Sandy Lee

We are reviewing all aspects of this file. We are giving it due consideration. I expect to have an answer for him shortly.

Thank you. I can tell you that increasing money under the stabilizing existing shelters has really helped the shelters in Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife. I say that because they have told me that they were very glad to get that money. They were able to renovate some of the facilities to make them more safe and more comfortable for those who are staying there, and in fact that’s probably why the coalition is asking us to make that funding permanent.

We have introduced programming money for communities without shelters because that was identified as one that we had to move on, and in the last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Centre for Northern Families received funding from the government from various envelopes, but the main funder is Education, Culture and Employment, because they get funding for the best spaces that they have there. ECE has been taking the lead in reviewing the program. We continue to talk to the management of the centre to find options. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Member knows that we have a capital planning process. We just approved our capital budget last fall. In that was money for planning for Stanton Territorial Health Authority. In our meeting this morning in the committee, the Member was advised that the work that we are going to be doing -- and the CEO and the public administrator of the authority have advised the committee as well -- for Stanton has to be in line with the work that we are doing in our regional health centres. What we are going to be delivering in Hay River, Fort Smith, Norman Wells and Inuvik will have much to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, since the Foundation for Change action plan was unveiled in 2009, it was made clear that it is a three-year action plan. It is one of the important foundation documents that we are using to change our system and to make our system work together as a system and work better. Mr. Speaker, since that, we have had regional dialogues in every region of the Northwest Territories. We have had them on the website. I have made numerous statements in the Assembly. Mr. Speaker, we have been doing a lot of work to disseminate the information within the system...

This pot of money for $125,000 was allocated to help those in most need. They sometimes don’t fall into other programs that are available in the government. I am aware of lots of specific situations where we have helped them. We have, in fact, spent every penny in that program over the last year. It does work to fill the gaps and fill the holes and to be a safety net for those who come forward. A Member has a situation of one case that didn’t work out perhaps, and I’m glad to hear that it was resolved, but by and large this program serves the purpose for which it was intended.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The time frame for those who apply for this funding varies and is dependent on the specific situation. I’ve seen a turnaround of 24 hours or days.

Thank you. The breaking news is it has begun. So I don’t know why he keeps asking when is this going to start. That was the entire discussion this morning. He has a nasty habit of not changing his view in the face of good and current information. So the breaking news: planning has begun. There is money in the budget for planning for Stanton. I believe it’s about $900,000. The PA and the CEO and an entire health care team are working on how to make that facility work. So we will do that work, and when it’s ready it would go to peer review and follow the regular planning process. We believe it...

I’d be happy to speak to my colleague, the Minister of Justice, on that issue, understanding, of course, funding of extra RCMP is a project between the GNWT and the federal government for the funding of the officers. I just wanted to mention on prevention, for example -- and this is definitely in the area of prevention that the Member appreciates -- we have enhanced the community-based outreach advocacy and prevention in three regions with our shelters in the Tlicho, Deh Cho and Sahtu to raise the awareness in the community. We have also supported protocol development to assess risks and as a...

Mr. Speaker, yes, I can commit to do that. We just have to report on their meeting. As the Member stated, they would like to see some stability in the funding. As the Member knows, we have increased the funding under the enhanced community services over the last number of years. This year we are funding $482,000 instead of $460,000 last year. We are going forward for a request for a little bit more for next year. We have also increased funding under stabilized existing shelters by $11,000 this year; actually, $119,000 this year. We have funded $450,000 this year compared to $340,000 last year...