Glen Abernethy

It would actually take a change to policy, we believe, at this time, but as I indicated, we need to make sure that any changes to policy or residency won’t affect the TFF and ultimately affect the finances that come to the Territories as a whole. From the perspective of Health and Social Services, it’s a policy change, but I’ll be able to confirm if it will affect anything else as we conduct a review and come back to committee and Cabinet.

Thank you, Madam Chair. These discussions are actually underway with the Child Welfare League of Canada to determine whether the league would be in a position to initiate this assessment and help us in the fall of this year, so we agree this information is necessary and important.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve been talking to the chair of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority and the CEO, and I’ve asked them to find a solution to the upcoming September. They are working very closely with a number of NGOs in town, trying to find alternate providers, alternative locations.

When we are closer to having a decision with respect to where that location might be and who the provider will be, we’ll be advertising that information throughout Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories,. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Our Elders: Our Communities.” Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a few people in the gallery today from the NWT Seniors’ Society and the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society: Dawn Lacey, Barb Bromley, Esther Braden, Yvonne Quick, Martha MacLellan and Kim Doyle.

I’d also like to recognize and congratulate all of the inductees into the Education Hall of Fame. In particular I’d like to recognize Val Neville Carter. Everybody in their life has somebody who’s had a positive impact on their life, and if they hadn’t known that person, they might not be where they are today. For me one of those individuals is Val Neville Carter...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that it is the mandate of Health and Social Services to address that particular question. I know that question has been asked of by the Department of Justice in the past and I don’t know the status of the response, so I’m not the right person to answer that question, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had an opportunity to travel around the Northwest Territories and talk to many, many residents. I also attended the TRC hearings in Inuvik, where we had an opportunity to hear many people talk about their experiences in residential school and the trauma that has resulted.

We do have a significant number of people in the Northwest Territories who are suffering from mental health and addictions issues. To that end, we have moved forward with a Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan to help address these issues, to help residents of the Northwest Territories who have...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve already responded to this and identified or, rather, made a commitment under recommendation 7 this work is already in progress. Thank you.

I am aware of the situations as the MLA has brought them to my attention. I have directed the department to work with the boarding home to put in mechanisms, so that we, as a system, can be aware of these issues that our residents are having.

The safety of our residents is paramount. We want to make sure that they are safe and that they have access to the services and are not missing the services due to injuries that may have happened in the boarding home. I have already asked the department to work with the boarding home to put in mechanisms so that we can be informed and recommend changes to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With respect to immediately taking some actions, I agree with recommendation number seven. To that end, I’ve already committed to developing a new accountability framework for child and family service programs, which will be done in July.

In addition to that, steps have already been taken to appoint CEOs as assistant directors under the act, and new, more rigorous quarterly reporting requirements will take effect in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Chair.