Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, I need some clarity before I can actually answer that question. Is the Member talking about through divorce proceedings or custody proceedings, or is the Member talking about through child and family services?

If the Member is talking about services through child and family services where a child may be apprehended or placed in different custody, the grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles, brothers, sisters and other persons qualify as extended family, and under child and family services we work with the extended families, including the grandparents, and where appropriate we can...

We do encourage residents who are struggling with addictions to attend a number of counselling sessions. I believe it’s four, depending on the nature of the addiction. But we also recognize that sometimes four sessions is too much. Sometimes now is the time. If you are suffering from mental health or an addictions issue here in the Northwest Territories and you know now is the time, you need to speak to a counsellor or health practitioner, let them know that now is the time, I need to go now, and we can get a referral through the department in 24 hours and we can begin the process of getting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2014-2015 we had a total of 174 residents who took advantage of the treatment facilities available to Northwest Territories residents. In 2015-2016, to date, we’ve had 109 residents of the Northwest Territories take advantage of those same treatment facilities.

Just as a note, we have put in an expedited referral process to ensure that people can get to those facilities as quickly as possible. Sometimes now is the right time for individuals. We have seen some significant success with those bonafide referral processes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the Member’s opinion. I disagree with him. I’ve made a commitment; we’re going to stand up to the commitment. There’s a significant amount of work that needs to be done and they were hoping to do it this week, but they will do it the week after or the week after, depending on what the chief of the community says is appropriate.

Department staff need to work with the authority and we need to work with the community to conduct a functional program assessment of the wellness centre that exists. They also need to complete a health assessment with the needs of elders and residents with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re committed to getting this done and are working with the community of Deline to get this done. We had actually hoped to go in this summer, but due to staffing issues and the fact that Deline was probably one of the busiest communities in the Northwest Territories this summer, we didn’t actually manage to get in there.

Last week, during our bilateral meetings with the Sahtu, I committed to getting in there as quickly as possible, prior to October 23rd. In fact, we were hoping to go in this week, the same time that the Sahtu AGM, the Sahtu Health and Social Services...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent of the Great Slave riding in the gallery today, Mr. Kieron Testart. Thank you for being here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following seven documents, entitled “GNWT Response to Motion 36-17(5): Workplace Safety at Stanton Territorial Hospital;” “GNWT Response to CR 12-17(5): Report on the Review of Bill 36: Health and Social Services Profession Act;” “GNWT Response to Motion 39-17(5), Domestic Violence Death Review Committee;” “GNWT Response to Motion 40-17(5), Wellness Centre at Stanton Territorial Hospital;” “GNWT Response to Committee Report 18-17(5), Report on the Review of Bill 47, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act;” a “Follow-up Letter for OQ 813-17...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, October 1, 2015, I will move that Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act, No. 2, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 47, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act, be read for the third time.

That is the intent of the health care system, and in that clinic you’ll see well man, well woman, well baby clinics, as well as other information being shared with our residents. The facility has a huge opportunity to continue to provide the quality services that are being delivered in the community now, but over time, there’s also some space for growth and some change of programs. So, as I said to Mr. Menicoche earlier, we’re committed to the health and well-being of all of our residents and we will work with the communities. Thank you.