Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Before somebody goes out for treatment, and one of the residential treatment facilities that we’re currently working with, they do agree to, when they return, contact or be contacted by the community counsellor. So, there are community counsellors who are providing some degree of after-care.

There are also other opportunities. We know, and we don’t believe that we should be administering it or running it, that AA is a valuable program, but the reason it’s effective is because it’s a non-government sort of member-driven organization. We do know that there is some...

I’m eager to resolve this issue and it is something that I have already discussed at length with the deputy minister of Health and Social Services and we’ve also had discussions with legal.

The issue is it’s not a simple fix, it’s a significant component of the new legislation and it would actually not really fix it if all the other components of the act were still as archaic and bad as they are today.

I want this legislation done. My colleagues on this side want this legislation done. My colleagues on that side want this legislation done, but I believe they want it done right as opposed to...

Thanks, Madam Chair. These are numbers based on budgets provided by the individual authorities, but the Member is correct, we have run deficits in the health authorities in the past. Just for the record, a number of the areas for increase in this particular area include the service centre costs as well as the Microsoft licensing costs, some Collective Agreement costs and other costs that are associated with the health and social services authority funding in the area of administrative support. You’ll notice, as we go through this binder, there’s going to be several areas where money is needed...

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.

It’s certainly an intriguing idea and I get the Member’s point here. If it’s the wish of committee, we’re certainly willing to have those discussions. I will note that this may be an opportunity as we continue to expand the Integrated Case Management Program that we’re applying to the Wellness Court. So this might be an opportunity or a next logical fit. So, if it’s the wish of committee, we’re certainly willing to explore that. Thank you.

It’s my understanding that we actually do have individuals from the health authority as well as I believe there’s income support and Housing staff going in there, but I will get a confirmation of exactly who’s visiting that facility and how regularly to provide information to users of the Day Shelter.

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...

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...