Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories commits to improving care for our people through the integration of a health and social services system. We are working towards building a unified health and social services system that will deliver the best possible care to our residents. We have made significant investment in this work through our system transformation, and I’m pleased to announce that we are now reaching some important milestones. We have announced to the members of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Leadership Council as...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled “Patient Supports (Escorts): Stakeholder Engagement and Program Options Medical Travel Modernization Project, Public Interest Options and Recommendations Report, May 2016” and “The Results Report (2015-2016) 20/20: A Brilliant North, NWT Public Service Strategic Action Plan.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Vital Statistics Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Vital Statistics Act to remove the requirement that a name registered for the birth of a child be written in entirely Roman alphabet, permit a single name determined in accordance with the child’s traditional culture to be registered on a child’s birth, and permit a person to amend the designation of sex on a birth registration statement without undergoing gender reassignment surgery. The bill also includes...

Mr. Speaker, the role of the regional wellness councils starting August 1st, and ongoing, is to do exactly what the Member is talking about. It is to work with the territorial authority on territorial programs, but also how do we customize or tailor those programs to meet the local community and individual regional needs. Those policies will be done, probably, ongoing for the rest of the life of this new structure because changes do take place. It will take time. The councils will be involved on an ongoing basis. As new programs come out, they will be required to help us design a local...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a lot of work has gone into preparing us for the August 1st deadline when the new legislation takes effect. Last week, we notified the upcoming members of the different regional wellness councils who were nominated, including the board chairs. We will be bringing individuals together to provide some upfront training prior to the go-live date. Significant work is being done right now on organizational design, identifying the positions that are being required, and how the linkages will work between the existing authority today and how they will all work...

Mr. Speaker, I won’t commit to that at this time. I will certainly give it some consideration. I do want to remind the Member that these regional wellness councils are not political bodies. They are not bodies intending to provide politics around health and social services. They are intended to help tailor programs and customize programs to meet the needs at a regional level. I will have to think about that one. I think all of us would like to keep these bodies away from being political bodies.

Mr. Speaker, the intention is to provide all of the regional wellness council members throughout the Northwest Territories orientation into the new system, how they will fit into the new system, how people across the Northwest Territories, including Members, understand the new accountability structures that are in place and that address the Auditor’s General report, and much of that training will be taking place in the regions where those regional wellness councils are currently located. I can’t confirm a date. Those dates haven’t been set. But they will be taking place through the summer and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 13-18(2): Northwest Territories Disability Action Plan.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Vital Statistics Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's 72 outstanding referrals, actually. The number continues to climb. There is a number of reasons that accessing the applications can take longer than would be desirable. Some of the challenges that we face are actually tracking down some of the individuals who have actually filed the applications. It's a transient territory; people are moving around. We've also had our challenge with the number of assessors, which we are addressing currently. There are individual situations where we have found members that are disputing who should actually be the public guardian or the private guardian. So...