Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, the situations in Tu Nedhe where individuals are being cared for by family, that’s happening without any compensation to the family, and what’s happening is the elders are now getting to a point where they feel that they’ve become a burden because they recognize that the family is doing this, taking shifts doing this on their own. Some seniors are even refusing care because there’s no money to support the families that are trying to help them.

Does the Minister and the health authority, I suppose, acknowledge the fact that respite care would, in the long run, save a lot of money...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talk about the importance of respite care in Tu Nedhe communities. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, Tu Nedhe is a part of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. I want to ask the Minister what the plan is specific to communities in Tu Nedhe. Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to talk about the importance of respite care in the small communities. Mr. Speaker, in many instances, young couples often take the responsibility for caring for aged senior family members or an ailing family member. This is the same for many grandchildren who live with their grandparents. They too are given the responsibility of caring and doing everything for the aging grandparents.

Mr. Speaker, over the last few days of this sitting, we have heard the Minister talk about changes to the way the government delivers health care, including funding of health...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the work being done by the Lutselk'e Dene School and the Deninu Kue School in Fort Resolution, but more can be done. Both schools agree that they can do more. Will the Minister assist the Lutselk'e Dene School and the Deninu Kue by allocating an additional $10,000 to each school to help the culture programming immediately? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to developing a strategic plan for the preservation of traditional aboriginal culture activities? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this week I spoke about the need to provide more support to aboriginal languages and about the important role that language plays in maintaining aboriginal culture. Today I would like to talk about the important work the schools in Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution are doing to preserve aboriginal culture in those communities.

Mr. Speaker, in Lutselk'e, aboriginal language and culture classes are held three times a week for kindergarten to grade 9. In addition, there are two half-day classes each week for grades 5 to 9, also grades 8 to 10 students take one semester...

Mr. Speaker, I’m glad to hear that the Minister is willing to consider this. Many schools are struggling with the delivery of their culture programming today. Will the Minister commit to increasing funding to those schools that are being proactive in the delivery of aboriginal cultural programming starting the next school year?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I spoke about the important work that Tu Nedhe schools are doing to promote and preserve aboriginal culture in their communities. I’d like to follow up my statement with questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday the Minister tabled the NWT Aboriginal Languages Plan. It’s good to see the government recognizing the importance of preserving aboriginal language. However, there was little mention about the connection between language and culture. I’d like to ask if the Minister acknowledges that there is a strong...

I encourage the Minister to put that provision in the contracts. I think it’s very important. There are a small percentage of people in the communities that could use those materials and assist their own housing needs even though they may not be eligible for the regular programs. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, there is a lot of work being done in the public housing area in the area of replacements and retrofit and possibly, well, replacement is new public housing units. I recognize that retrofits are just maintaining the same units and retrofitting them if they’re within economical repair, and the ones that are being replaced, my assumption is that they’re beyond economical repair. Is there any possibility that those units could be put essentially on the market for individuals that perhaps could do some renovations to the unit and keep the unit or the corporation assisting maybe this...