Wendy Bisaro

Thanks to the Minister for that commitment. I guess I would refer the Minister to a letter from the Executive Council that responded to a letter from Food First Foundation. You might ask the Minister of ECE for a copy because I think he signed it.

I wanted to also ask in terms of mental health and addictions. The information that we were given, again in the business plan in September, is that the department was doing a review of mental health and addictions programs. That review was going to be completed, I think, in November 2010. I’d like to ask first if that review is indeed completed, and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to start by following up on the issue of child and family services committees further to Mr. Abernethy’s comments. In looking at the business plan that we reviewed in September, there’s a specific reference in the business plan to establishing child and family service committees in at least five more communities in this business year, and that was targeted for year ‘11-12. I’d like to know from the Minister what changed between September and the finalization of the department’s budget that she now says they will try to get five communities with child and family...

Thank you. If it is about resources, I’d like to ask the Minister is she planning for the future, and I would hope that she would say yes. If she says yes, I’d like to know how the Minister intends to accommodate the 20 or 30 individuals in Yellowknife alone who will need accommodation in independent or assisted living in the next five to 10 years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to go back and see if I could get some specific answers to some of the questions I asked earlier. I would like to address these questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I am not talking about a specific case. I would like the Minister to try and think globally and think a bit beyond any specific individual or group of individuals. Firstly, I would like to ask the Minister if she can give me the name of the policy that addresses the provision of housing for NWT residents who require assisted living. Thank you.

To the Minister, I didn’t ask about whether or not you were in the business of housing and I wasn’t asking about particular placement options. I’m talking about housing and getting the necessary capacity of housing that we need. It’s well known that we have a need within the whole of the NWT assisted living housing, whether it be rented, whether it be built. I’d like to know if the department would consider establishing a process to actively build up the housing supply for assisted living and whether they would partner with the Housing Corporation to build the necessary types of housing that’s...

Just a quick follow-up on the Healthy Choices Program. I didn’t get from the Minister whether or not an evaluation has ever been done. I am presuming from her answer if she is following up, that no evaluation has been done. Could I get clarification on that, please?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I want to ask some questions related to housing for physically and mentally challenged residents in the NWT. In general, we talk about assisted living housing for our persons with disabilities and those that have mental challenges. We have a number of different types of housing, I know that, and we have different models of accommodation, but I’d like to ask the Minister whether or not her department, or the government in general, has a policy that addresses this particular housing need...

Thanks to the Minister. Those are the two programs that I was aware of. I guess I would like to ask the Minister, she mentions O and M funding for various NGOs, but the Small Communities Homeless Fund and the other, I think it is Homelessness Assistance Fund or something, they don’t really apply to larger communities, so I would like to ask the Minister if there is any money in the 2011-2012 budget that can assist homelessness programs and needs within the larger communities, regional centres and the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, thanks for the answer. I wanted to go back just quickly to the Joe Greenland Centre staffing. The documentation that we received, I know it is from the NWT Housing Corporation and Health and Social Services. A little while ago we received a briefing note which indicated that two home support workers would probably be hired. The Minister mentioned up to two home support workers at one point and then a little later on in her remarks she stated hiring of one home support worker, so could I get a clarification as to how many staff are being hired for the renovated portion of Joe...

Obviously things change over months. The business plan stated that the review had been completed, but there we are. I certainly look forward to the review when it’s done. I would hope that the review would come with some sort of an action plan at the time that we get it.

I wanted to also ask the Minister about the staffing for the Joe Greenland Centre. I know the purpose of that facility is changing. It will be seniors housing. Yes, I guess kind of home care assisted housing to a certain extent. There are any number of employees there who I gather will not be able to be employed. My question...