Robert Bouchard

We’re on page 17, Environment and Natural Resources. I’ll defer until we consider all the detail. Page 18, Environment and Natural Resources, conservation assessment and monitoring, infrastructure and investment, $1.498 million.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Deputy Minister Campbell.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Committee, we are on general comments for Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Committee, we’ll have general comments for Environment and Natural Resources. Next on my list I have Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 115-17(5), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2015-2016, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The other general comments that I had, we’ve been kicking around some of the ideas. One of the ideas is: Has the department looked at, as far as the 215s, what the plan is going forward with them? Are there discussions of selling them off? Are there discussions of maybe keeping them until we have operation? The Minister talked about three years left in the contract, but is there discussion of maybe operating the two newer units along with the 215s for a period of time this year or next year and what our capacities are? My understanding is we don’t get a whole ton of...

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister Miltenberger.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be supporting this motion as well. In our recent difficulties with long-term beds in Hay River, we also had lots of people from the community say, what’s the future plan.

Obviously, we’re going to need more. The aging population of the Northwest Territories is going to be a factor in Hay River and how do we… We were asking at that time for the 10 long-term care beds to be replaced that were out of the capital budget and now they’re back in, but what are our needs coming forward? I know in November they did a continuing care review and that there are...

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Deputy Minister Campbell.

I understand the situation, but I understand that these kids are being removed and they’re being put into the public system. Who wouldn’t take that on? It’s a free program, but it’s a program within some of the communities that’s not necessarily needed. I guess the rollout is the question.

How can we change the rollout going forward in consensus government?