R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning I spoke about an incident that occurred at the Woodland Manor in Hay River, and I have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about that incident and, I guess, about violence at longterm care facilities in general. Has this incident spurred the department to look into how they can take safeguards to avoid these types of incidents in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last month at Woodland Manor, the longterm care facility in Hay River, there was a physical incident involving two residents that resulted in a fairly significant injury, according to the health authority. I'm not going to discuss the details of the incident because of privacy issues, but it's an ongoing concern, and it also highlights an important issue.

Violence among residents is a growing concern in longterm care facilities across Canada. We've been relatively lucky in the North. There have been very few incidents as serious as this. As our population...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To follow up on what the Minister said, he said he would find ways to make it happen, I guess, basically, or to work with the authority to get cameras in facilities. Does that mean helping maybe with the payment or something like that, or is this just come out of the authority's budget as it is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I understand that in the new facilities there are going to be some physical barriers, some cameras, measures like that. Are there options currently available to remove someone who might be violent from the facility they're in? Is there a secure location that they can be placed in? I know that residents aren't prisoners, but we do have to think about the safety of the other residents. So are there options to remove violent individuals and somewhere to put them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my father, Rocky Simpson. It's always nice to have family in the gallery, so I'd like to thank him for coming. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. I will now open up the floor to general comments on the document, keeping in mind that we will have time to make comments on each department. Are there any general comments on the supplementary estimates? Seeing none, does committee agree that we proceed to the detail?

Committee agrees. Moving on to page 13, Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures, questions or comments? Seeing none, I’ll call the page. Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures, corporate management, not previously authorized, $65,000. Forest management, not previously authorized, $1,089,000. Water resources, not previously authorized, $76,000. Wildlife, not previously authorized, $1,345,000. Total department, not previously authorized, $2,575,000. Agreed? Mr. Blake.

Moving on to page 18, Lands, capital investment expenditures. Questions or comments? Mr. O’Reilly.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Blake.

Thank you. Ms. Green.