Glen Abernethy

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the Member for his comments. I have to say I’m not exactly sure what the Member is talking about when he refers to a seniors charter. Maybe after sitting today we could get together and he can explain to me what specifically he is referring to. I remember a lot, but clearly I can’t remember everything so I’m not 100 percent sure what he’s talking about.

I do agree with the Member that there’s a lot of good work being done around elders and seniors and I do agree that more needs to be done, as well, which is why we are working on a number of those strategies that...

Early childhood vaccinations are typically administered through well child programs in health centres and public health centres throughout the Northwest Territories. At this time, I can say that our average coverage rates across the Northwest Territories for the publically funded early childhood vaccinations are between 77 percent and 89 percent, and this is roughly based on just the analysis of what the authorities are doing.

It is difficult to estimate more current or more accurate coverage rates in the absence of an information management system here in the Northwest Territories, but we are...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member did start off by talking about an aging population. Once again, I appreciate the Member’s comments.

We are doing a number of things. We do have Our Elders, Our Communities, and we’re building on basically four major pillars within that document and we’re developing action plans around each of those areas. One of them is home and community care, and I hear the Member’s concerns and he doesn’t feel that anything is changing. I will say that the facility that is being built in Providence today is a larger building than had been there previously and there’s...

The Member is right; I mean, the different Aboriginal governments and organizations have the expertise, clearly, for the on-the-land portions, but if they are looking for more of the clinical stuff, they may not have that expertise.

Every program is actually quite different and some of them may actually want some of that support, and we’re absolutely willing and we have been partnering with those different groups, depending on how they design their programs and the goal they’re trying to accomplish for that program. They’re different in every case. But when they want us, we’re there. Thank you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Member’s comments. We did talk this afternoon during question period about the mental health workers and some of the stress that the individuals that exist in the communities are experiencing. I will just add to what I said earlier today, that for individuals, our employees, who may be under stress or experiencing some levels of difficulty as a result of their daily jobs, we do have programs like the Employee and Family Assistance Program and I would encourage the Member, as I would encourage all Members, to remind their constituents of this program and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re not actually the ones who are delivering the programs. The programs are being delivered by the different Aboriginal governments and organizations throughout the Northwest Territories, but we are working collaboratively with them.

What I’ll commit to do here is actually talk to the individual groups that are providing these online programs and get the schedule so that we can share that information, understanding that they’ll be sharing the information as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Member’s comments and suggestions and questions. The Member did talk about the shutdown of the long-term care facility in Aklavik. The facility in Aklavik was a supported living facility, and I understand that the Housing Corp has actually constructed an independent living unit to replace that facility. In working with the Housing Corp, we’ve actually ensured that these new facilities the Housing Corp is building to support our residents and needs throughout the Northwest Territories, including Aklavik, is actually program space where we can have our...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d be happy to, but are we going to follow the same protocol we have with other departments that we go through the Members, a couple of them and then come back? Or is there a preference on how we move forward?

I would, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In this area, the areas of significant growth are as a result of the French language services, around $1.1 million, and there’s also some growth around the Information System Services Centre. A lot of those costs in the Information Services Centre, there are about $1.5 million of one-time costs and that’s actually built into the budget.

The other areas that the Member is talking about, we have provisions for the work that’s being done. A lot of the work that’s being done is being done by staff, which is covered by staff dollars. The other one-time costs, some of them may...