Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first year, we were pretty close to being almost exactly what was allocated, but since then we have been quite a bit lower. I think it is been about $1.8 million on a $500,000 package. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we have not done that work yet, but will be working with them. We are committed to working with them to look at the space to see what kind of life we have left and, if there is any life left, what needs to be done. Whether or not someday we do have to move from that building, we will work with them to find alternative solutions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for raising the question. The Member has shared this information with me, and his current concerns, previously. I have taken those concerns to the public administrator, who has indicated to me that they are certainly looking into the issue, and working to address any challenges within that area. I do recognize, and I think the Member as well, recruitment is difficult with some of these professions, and we continue to get out as best we can to fill those positions. With respect to structure, management, I have raised those concerns with the public...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the MLA for Great Slave to lend my support to the budget in front of us today.

I have been in the Assembly for about 10 years and I have gone through 10 budget exercises and, every time we have gone through a budget in this Legislative Assembly in the last 10 years, there has been some give and there has been some take. There has been working together long hours into nights to work out ways to meet the needs of all Members on both sides of this House to make sure that we have the best budget possible in front of us. I am confident that with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I share the Member's concerns. I hate to see documents on shelves not doing anything. We have made a commitment through the framework which was released in November to come forward with three distinct action plans, including the first Child and Youth Action Plan that has ever been developed in the Northwest Territories. We are doing that with stakeholders. We are working with committee. It's certainly going to take multiple departments to move forward with that action plan. That action plan is going to have to come to this floor to be discussed, and we're certainly...

Over the years, we have had a lot of issues brought to me, and this is the first time this particular issue has been brought to me, so I really thank the Member for bringing it to me, and we will certainly take a look at it.

I would like to say that one of the major factors driving integration of the Health and Social Services system was to recognize that we all need to be players in moving forward and finding resolutions and solutions for our residents based on a client-focused system. This is the type of thing that I think we are going to be able to address in a single system, far easier than...

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to acknowledge the following people in the gallery today: Cynthia Carroll, who is the chair of the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance; Margaret Whelan, the board member of the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance; and Denise McKee, who is the executive director of the NWT Disabilities Council and a constituent of the Great Slave riding. I'd like to welcome them to the Chamber today and thank them for their hard work developing the Canadian Autism Partnership Project. Thank you so much.

The department did extensive consultations in the lead-up to the creation of the framework that the Member has mentioned, and we did a validation exercise that took place with key stakeholders, including people who are actually living with mental health issues or mental health illness. From there, as the Member indicated, we are going to be coming forward with a number of action plans. Those action plans will provide direction on how we're going to move forward to do the exact things that the Member is talking about. I do not want to presuppose what is going to be in that document. I do not...

Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to have my staff talk to the Member's staff in order to coordinate a date where we can have this conversation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe I can get the Member to ask the question again. The changes that have taken place across the Northwest Territories with respect to the provision of health and social services in a single authority are pretty massive. There's job reorganization, design structure, there have been a lot of staffing actions to move people into the single authority. We've done our best to make sure that, you know, we haven't lost any of our front line provisions, but we are seeking, and continue to seek, input from our Regional Wellness Councils on local design.

There's a significant amount that's happened...