Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated we don't believe, at this time, it's going to take some additional funding. We need to actually get into the program with the City of Yellowknife to figure out how it's going to roll out. As the demand ramps up, we might require some additional funding, at which point we are going to come back to the business planning process and have that discussion with committee. Mr. Speaker, the department was an active participant at the April homelessness community partnership forum and is participating in the two different working groups that were...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Housing First Program includes providing participating clients with what has been termed wraparound services. Discussions have been had between the Department of Health and Social Services and the City of Yellowknife, where the City of Yellowknife has clarified that the intent of their Housing First proposal is to have 24/7 supervision and support of clients on site. That does not mean or does not include on-site clinical services 24/7. The Department of Health and Social Services has committed both publicly and in meetings with the city to ensure that...

Mr. Speaker, I feel that although we did have some delays, now that we have our positions in place, finally we are able to get some qualified applicants to do the work. They are going at this as quickly as they can. This isn't their only job. They're also working on the evaluation frameworks that are being put in place in Hay River. If we're going to continue to roll out these programs, we must be evaluating the work that's being done; they're doing that important work. They're also working with physicians and the practitioners in Fort Smith, Hay River, and Inuvik, learning from what they're...

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. Last year by this time, we had hired four summer students in Norman Wells. This year, we've already hired five summer students in Norman Wells, so we're a little ahead of where we were, but we're on par for where we were by the end of the year. I have already directed my departments, Human Resources and Health and Social Services, to hire as many students as they can. There has to be meaningful work. They can't just be hired to sit around an office and do nothing. There has to be work for them to do. I have directed my two departments to hire the same number...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as always, the Department of Human Resources has set up the Summer Student Employment Program whereby we ask students to provide us with their resumes. We include them in a database which is shared with departments. Ultimately, the hiring of summer students is a department responsibility, each one of the individual departments. We do collect those resumes. When the departments indicate that they have a need, we forward the resumes that meet the job criteria that they're looking for, and we actually help facilitate the hire, but the hires are actually...

In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that certain provisions in the Criminal Code related to physician-assisted dying were unconstitutional. June 6th is the day the Supreme Court's ruling actually takes effect across this country. Medical assisted dying is an option for eligible Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is ready to ensure residents can access this option if they request it. The Department of Health and Social Services has developed interim guidelines that set the rules for how medical assistance in dying will be requested and provided in the Northwest Territories. Our...

Mr. Speaker, the TB rates in the Northwest Territories are declining. Over the last ten years in the Northwest Territories we have seen a yearly average of about ten TB cases. In the last two years, we've actually seen lower numbers than that, four or five. Regardless, we are focused on having no TB here, in the Northwest Territories, and we've got to do that by ensuring that a hundred per cent of the people diagnosed with TB are cured. Identifying and treating those who are infected but don't have symptoms, often referred to as latent TB, is necessary to continue to reduce rates here, in the...

Mr. Speaker, I can't speak on behalf of the other departments. The other departments have to look at their budgets. They have to look at their workload. They have already been encouraged by the Premier to hire as many students as they can, with a focus on getting in as many hired as we had last year.

Once again, the individual departments, boards, and agencies are responsible for hiring summer students. On Friday, the Premier of the Northwest Territories did send a letter to all of the Ministers as well as the deputy ministers, directing them to hire more summer students. Our numbers are a little bit lower than they were last year. Currently, we have 217 summer students hired. Last year at this time, we had 273. By the end of the year, we had about 341. The Premier has already given direction to have all the departments hire more students to try and get us closer to the number where we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Jim Antoine in the gallery today. Jim is the chair designate of the new Territorial Health and Social and Services Authority and I look forward to continuing to work with Jim over the coming years as we move to one authority. Thank you, Jim. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.