This is page numbers 1153 - 1196 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 seniors.

Topics

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT Seniors' Society has requested this government and the previous government create an NWT seniors' strategy for a number of reasons. I am going to recap some of them today. The first is that the existing strategic framework, called "Our Elders, Our Communities," was published in 2014, and much has changed in that time. It also is a strategy that is specific to Health and Social Services. It doesn't address issues such as housing, transportation, social inclusion, and so on. While this is a good strategy in and of itself, it's not current to our needs at the moment.

There is, in fact, a national seniors' strategy, but it does not address NWT-specific issues. The result of that is that it's helpful, but not specific enough. What we have now in the NWT are 17 programs and services designed for or accessed by seniors and offered by departments and agencies, including Health and Social Services, the NWT Housing Corporation, Education, Culture and Employment, Justice, and Municipal and Community Affairs. What we need is to bring all of these programs together into one strategy and action plan for a whole-of-government approach. This is analogous to the integrated case management-type model, where there is a one-stop shop for all of these programs and services, and that roadmap is included in an NWT seniors' strategy.

Some of the areas that present gaps now that we know about are assistance with home maintenance, yard work, housekeeping, grocery shopping, and other essential activities of daily living. These are not covered by homecare. Homecare is a nursing function, and so this is a gap for seniors who are trying to age in place in their own homes. There will be much more said about homecare when the report is tabled, but we know that homecare is kind of a patchwork approach at this point and needs to be strengthened.

We also know that there is no transportation available to seniors outside of Yellowknife, and yet transportation is key to seniors who want to age in place in order for them to go grocery shopping and to meet their social needs, among other things.

Affordable housing is a huge issue for seniors. People have heard me talk before about how the waiting list at Avens here was six years long, last I heard. I know Avens is interested in expanding their offerings, but even when they do, there will still be a shortage of seniors' housing across the NWT and especially of affordable housing. We know that, for seniors, as for everyone else in the Northwest Territories, housing is their biggest expense, and they need assistance in the form of some kind of a subsidy.

What I am asking for here, then, is that the government create the resources necessary to engage a broad stakeholder group of people who interact with seniors, not only within government, but also within the non-profit sector, so that there is a concerted effort to create a strategy that addresses this huge segment of our population, huge and growing, and that we live up to the commitments of allowing our elders to age in place by creating this coordinated approach to their needs.

Further, to the statement that I made today about elder abuse and the soon-to-be-lapsed strategy on combatting elder abuse, this also should be included in the seniors' strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend to my colleagues in this House how we can make seniors' lives more functional, richer, and meet more of their basic needs by making a roadmap for how to do that and implementing it. Those are my opening comments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. To the motion as amended. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's an honour for me to second this motion with my colleagues on this side of the House. Our elders are our knowledge base in the communities and all over the Northwest Territories. Our seniors have given us a lot throughout life. The journey of leadership, they are all leaders in their own right and they should have the dignity to have a senior's strategy by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and there should be money set aside in the department to ensure that seniors are well looked-after so that they can live with dignity. I truly believe in this motion, and it would be really great if the whole House would have unanimously accepted this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. To the motion as amended. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I stand in support of the motion. There are a growing number of seniors across the Northwest Territories, and I am one of them, or will be soon enough. Part of the issue here, I think, Mr. Speaker, is that the issue of seniors cuts across several departments within this government; Health and Social Services, Housing, Municipal and Community Affairs. Most of our departments have some responsibility, some part of their programs and services that are dedicated and targeted toward seniors, but we don't really have a whole-of-government approach, and I think that's what is really required here, Mr. Speaker.

Often, the issues that seniors face are complex. You know, they relate often to areas around housing, transportation, accessibility, social isolation, abuse, and, once again, these matters cut across a number of different departments. We have a very enthusiastic Minister responsible for Seniors, and I do want to give him credit. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any resources to work with within the government. I shouldn't say that; he is able to, I guess, draw on the resources that are there, but I think, when we have a Minister responsible for Seniors or a Minister responsible for Youth, we need to find ways to support that function, rather than just have them as figureheads. They often will need some sort of support, a secretariat, somebody who can help them lead the charge in terms of policy development when it cuts across various departments, and so on. Part of my objective in supporting this motion is to get the Minister responsible for Seniors the kind of support that is needed to help develop this kind of strategy, that cuts across many areas that our government provides services and programs in.

I am pleased to support this motion, and I look forward to all of the Regular MLAs on this side of the House voting in favour. You know, the way this works, to explain this to the public, is that Cabinet often abstains from these kinds of motions because it provides direction to them and maybe creates a bit of a perception of some kind of conflict of interest, or something, but I expect that most of our colleagues on the other side of the House actually support this, as well, but, just out of convention, they can't stand in support of it. However, I know that their hearts are in the right place and they support this initiative, as well. Also, I do want to acknowledge and thank the mover and the seconder in bringing forward this important matter of public interest, and commend them for their actions. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. To the motion as amended. Minister responsible for Seniors.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government recognizes the importance of supporting our seniors and elders to ensure that they remain living safely in their own communities. The current mandate has several priorities which address key areas that impact the ability of seniors and elders to age in place, including housing, income, and finances; health support; community infrastructure and supports; and safety. Several departments are leading the work on this, including Education, Culture and Employment, Municipal and Community Affairs, Health and Social Services, Justice, and the NWT Housing Corporation.

Developing an NWT seniors' strategy may not be achievable at this time, particularly in light of the current and developing COVID pandemic response; however, we are committed to supporting our seniors by advancing the mandate priorities. We will continue to work across government and community sectors to address the core issues that impact the ability of seniors and elders to remain living in supportive communities, free from abuse, regardless of whether a specific senior's strategy is developed.

Mr. Speaker, motions in Legislative Assemblies are typically taken as advice to the government, and Cabinet usually abstains from voting on them. Cabinet is committed to supporting NWT seniors and we will continue to advance our mandate priorities related to that, but we will be abstaining from this vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. To the motion as amended. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure what COVID has to do with this. The Minister responsible for Seniors had already told the NWT Seniors' Society at the end of last year that he would not support the development of a seniors' strategy. I feel this is a really important strategy to support. That's the reason that I have brought this motion forward. I recognize that the government is not going to support this, but I look forward to the support of my Regular Member colleagues for our seniors to ensure that we've fulfilled our promise to them to make their lives easier in their old age. Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. To the motion as amended. Question has been called. The Member is seeking a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.

Recorded Vote
Motions

Page 1175

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Monfwi, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Recorded Vote
Motions

Page 1175

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

All those opposed, please rise. All those abstaining, please rise.

Recorded Vote
Motions

Page 1175

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Yellowknife South.

Recorded Vote
Motions

Page 1176

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

The results of the recorded vote: 11 in favour, zero opposed, seven abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Motions. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Monday, June 15, 2020, I will move that Bill 10, Temporary Variation of Statutory Time Periods (COVID-19 Pandemic Measures) Act, be read for the first time. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to proceed with the first reading of this bill today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Item 18, first reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 2, 2020-2021, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. Any abstentions. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 8 has had first reading. First reading of bills, Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2020-2021, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. Any abstentions. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 9 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 10, Temporary Variation of Statutory Time Periods (COVID-19 Pandemic Measures) Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The Minister of Justice is seeking unanimous consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 10. Are there any nays? There are no nays.

---Unanimous consent granted

The Minister of Justice may proceed.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 10, Temporary Variation of Statutory Time Periods (COVID-19 Pandemic Measures) Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. Any abstentions. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 10 has had first reading. Item, 19, second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 2, 2020-2021 be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.