Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, much of that is actually legislated. One of the differences between the old system and the new system is, there are actually some lines of clear accountability that never really existed in the old system. In this system, the Minister is ultimately responsible. The Minister is responsible for selecting a chair and board members of the Territorial Authority who are providing some management direction to the operation of the healthcare system, the delivery system.

In the delivery system, there is a COO, or a CEO at the top of the authority who is the supervisor of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I like it. That's a target, not a definition, but I’m prepared to work with it. We still need a definition of poverty, and I think the Member's point is valid. I mean, that's a good target, but we still need to define what the poverty means in order to meet that target. There are so many different definitions out there, so many opinions, but we have to do it. It's not going to be easy; it's hard work. Like I said, I know the Member is passionate about this, so I'm open to some suggestions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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...

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...

The Territorial Board, the Health Board, which consists or chairs from all the Regional Wellness Councils, has actually been working on the development of a strategic plan for the Health and Social Services system. From that strategic plan all the Regional Wellness Councils would be expected to then in turn develop some plans at a local or regional level for the delivery of services and the required tailoring and adjustments made at a regional level.

That work is part of the work that they're doing. It's part of the mandate of the authority. I think the Member is asking for a larger, broader...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member has indicated, the Territorial Health Authority has gone live. All the Regional Wellness Councils are in place. We've conducted training throughout the Northwest Territories with different members of the Regional Wellness Councils, including the chairs who formed the Territorial Authority. There have been meetings at the Territorial Authority level with the board, meetings with the Regional Wellness Councils at the local level, as well as training, like I said, across the Northwest Territories.

It's up and running. We're getting good feedback...