Tom Beaulieu

As I indicated earlier, that was a common theme for the small communities that we visited, that they felt that treatment, on the land programs that they would do with the people that were suffering from addictions, families, elders, youth, was the way to go. The department has made available through the authorities $25,000 to any community that wants to put a program together for treatment on the land. Some communities have taken advantage of that. We think that in some of the communities that is a way to go. One thing was that the communities felt that wasn’t enough money. That’s one of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In response to a recent incident in Fort McPherson, the department has committed to supporting the community, specifically that community, it’s something that can be expanded. It was also requested in Tsiigehtchic. First responder training is something that we commit to providing to the communities.

Thank you. Yes, the intention is to roll the program out. So Fort Providence will be a good candidate. I think a medium-sized community is what we want to expand into. So, yes, I will commit to expanding the program into Fort Providence. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in response yesterday, we are starting to work in the diabetes field. As the Member indicated earlier, it is relatively new. We are still about 2 percent under the national average in the Northwest Territories. Diabetes is a chronic disease. It is becoming an issue. We are starting off setting up the diabetes programs by doing pilot projects in Norman Wells, Yellowknife and Behchoko. Also, there is a Diabetes Program in Yellowknife that is available and through YK Health and Social Services. Recognizing that Fort Providence is part of Deh Cho Health and...

I thought I did indicate that those programs had seen increases. I recognize that if the individual needed to live in their home, to make it more barrier-free for the seniors to remain in their home longer, then that’s a larger program that’s offered by the Housing Corporation called CARE that can do that. But in as far as looking at the Consumer Price Index and how that impacts the seniors, then definitely, the Housing Corporation has made appropriate increases in the preventative maintenance program and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has made appropriate increases in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services does work with MACA and the NWT Housing Corporation to come up with ways to try to keep seniors in their home as long as possible, and to provide services to the seniors in order to remain in their home. I think it’s just a matter of collaboration. I guess that would be the system that we’re collaborating on, trying to make sure that seniors can remain in their homes as long as possible.

Mr. Speaker, in 2011 the Auditor General of Canada recommended improvements to the department’s ability to evaluate and report on performance. Specifically, the Auditor General recommended that we implement system-wide indicators, develop a program evaluation plan for the health and social services system, and regularly inform this Assembly about the performance of the system. Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the first annual report on the strategic plan.

Mr. Speaker, we take recommendations from the Auditor General very seriously. Last year we published an updated strategic plan for the...

We’re going to have to determine what adequate funding is initially. Right now there is an interdepartmental advisory committee led by MACA that’s looking at this. There are no program standards for the delivery of ambulance services in the Northwest Territories, and we recognize that standards have to be developed for liability purposes. We have a plan, along with the other departments, to regulate emergency medical service providers through the Health and Social Services Professions Act.

Thank you. I think that the authorities basically have the information available, such as posters and so on and being aware of diabetes, what you have to do to prevent diabetes and so on. I don’t have a complete script of what each authority has to do in order to get the message out to individuals on the prevention of diabetes or what to do if you have diabetes, so I can get that information for the Member through the department. No problem. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, I think that is a good way to go. As you know, we are building a new health centre and a modern health centre in Hay River. We’re hoping that that could encompass more than what they are currently providing, and to not only the community, but to surrounding communities such as Fort Providence. We think it would be much more efficient for the communities of Providence, Kakisa and the Hay River Reserve to get their services in Hay River. It’s definitely an idea that we are working towards.