Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, the child and youth counsellor initiative was developed at the table of the Interdevelopmental Child and Youth Mental Wellness Action Planning Working Group, a group put together to help us lead this initiative. The work of this group was guided by the feedback of Northwest Territories youth, who expressed that they wanted access to specialized mental health supports to assist them in the very serious and very complex challenges they are facing. In addition, they spoke clearly and strongly about the challenges of living in small communities and feeling apprehensive about accessing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the federal government implements its plan to legalize cannabis this summer, the Department of Health and Social Services, in partnership with other Government of the Northwest Territories departments and agencies, has already begun public education and awareness efforts.

Mr. Speaker, in late April, we launched our campaign in order to equip residents with the health information they need to make informed decisions about cannabis use. While all Northwest Territories residents will be provided with cannabis-related health information, groups that are especially at risk...

Mr. Speaker, the Continuing Care Action Plan is not just a Department of Health and Social Services action plan. It does recognize that these challenges are across departments, and the Housing Corporation is a solid partner on trying to find solutions for our residents to stay in their communities as long as possible. I hear the Member, and I will certainly continue to have dialogue with the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation about where we can look at incorporating or building new or more independent living units for seniors. Starting in the last government, we made commitments...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I accept fully that helping seniors age in place is the best way to go, and we want to support seniors aging in their homes, in their communities, in their regions as much as possible, but as we have discussed several times in this House, even as we continue to make progress in supporting aging in place, there are times and there are individuals who ultimately need care that is not available in their homes. They will need 24/7-type care that is offered in the level 3 or 4 long-term care facilities that we are constructing here, in the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following 11 documents entitled "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 152-18(3): Homecare Services," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 170-18(3): Privacy Breaches in Health Care Facilities," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 179-18(3): Medical Travel," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 187-18(3): Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 196-18(3): Youth Apprehension Policies," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 199-18(3): Medical Travel," "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 225-18(3): Health Information Act," "Follow...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize a couple of people who are incredibly important to me. First, I would like to recognize my parents, J.R. and Loretta Abernethy, who are proud new grandparents. I would also like to recognize my amazing wife, Carolyn Smith. For the first time ever, I am incredibly proud to introduce my baby boy, John Russell Smith Abernethy, who has been with us for 30 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes, and 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 seconds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-Up Letter to Oral Question 133-18(3): Chemotherapy Services at Stanton Hospital." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Tsiigehtchic is unique in the fact that it doesn't have an airport. If we did have an issue, medevacs are certainly more complicated. They certainly would be more expensive as a result of having to use a helicopter.

We do try to provide additional support during freeze-up or break-up by having a nurse in the community during those periods of time, but I do hear the Member. I would say that anything that we do would have to be on a case-by-case basis, and it would have to be determined based on risk, the issue that the senior has. I wouldn't say that every...

As I said, I know that there are some unique situations in Tsiigehtchic, given, like I said, that they don't have an airport. During freeze-up and break-up, they are truly isolated. There is no road. There is no airport.

I would be happy to sit down with the Member and talk about options that we might be able to deploy here, but every situation is going to have to be unique. We have to make sure, you know, what level of service we can provide during freeze-up and break-up to the individual, and if that is something that there is a big concern about, an individual, and their particular care. I'm...

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to support our seniors to live in their own homes for as long as possible while ensuring adequate supports when they can no longer do so. I would like to provide an update on our continued efforts to make this commitment a reality.

As Members know, the government put in place a strategic framework, Our Elders Our Communities, which supports a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of our seniors.

Current work related to the seven priorities in this framework is ongoing and includes:

Planning for...