Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Extended health benefits have not changed, as far as what is provided. It is still consistent with what is provided through NIHB. This is demand-driven.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do need to wait for the report to come in. That will help us articulate where our pressures are and where we need to strengthen our investments. That would certainly include ensuring that we are spending our money the right way today, which might mean changes of positions, re: description of positions, and doing those types of things.

If it does require money, we have an obligation to build a business case, as every department does, that is evidence-based and makes sense. We are prepared to do that work, but we can't guarantee, obviously, that it would make it as far as...

That is the plan. I will note that that wasn't applied this way in this particular round. We are funding all. We are increasing funds to all the shelters using the $500,000 this time, but, going forward, that is the expectation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services. The total proposed budget for the department is $495,934,000. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $34.4 million, or about 7 percent over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

Forced growth of $3.98 million;

Funding for initiatives totalling $7.87 million; and

Sunsets and other adjustments of $16.5 million, which includes operationalization of the new Stanton Hospital.

These estimates continue to support the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to working with the Member as well.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The decrease in that area is as a result of some of the corrections that we were trying to do earlier in the life of this government. There was a suggestion, or rather a direction, to modify some of our co-payments and save some or collect some more revenues in this particular area. This decrease basically represents that change of $2.4 million.

I will note, however, Mr. Chair, that line doesn't show some of the money we're getting from the federal government, $5 million to support medical travel, as well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the 16th Legislative Assembly I participated on a committee that did a review of the implementation and delivery of child and family services in the Northwest Territories. With the chair, who at the time was the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, we travelled throughout the Northwest Territories. We also travelled to many other jurisdictions and we talked to professionals about these services. One of the things that came up on a regular basis was the child advocate. We met with the child advocate in Alberta and we talked about the role of an advocate.

At that...

I am pleased to inform the Member that tomorrow I'll be tabling "Caring For Our People: Cultural Safety Action Plan 2018-2020." Tomorrow I will also be hosting a public launch here in the Assembly at 11:00 a.m., and I hope that all Members are able to attend.

Regarding the Member's concerns about cultural safety for Indigenous residents and elders, work is already under way. First, I'd like to highlight the 2018-2020 Inuinnaqtun pilot program at the Enegak Health and Social Services Centre in Ulukhaktok funded by the department. The pilot project will support the language needs of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, our mandate is to support the elders to live in their own houses for as long as possible while ensuring that adequate supports are available for those who can no longer live within their own homes. We have taken a number of actions to meet that mandate, which are within the Continuing Care Services Action Plan, which has already been released. We will be compiling the home and community care review. That is currently under way.

The purpose of that review is to document existing home and community care resources, programs, and services offered by each...

I would, Mr. Chair.