Great Slave

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I'll use Hay River as an example. I have had an opportunity to visit the Hay River Family Violence Shelter and talk to the staff and understand their concerns. The Department of Health and Social Services and the Housing Corporation are in discussions with them to explore all opportunities for them to find a new location. I can't tell you what that's going to look like across the Northwest Territories because it would be different pretty much in every location depending on what assets are available, what assets aren't available, but we do know that we need to work...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'll go to the deputy for the detail on the changes to the Metis health benefits.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Some of those dollars are going to a number of different group homes around the Northwest Territories. Some of it is compensation. I can certainly get the Member the specific detail on which group homes and which areas those dollars are going into. I will commit to getting that to committee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me be clear that I'm talking about medical travel, not air ambulance or medevacs. Air ambulance and medevacs, we've already gone on with an RFP. We've got a 10-year contract which covers that. What we're talking about is right now we have a standing offer agreement with two airlines for medical travel, so when someone has to travel to Yellowknife or south. What I'm indicating is I don't know what it's going to look like, but I'm certainly open to all potentials, which could mean different airlines, local, regional. There's been a lot of talk about an airline like...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm going to have to get some additional detail from the Member. Did we provide that number of $2.5 million? Because that's not what we have in front of us.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We don't believe we will be ready for a supplementary appropriation during the next fiscal year. Once we get a model approved, then we have to do the design, do the implementation, job description writing, that will help us quantify what the costs will be so that we can come forward, identify what can be covered with existing funds, what we may need additional funds, so that we can have an informed discussion during business planning, looking at all of our services from a holistic point of view. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, they are eligible. I am not 100 per cent certain whether it actually impacts the rent that they might pay, because they are paid some money. I don't believe it does, but I would really need to verify that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I believe we have a contract with the travel agent who books the flights, but we do have a Standing Offer Agreement with Canadian North and First Air, so the travel agent's requirement is to book on those two. Occasionally if there's some unforeseen circumstance or other driving issues, we can go to Air Canada or WestJet, but our Standing Offer Agreement says first and foremost Canadian North and First Air.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the amount on 172 of $3,630,000 is the money that is going towards all the initiatives focused around family violence in the Northwest Territories. The number on 173 of $395 is how much will flow to some of the different organizations across the Northwest Territories to support family violence. It is all in the $3,630,000. One is a grant. This section has gone up by $120,000, which is some additional contributions we are providing to three of the shelters based on some forced growth.

More importantly than the small increase, I made a commitment to the shelters...