Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Please proceed.

Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today, my question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. As I mentioned, many residents of Hay River who are involved in agencies for helping people have been very busy putting together ideas and suggestions or initiatives to continue on our path of community wellness. I’d like to ask Minister Beaulieu, through you, Mr. Speaker, if he is any closer to knowing how much funding Hay River would be getting. Thank you.

Okay. Is committee agreed?

I think it would be good if whatever the cost is for having this device to allow people to drive when they’ve been already charged with impaired driving, I think that it should be full cost recovery on this. As a taxpayer, I’m not really interested in subsidizing my tax dollars to enable people to drive when they’ve been charged with impaired driving.

These devices need to be calibrated, monitored, installed. There are all kinds of mechanical aspects associated with them. Where does the Minister propose those services be procured?

People that would be eligible to have these devices on their vehicle are people who have been charged with impaired driving who would otherwise be banned from driving, but now they can drive as long as they have this device on there. It’s a convenience for them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the community wellness plan for Hay River has already been completed. That being the case, I understand it may be ahead of some other communities, but when could Hay River expect to receive funding? Thank you.

So I’m hearing $850,000 in total. How many communities will be participating in applying to access that pot of money? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My community was very excited to have participated in a community wellness planning session which I had the pleasure of attending in Hay River on January 23rd. Over 200 members of the Community Interagency Group and elders participated in this consultation activity and many important points of interest were raised. It was apparent, early in the session, that Hay River has a number of wonderful things going on, and communication between the agencies and partners needs to be a priority.

During the consultation sessions, various strategies were identified as immediate areas...

Agreed, thank you. We will proceed with that after a brief break.

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