Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, be amended on page 23 by inserting the words: “We will improve affordability of daycare, ensuring sustainability for operators of early childhood programs and expanding access to early childhood programs across the territory.” Thank you, Mr. Chair.

A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Daycare affordability is a major issue for working families in the Northwest Territories, as I just said. It's usually the largest expense after accommodation. Funding for childcare comes primarily from the fees that parents pay. Just 20 per cent of childcare costs come from public funding in the NWT, one of the lowest levels in the developed world and less than one per cent of our budget. In the academic study of the feasibility of providing universal daycare in the NWT, the authors make the following recommendations about grants to daycare operators. I'm going to quote from that report:

“

If a daycare centre was positioned to apply for every grant, it would involve nine different application processes for relatively small amounts. Growing childcare in the NWT requires a more stable funding base and a less burdensome grant process. Consolidating the program contribution, rent/mortgage contribution, and staff grant program would refocus operational funding into a single payment stream to programs. The Small Communities Initiative Fund could also be rolled into the consolidated grant, providing predictable funding for programs in remote communities. Multi-year grants would allow for program planning and reduce the administrative burden. Rather than allocating consolidated grant payments on spaces or enrolment, which is the way it's done now, payments should be based on legislated staffing levels, which are the major recurring non-flexible costs in daycare. To ensure funding improves staff wages, regional wage grids would provide transparency to staff and accountability to the public, and allow for differences in living costs. Tying payment levels to staff credentials and a wage grid would encourage capacity in the work force. Consolidated grant payments could be paid quarterly or as deemed appropriate in consultation with operators. The above approaches are funding-neutral. In other words, they can be implemented without additional funds. They address deliverables in the action plan, including reducing the administrative workload and promoting program stability by providing predictable funding. At the same time, they address wage levels, which impact the ability of programs to recruit and retain trained staff. Ultimately they provide the coherent base necessary if the NWT is to grow funding to expand early childhood education access and improve program quality.”

What I want to emphasize here is that what is strangling our daycares now is this unpredictable and cumbersome granting structure, which is based on whether children are there and so varies from day to day, since young children are often ill. It strangles the daycare providers by not allowing them a predictable and stable source of funding, which is why my colleagues have been talking about daycares closing in a number of communities. Usually, these operations are very thin in a financial way, where they cannot carry the program for months on end where the enrolment in the childcare facility is fluctuating. I would therefore urge everyone to vote in favour of this motion that will address these chronic problems in operating daycares in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion. Question has been called. I call upon Ms. Green to conclude debate. Is there anything further, Ms. Green?

No, thank you.

All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. ---Carried

Are there any more comments on the “Cost of Living” section? I'm seeing none. Does the committee agree we move onto the “Community Wellness and Safety” section?

Are there any comments on this section? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 be amended on page 25 by deleting the words, “Developing an action plan for enhanced home and community care services,” and inserting the words, “Developing and implementing an action plan for enhanced home and community care services.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just a few words on this. We are looking for an action plan for the enhanced homecare services to support the communities, largely in support of the aging in place, that we think would be a program or a project of the government that would have tremendous returns, would defer a lot of costs. We want ensure that there is an action plan on the homecare services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion.

Question has been called. I will allow Mr. Beaulieu to conclude debate on the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as opposed to developing an action plan, what we are recommending is that we implement an action plan. We know that there is some money now in home and community care services, so we are looking for an action plan to enhance those services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried. ---Carried

Comments and questions on the section. Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 be amended on page 25 by deleting the words, “Developing an action plan for expanded palliative care services,” and inserting the words, “Developing and implementing an action plan for expanded palliative care services.” Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McNeely. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. McNeely. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll be very brief. One of the things that small communities are seeing more and more often is that their elders, once they get to a certain age, are passing away from home, and in their last days they would like to have a service in the community. I think some of the communities such as Deline and in Fort Resolution have even you know marked a place location where they thought that this service could be provided, so for that reason I would support the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion.

Question has been called. I will allow Mr. McNeely to conclude debate on the motion