Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier, the Honourable Bob McLeod. I'll follow up on the statement I just made regarding Mr. McLeod's progress on promises made during his candidacy speech. Mr. McLeod promised “a more cooperative approach with new mechanism to enable greater input from Regular MLAs, possibly in the form of joint committees, pardon me, on critical issues such as climate change and family violence.” I notice that the Premier has made high profile statements of opposition on carbon tax without the Assembly's sanction on this position, so what is the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier has many issues and portfolios to stay on top of, but 174 days into this 18th Assembly the Premier is less the change agent he promised and instead is delivering more business as usual. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities, and they follow from my Member's statement. First of all, I'd like to hear a renewal of commitment from the Minister. The motion of the 17th Assembly called for the government to propose an approach for taking a new action plan forward. This motion is not binding on the government, obviously; it happened in the last Assembly. However, will this Minister honour this motion in the spirit of progress and continuity, and propose an approach by the end of June? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. At the last election, nine of the Members here in this House, including four Cabinet Ministers, answered yes when they were asked if they would support the creation of a new strategic plan for improving disabled persons’ situations and services. I'll have questions for the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities later. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 3, 2016, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, May 31, 2016;

AND FURTHER, that at any time prior to May 31, 2016, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact as it...

Oh, we're not in Committee of the Whole. I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker. So what the Disabilities Council is requesting is that there be work done that starts from today that looks at the five pillars of the disability life, which includes education, employment, income, disability supports, and housing, and that together this group, along with the territorial government, come up with an action plan which will produce measurable outcomes and an evaluation plan that will show progress on meeting the needs of people with disabilities. I'm not sure how previous Assemblies have so badly failed...

My question now is about the process. The NWT Disabilities Council did an evaluation of the 2008 plan, but they do not want to go back and fix that plan. They want to start with a new plan. They're eager to come to the table with you and other members of the disability service and advocacy community. Will you commit to a process for developing this new plan that will be broad-based and include stakeholder groups who will work with responsible departments and work forward from today, rather than backward from 2008?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It's my pleasure to introduce today a number of people who are advocates for the disabilities community in the Northwest Territories, and in particular Denise McKee, the executive director of the Northwest Territories Disabilities Council; Samantha Thomas, who is a member of that board; Rhonda Hoffos, who's the executive director of the Canadian Institute for the Blind, NWT; and Darren Jacquard, who's the vice-president of the NWT Autism Society. I'd like to thank them for coming today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to propose that we in this House work together to further the NWT Disabilities Council's vision that all individuals have the opportunity and access to achieve their full potential. We can do that by creating a new five-year plan for them.

The previous five-year action plan for persons with disabilities comprised 34 main action items under five pillars of education, employment, disability supports, income, and housing. The action plan was endorsed when it was completed in 2008 and apparently, quite promptly forgotten. Fast-forward to 2015 when the NWT...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would very much like to thank the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities for his promise of a fresh start, and thank him for his offer to collaborate. I am looking forward to taking part in that myself and to furthering the quality of life for people who have disabilities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.