Glen Abernethy

We’re quite excited about the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link. We believe it’s going to help enhance the services that we already have, and our first focus is to make sure that the tools that we have in place – EMR imaging, lab services – that we currently try to provide over the Internet are enhanced as a first priority and make sure we get maximum benefit out of those programs that we have. We also believe it’s going to support and help us with things like telehealth because we’ll have a better link and better time, better connection.

We also know and we’ve had an opportunity to look at...

Yes, that is actually going to be in the act. The reason we don’t believe it’s going to cost us significant money, the reason we could manage within, is because we are finding ways today to provide some of those services whether it’s through voluntary approaches or otherwise. This is going to give us more ability to do it in a formal way, but we don’t believe it’s going to cost significantly more money.

The Member and I want the same thing, which is a comprehensive Mental Health Act that meets the needs of the residents of the Northwest Territories, and we’re committed to doing that. The department is working on it every day.

A significant amount of information came out during our public consultation process. We had a lot of feedback. It was wonderful to get as much feedback as we did. The department is going through that data. It’s analysing that data and writing the act as we speak. The act is currently being written as we speak, but it will take a bit of time and there’s a good chance that...

I’ll just re-state again we are using CanTalk, which is technology. But I agree with what the Member is saying completely and Education, Culture and Employment is working with a number of the Aboriginal governments to create actual apps for things that can be used on iPhones and iPads around languages and to help people do exactly what the Member is talking about.

We’re currently working with a number of the different Aboriginal organizations and language groups in the Northwest Territories to help provide translation around medical terminology. When that’s done it would be a great opportunity...

Our home support workers as well as our home care nurses provide a really valuable service throughout the Northwest Territories. We have home support workers in many communities throughout the Northwest Territories and we’ve also provided training to many of the individuals that are supporting individuals who need home support such as our personal support workers. By way of example, we’re doing training in the Sahtu right now to prep a bunch of individuals from the Sahtu for the new long-term care facility to provide personal support in there. There are a number of things that we are doing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The mayor of Yellowknife actually got in touch with the Cabinet. He actually had a meeting with the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Justice, and I also had a private meeting with the mayor, as well, to discuss this important initiative that the city is pursuing. We are supportive. We are looking for ways to be their partners and they are looking for ways for us to be their partners. It’s early days. The discussions are early on, but we will continue to engage with the mayor and explore opportunities to be meaningful partners.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have travelled to a lot of communities throughout the Northwest Territories, and where there are issues around homelessness, I know the Housing Corp is very active in those communities as far ensuring people get housing. But also we’ve got government services officers who are aware of the different programs and services who could direct people. We also have, in many of the communities, community counsellors and social workers who can, when they recognize people that are in crisis, refer them to services that might be appropriate. There are people in the communities...

Thank you, Madam… Holy cow! Thank you, Mr. Chair. You’re so different. When did that happen?

I can’t even remember what I was going to say. We don’t really have an update. I’ll get that information for the Member. I know we’re moving some of our people around, you know, to help backfill where possible and we’re looking at doing some staffing, but we don’t have a full answer for that. I’ll get that information for the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We actually have the new Aboriginal health and community wellness division, and the wellness workers that we have within that division, that is their exact job.

It’s too early to say whether Hay River is going to roll into this new authority immediately or whether it’s going to be transitioned over time. We are doing that work and I’m certainly happy to have continued discussions with the Member on that. In the meantime, I will work with the public administrator in Hay River and have the department work with the CEO to see how we can reduce some of the wait time in Hay River.