Sandy Lee

The Member knows we were told when we were in Aklavik in January that there is one home care worker and he’s worked off his feet just driving elders around. He definitely needs more support and we are proposing to create two additional home care workers so that three home care workers can support the elders there. There is also a need for respite care program territorial-wide model and, as the Member knows, we are reviewing that. Part of that process, this is actually a very exciting roll-out for us that would depend on a lot of resources. Right now we need to be on the ground, and home care...

Currently we are spending about $800,000 at the Joe Greenland Centre, not taking into consideration extra money that we have to spend there. The program is currently budgeted under the Beaufort-Delta for $800,000. That is serving two elders in the Joe Greenland Centre. What we propose to do is use half of that money, $350,000, back into the community.

When I was there with the Member in January, we committed to the community and the community group that we will sit down with the community and design an elders program together, and it could be recreational activities, social activities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The decision to change services, not shut down the Joe Greenland Centre -- just for the record, provided by the Joe Greenland Centre -- was a GNWT decision. It is a complex decision as the Joe Greenland Centre was built in 1977, more than 30 years ago when it was customary to admit seniors into care with low-level needs. Today, Mr. Speaker, seniors with low-level needs can and are able to remain at home or in elders housing and receive the care they need from home support workers. In addition, the Joe Greenland Centre does not provide care to the level necessary to meet...

As the Member knows, even multi-year agreements are subject to funding approvals. I’m sure the NGOs feel more comfortable in having multi-year contracts, but as I stated in the House, we’re not saying no to multi-year agreements. We believe that there is merit in that. Right now we are reviewing our budgets or our agreements and we will talk to the NWT Seniors’ Society in due course. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we do have an agreement here that that organization has an important function to deliver and it is an important part of the spectrum of services that we provide for the homeless and those who need our support in the community, not just for Yellowknife but for many people that come to Yellowknife. But the Member is also aware that we have had long-term structural issues with the financial situation of that organization. We have been working, the department and ECE. I just do not have the most recent update, but I will commit, once again, to follow up on that and see what our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, the Department of Health has been working with Education, Culture and Employment to review the situation and come up with the options. I do not have the most recent information. I have asked the staff to look into that and I will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Surely, I don’t believe at any time, as the Minister of Health, have I ever downplayed the deficit situation in our health care system. That’s what occupies my mind as the Minister and my fellow Members on Cabinet. This is something that’s in the forefront of all Health Ministers in all jurisdictions. The entire country and the world is under pressure to address our health care funding needs.

Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that in ’09 and ’10 our system deficit was $14.685 million. We project this year that the system deficit will be reduced by about $4 million to $5 million. That’s as a result...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We should first of all be clear that when we make a one-time infusion of cash, it’s very program specific. For example, I think medical travel is one that receives the most one-time funding due to the fact that that program goes over budget by demand.

Mr. Speaker, we are, as a system, working now with the understanding that deficits in our health authorities are not deficits to those health authorities but it’s a system-wide deficit. Many authorities right now are experiencing a deficit and we want to address that by changing the system and changing the way we manage our...

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, the Centre for Northern Families has a unique challenge that the Department of ECE and I have been working on. We are committed to working with the organization and to support the organization to the extent possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, it was. The increase in funding did happen. The increase was as a result of the recommendation from the action plan. The increase was provided under the Shelter Stabilization Enhancement Funds.

I have sat with the operators of shelters in Hay River and other communities. They have thanked us and the government for enhancing the funding. It was also part of the action plan that recognized that there are only five shelters in the Territories and that there are a lot of communities where we needed to support families and victims of family violence and it was for...