Thank you. The Healthy Family Program will be moving to Tuk in ’15-16. It was based on a supp that occurred in ’14-15. The planning is occurring now, but there will be a Healthy Family Program in Tuk in ’15-16. I’d just like to add, that’s in partnership with the IRC. As I say often, a lot of these programs really benefit from partnering with community governments, Aboriginal governments as well as other people throughout the Northwest Territories. Partnerships really make these programs better and this particular one in Tuk is being done in partnership with the IRC.

Thanks. A last question here. So we’re adding one community in ’15-16. Where does the increase, I’m presuming there’s an increase in expenditures because of that. So where does it show in the budget and how much is it? Thank you.

Thank you. The dollars actually came in in the ’14-15 fiscal year, which we’re using for the transition and the planning, and it came in by way of a supp in ’14-15. So it will not show as an increase in ’15-16. Thank you.

So I guess that means that Tuk was added in this current budget year, not in ’15-16. Okay. So we are not increasing the number of communities for Healthy Family Programs in ’15-16? That would be my last question for confirmation. Thank you.

The work to set them up is actually occurring right now, but the money actually hasn’t been transferred. A supp will be coming to Committee of the Whole later, in the next couple of weeks. It’s a transfer from ECE. So we’re beginning the work now and when the supp is passed, the money will be there and the dollars will be used to create the program in Tuk. So it is going to be new in ’15-16. There is only a month and a half left in this fiscal year.

Thanks. I did say it was my last question. It is my last question, but I guess I have to spar with the Minister. We’re talking budget here and I asked about the budget. So there is no increase in the budget for Healthy Family Programs? Thank you.

Recognizing the support this committee has for Healthy Family programs, I imagine that we will see an increase in the budget once the supp passes. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Next on my list I have Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was just wondering if we could get a bit of a breakdown

of the disabilities funding, how much it is. I see the indicator here at $335,000, but what the breakdown specifically is and what program areas are they targeting in their support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There’s $113,000 for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, $183,000 for the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities and $39,000 for the Hay River Community for Persons with Disabilities for a total of $335,000 in the Disabilities Fund.

Thank you, Minister. I’ll just remind committee we’re on 197. If you have some detail to go to the next page, we need to get there. Go ahead, Mr. Hawkins.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. The reasons I was just citing more specifically are grants and contributions fall under 197, but the detail of it is actually on the next page. So I can save the rest of my questions for the next page. What would you like me to do, Mr. Chairman?

I guess we’re flexible. Go ahead.

Excellent. All those years of yoga are paying off. First off I’m going to say it’s nice to see the money continue. I don’t see the money really elevating a little bit. Yes, there is more money than last year, which looks like it was taken up at $329,000. Interestingly enough, I notice the Disabilities Council in the Yukon is losing all their funding from the Yukon government, but their funding was twice as much than we offer here today, a little more than twice as much.

The reason I highlight the disabilities funding is I’m a little unsure that there’s enough there to do the work that they actually challenge each and every day and provide the programming. In talking to the folks here in Yellowknife and certainly the good folks down in Hay River, as well, one of the biggest challenges they have is funding, for example, like handivans to ensure that they get people in their membership out and in the community to community events to keep them in the area of active living. I’m just wondering what availability is there to create some flexibility.

Now I’m not asking about capital projects. In other words, I mean, of course they’d like you to buy a van, an appropriate van, but usually it’s not the capital cost that kills organizations like this, it’s the O and M to run these things. They cost a lot more over the long haul.

So I’d ask the Minister, what type of flexibility is there for additional funding to assist with things like handivans in order to get people with disabilities and even in a lot of cases seniors out to community

events more often? In some cases, people who are shut in don’t get out at all. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just for the record, there is an additional $226,553 for community-based respite that goes to the NWT Disabilities Council. So the $183,000 is not the only money that they’re getting.

As I indicated previously, we are working with them and we’re hoping to see a revised disabilities action plan and that may come with some financial asks. We’re looking forward to seeing that document when it is concluded, at which point we’ll be having, I’m certain, some discussions with the committee on that.

With respect to handivans and other programs, we believe that the individual associations that are looking for handivan support can go to MACA in communities to seek funding under the Community Public Infrastructure Fund.

Thank you. Could I have the Minister restate that last title under MACA, the access fund? I heard two people talking at the same time and they sounded like they were disagreeing. Thank you.

I actually forget the title, but it’s infrastructure funding for community governments. We will get that information confirmed from MACA and provide it to committee. I forget the name of the fund. Thank you.

At this particular time I don’t have anything further in this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Next I have Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of other things I didn’t get a chance to speak to last time. In terms of mental health services, I want to get a quick update on… I’m not sure if it was a pilot project or the work that was being done with Dalhousie University in terms of telehealth for mental health counselling services. Are we still using that and is it being utilized to a degree? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is still in place. We have had some difficulties over the year with some specific issues, but for the details, I will go to the deputy for that.