Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I actually learned something today on this file. I thought that there would be an ECE, Health and Department of MACA working looking after seniors and that's, you know, promoting their health and that and I wish we would work with that.

Mr. Speaker, this past June I read in the news that the Department provided little if no support for the 50+ Games. I've heard the Minister say that there were some pins and uniforms and that. Actually, one of your colleagues actually attended the games and did quite well, I heard, and I thank him for, you know, promoting physical literacy and a better way of life. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain to the House why is it the department provides little or no support for these type of games for seniors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm going to take the opportunity to actually address two issues that was brought up by the Member. The first one was that there is no coordination within the departments to deal with seniors specific; that is not true. My understanding was there is an interdepartmental group. There is no interdepartmental group; however, we do have a Minister responsible for seniors who works with all of the departments to compile the information supports and to lobby and advocate with us to provide supports to seniors.

The second thing I will address is the question. It was talking about the 55+. Like I said, we did give $14,000 to Sport North this summer for the 55+ games. They used it to cover uniforms and pins. But we have made a commitment, and that was from the past Minister and it still follows through with myself as the new Minister, that every organization will receive the same amount of funding as they got last year and, if not, then maybe more. I will honour that commitment, and I do promise that there will be at least the amount of funding if not more for seniors. I have a personal stake in this as well. I am over 55. I want to make sure that we take care of ours. I don't want to be one of the people that fall off and aren't physically active. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health on the question of funding and support for seniors, in particular aging in place. Mr. Speaker, the Minister recently stated that while federal health funding is diminishing, there is a new funding anticipated. Can the Minister provide the status of that funding and indicate to the assembly, if approved, what will it be used for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the federal election, there was an indication that there would be money allocated to provinces and territories by the federal government, about $3.9 billion over a four-year period. We don't actually know how they plan to distribute those dollars or what the criteria is for utilizing those dollars are. If past predicts future, and they use the same types of formula as they have in the past, which is often population-based, we could get as much as $3.6 million over the four years, which works out to just over $900,000 a year.

We, and all the other provinces and territories, are working with the federal government to figure out how to distribute those funds and what those funds can be utilized for. It is clear that it is for home care but not the scope and nature. In the past, there have been some concerns about some of the federal dollars that are rolled out that have been very specific. There hasn't been a lot of flexibility. The provinces and territories are suggesting to Ottawa that our needs across this country are different, and there needs to be some room for flexibility.

One of our concerns about the dollars, when they do flow, is they are often referred to as boutique funds or short-term funds. We will get four years of money, and we have to be cautious about setting up programs or delivering programs that become expected and we are required to continue to deliver them because the federal money will end. As we are accessing these monies, we need to figure out how to ensure that we are either set up to continue programs or that they are utilized to help us design programs that we then have to come to this House to fund. But as the Member knows, we do have financial challenges here in the Northwest Territories. We need to make choices here in this building about cuts, reductions, corrections in order to invest in new initiatives. We are all going to have to work together to find out where the money is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his response. Mr. Speaker, the question I would like to ask, the "Our Elders: Our Communities" frameworks speaks of the need to support seniors in aging in place in the community to delay the need for long-term care. Can the Minister elaborate on some of the steps that are being taken to support aging in place in our communities?

Mr. Speaker, I have mentioned it before. We are working on a continuing care services action plan, which is helping us to quantify the needs and demands out there for things like home care and other supports that we can be providing for our seniors. We hope to have that action plan done by the end of this fiscal year, at which point I will be coming to committee to have some discussions on the plan itself and how we can work together to roll that plan out and make sure that we are meeting the broad range of needs of seniors across this territory.

I appreciate the response and am looking forward to that plan. My next question, Mr. Speaker, is a disturbing trend is that of elders being neglected or taken advantage of or even abused. Can the Minister describe how the department is collaborating with the NWT Seniors' Society in developing training for the prevention of abuse of elders?

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious issue, not just in the Northwest Territories, but across Canada. We have made dollars available to the NWT Seniors' Society, who I do have to applaud for the amazing work that they have done on creating programs and awareness around elder abuse here in the Northwest Territories. We have made technical staff available to them, as they need, to help with information, but they have really taken the lead on the development of this. We do what we can to help promote it and to get that information out there.

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks again to the Minister for his response. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, an important element of healthy aging is in engagement with social circles and activities within the communities. Can the Minister describe ways the department is trying to make that happen, even in the smaller communities? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, traditionally, we have supported some of the different senior societies around the Northwest Territories who have done a lot of this work. But in our design of independent living units and other facilities around the Northwest Territories, we have actually allowed for space where seniors can get together and do programming, whether we are delivering the programming or whether it is community groups who are delivering the programs.

I would suggest that the Member or any of the Members have an opportunity to take a look at one of our new independent living units put together by the Housing Corp, such as the one at Fort Liard. Go check it out, see the space that is available, and you will get a sense of the type of space we are trying to create for individuals to do group activities and gatherings to support socialization.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Masi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, we were very pleased when the government came through with his election promises to increase the funding for the Nutrition North programming and also added four communities from the Northwest Territories to the Nutrition North program. The federal government is now undertaking a consultation process with selected communities. I have met with the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Ms. Bennett, and I have suggested exactly that, that they should transfer the funding from the program for those communities in the Northwest Territories because it ties in very nicely to all of our initiatives for local-grown, northern foods. I should also add that the Senate of the Northwest Territories is also supportive of that approach. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

I am glad to hear that there are four additional communities going to the subsidy list and then also some capital to increase the program delivery. My second question, Mr. Speaker, is the Premier willing to invite Ms. Bennett so we can have some discussions with the community-based leaders that are fully engaged in the interests of the home-growing program?

I should point out that the Nutrition North Canada program is jointly funded by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and also Health Canada, and I believe that the chair of the Advisory Committee is from the Beaufort-Delta. We have had a number of meetings with Minister Bennett. The three Northern Premiers have jointly written to her to pass on what we think the objectives of the Nutrition North program is. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada is consulting with selected communities and they have indicated that they will be consulting with myself or the Northwest Territories at some point in the near future.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is I look forward the dates placed forward for this potential meeting here and we can relay that message on to the regional interested parties there; I have several in my riding that would be glad to accept the invitation to participate and talk to the federal counterparts on how to redesign in person the program for better delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

More so of a comment from the Member. I'll allow the Premier to answer your question.

I should point out that it's very important to engage with the Government of Canada on this issue because while the increased funding and increase in the number of communities was very welcome, it's not clear whether these expenditures are providing effective action in achieving the program's goal of increasing access to perishable nutrition. So I applaud the government for reaching out to the communities, the ones that are most affected by it, to find out how they can make a program more transparent, effective and accountable to Northerners and other Canadians that benefit from this program.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.