular needs. I hope that will be

recognized in the plan and that the Minister will get busy on this. I’d hate to see us 5 or 10 years down the road seeing a lot of seniors suffer because we haven’t done the work to get that in place.

I think we’ll get into the details here. I’ll leave it at that. I’m not expecting the Minister to respond to a lot of these, because I know they will be coming up in detail, but I did want to bring them up because I think they’re important enough to be repeated.