This is page numbers 845 - 886 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was services.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

May 28th, 2020

Page 874

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you for that answer. I imagine, for the patient stuff, that budget will be a lot higher. Just to be clear, this travel budget here is for staff for HSS travel? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes. Sorry, I apologize for that. Yes, it is the staff travel, to be able to go into the communities to perform health services. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you for that response. Something else that I want to make a quick comment about, about suicide, it is something that has always plagued our people up in the North. For me, personally, I lost two uncles, and it hit the family very hard. I know that we do what we can to put funding in. I just want to know a little bit more about this community-based suicide prevention. It says here on page 172 that it's funding to support suicide prevention projects, groups, workshops, after-school programs, and land-based programs. It says after-school programs. Has there been any work or kind of joint projects with ECE for this program? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 874

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The community-based suicide prevention is funding to support community-based suicide prevention projects, including groups, workshops, after-school programs, as well as on-the-land programs. I'm not sure right now if there are activities we do in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 874

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for the response. If I could just get the Minister to find out a little bit more, it will be good to know if there is any overlap for this, and I want to make sure that we are spending our money wisely within our departments. Mahsi.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 874

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister, can you make that commitment?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Further questions, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair, nothing further.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you. Are there any other questions on this area of health and social programs? Seeing none, I'm going to call the page, then. Health and social programs, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $318,333,000. Does committee agree?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, committee. We're now moving into the section called long term and continuing care of services, beginning on page 175, with information items on page 178. Questions? Member for Kam Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My first question is in regard to the respite fund under contributions. We have a lot of people in the Northwest Territories right now who are spending an unprecedented amount of time at home with people who require a lot of care, whether that's children with disabilities or adults with disabilities. Especially with people who are used to sharing the care of loved ones, now that everybody is at home, the need for respite care, I think, is probably greater than it was before, to be able to have that support in the home. Does the Department of Health and Social Services foresee an increase to the need of amount of money in the respite fund, and does Health and Social Services, given COVID, anticipate actually doing a lot more outreach in the community to see if people do need that care that they normally wouldn't have tapped into because maybe kids are at school or maybe they do have additional help or support in the home? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Madam Chair. The respite fund in the budget of $225,000, it's to provide community-based respite services to caregivers of residents with disabilities in the Northwest Territories. The Member is asking if we do see an increase. One of the things that the department is doing and looking at is the long-term care review and some of the recommendations as a result of that. That is something that we are looking at. The respite fund is very important. A lot of people in the Territories rely on that because they do need that respite care. That is something that, once we start looking at the review and looking into recommendations, it is quite possible that that would increase. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Further questions, Member for Kam Lake?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Would the Department of Health and Social Services be willing to work with community organizations to make sure that community members are aware that this fund exists and how to access it so that we can kind of be a bit more proactive to make sure that people who need support in the home, who need that relief and that respite, know that it's available and have access to it? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 875

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes, right now the fund goes to the Disabilities Council of the Northwest Territories. That is where our funds of the $225,000 goes directly to them. The Member is asking if there are ways that we can advertise new budget line item? I'm not sure. Right now, this is a contribution agreement with the NWT Disabilities Council. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I don't think it needs to be a new line item. I think that Health and Social Services has a really strong communication team who does a lot of great work. I think that this is something that we can just simply ask them to highlight in communities right now, given that people probably do need additional support in the home; not a new line item. My next question is in regard to with long-term facilities, I see that there is not a line item for languages here. Would language requirements or language needs within long-term care facilities be involved here, or where would we see that line item? Thank you.