Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, according to the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada and countless other organizations, access to affordable transportation is a key element of aging in place, which is also one of the mandated priorities of this Assembly. Unfortunately, it is an issue that no department or level of government wants to tackle. However, I think I may have found the man responsible for this. Because this is so intricately related to aging in place, I believe that the Minister of Health and Social Services, whose department is committed to ensuring seniors age in place, improving access to services for persons with disabilities -- and he is also the Minister responsible for Seniors and the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities and the chair of the Community Wellness and Safety Committee of Cabinet, which coordinates policy on aging in place as well as mental health and community wellness, all of which are relevant to the issue as I stated earlier. So I think that he is the man that is finally going to get this dealt with. Does the Minister agree with the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada that affordable transportation services for seniors are a key element of aging in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ability of patients, residents, clients of the Northwest Territories, regardless of where you live, to get to health care facilities is an incredibly important aspect of their being able to maintain health. At the end of the day, public transportation is the responsibility of communities and that includes transportation of seniors, non-seniors, persons with disabilities. When it comes to residents that are actually under our care and control, people who are living in our facilities like our long-term care facilities, we are responsible for transportation of those individuals. We live up to that commitment and we make sure they get to their appointments when they need to get to their appointments and get to other public events when necessary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the issue here is that the department doesn't take a holistic look at aging in place. It is not just having a home with wider hallways and a bathroom you can walk into. There is much more to aging in place. Is the Minister aware of any studies which have looked at the feasibility of providing the service, not just the cost, but the potential benefits?

Mr. Speaker, "Our Elders: Our Communities" is a holistic document. It is focused on trying to improve residents' experiences with aging, particularly aging in place. We work closely with the NWT Seniors' Society as well, trying to ensure that our residents have access to a wide range of programs and services to ensure that they can stay in their homes for as long as they can and in the communities as long as they can. As far as a specific -- have we in the GNWT done a specific review into the transportation and the ability for individuals to get to appointments, I don't believe we have done that focused attention, but we are looking at a holistic approach for aging in place.

I hate to make additional work for the Minister, given all his responsibilities I listed earlier, but would he make a commitment to look into the feasibility of providing the service and the benefits that it would provide?

Mr. Speaker, local governments actually have the responsibility to provide public transportation options for citizens including seniors or persons with disabilities. We do know that throughout the Northwest Territories, many communities have stepped up and are taking on this responsibility. The town of Hay River purchased a handi-van through the gas tax funding and transferred that vehicle to the Hay River disabilities council, who in turn applied for some money under the antipoverty fund to help them to provide operations for that. We provide handi-vans for residents who are living in our long-term care facilities. The City of Yellowknife I think has some programs for accessibility and transportation. I will certainly commit to looking at what is available in the Northwest Territories now and provide a bit of a summary of what is out there, so we can help our residents know what is available.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware of what is out there in Hay River. There is not enough out there. That is what I have been told by my constituents, by quite a few of them, and they want me to bring this issue, and they want me to press this issue. So I will ask again. Will the Minister commit to looking into the feasibility of providing these kinds of services I described, not just the services we have that are inadequate? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as the Department of Health and Social Services, I want to be cautious about taking over the responsibility that is actually somebody else's jurisdiction. What I will commit to do is work with communities across the Northwest Territories to find out what other revenue sources might exist for providing these types of services and work with partners who are already providing these types of services to see how, together, we might be able to expand these services to meet the needs of the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, as far as day trips, we don't have that service available for residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, for the Minister for his answer. I have heard many concerns regarding this issue. A lot of elders that come in do not have a place to go after their appointment and end up walking around a lot. It wears them out and tires them out. Some actually need naps. We have to give them the dignity and respect. Will the Minister work with his department to establish a place where they can rest or even nap after their appointments?

Mr. Speaker, we are always looking at ways to improve the patient experience during medical travel. However, it has to be done within some limits. What we do now is we try to ensure the comfort and safety of patients during the course of their travel. Medical travel staff will actually work really hard with them to find a suitable itinerary that will minimize wait times and time between visits. Recognizing that individuals do come in from communities and have to spend time in airports for extended periods of time, there can be some frustration. I will work with the department, as part of our medical travel review, to see what other options are available as far as where people might be able to stay and what other opportunities are available in communities for them in between appointments and during travel.

I really thank the Minister for his answer, and I know the elders and seniors and escorts do travel with them. Thank you for that commitment.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to medical travel, can the Minister please advise the House what the rates are for meals and accommodations are for patients and escorts who are not government employees and not able to stay at the boarding home?

Mr. Speaker, patients and their non-medical escorts that don't already have access to an employer plan with medical travel benefits are not eligible to stay in boarding homes, I think the Member is aware of that, and are reimbursed a daily allowance at an established rate. Currently the rate is $50 a day for accommodation and $18 a day for meals. Many residents are eligible for the boarding homes; these include non-insured health benefits clients; those who are eligible for Métis health benefits; those that are eligible for extended health benefits; indigent health benefits and individuals with low family income, which is around under $80,000. So those individuals can use the boarding homes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, it seems to be a very small amount for patients and escorts to buy food or something to drink: $18 for meals does not go very far especially if you're trying to eat healthy and ensure that you follow a strict diet. As well, it's really a challenge if you're on fixed income or you have to take time off your work to escort these people. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure when this was reviewed last time, I think maybe April 1st, but can the Minister commit to have this department review the amounts provided and look at increasing it to reflect the realities of the cost of living for our residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, earlier I commented on the three pillars that we're working on: the eligibility criteria, the escort criteria and the benefits criteria so we are doing the work the Member is requesting us to do. We are looking at the rates. We are exploring possibility of changes or amendments to those. Everything that we do, Mr. Speaker, has to be done within our current fiscal environment and we have to be conscious of the fact that there are limited funds available, and if we're going to put more money in, the money has to come from somewhere else. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to continue on with the questions for the Minister of Health on my earlier questions. I just want a couple of more questions for clarity.

The Minister indicated that he cannot take away from the acute care services provided to the people. I'd like to ask if the Minister is aware of how much of the people that are in hospital or being served, the acute care people, how many of those people's health issues are preventable? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.