Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To the Member’s points about this bill being resource poor. During committee and other discussions, we were pretty clear that we know this bill is going to take some money to make a reality and we’re talking about just a specific bill, not any additional plans that we have outside of that.

At this time we feel it’s going to take an additional three positions to help us make some of this work, plus training, plus we have to have costs for the review board. That’s just a starting point and we will be going through the business planning process, rather, the department will be...

I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the mover and seconder for bringing this motion to the floor for this important conversation around medical travel. I clearly hear the Members as well as I clearly hear the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Medical travel is an essential component of our health care system, one that affects each and every one of us, every resident, at some point in their lives. As a result, it’s a subject about which many people feel quite passionate, as we’ve heard today, and hold incredibly strong opinions. We all want to know that support is there to ensure...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize students from the Aurora College Social Work and Nursing programs who are visiting the Legislature today. They are accompanied by their instructors, Vanessa Rankin and Jodi Brennan. I am going to attempt to pronounce these names, and if I get any wrong, please don’t hold it against me.

Within social work we have Michelle Bourke, Diana Bui, Jessika Claros, Jordon Moffitt, Amanda Pike, Romy Quackenbush, Sade Sada and Alice Thrasher.

The nursing students we have are Laila Nesbitt, Sarah Pope, Constance Afoakwah, Adoma Akua, Beth Thompson, Sasha Stanton...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act, No. 2, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The legislation actually provides, with support from committee, that we made an amendment that if somebody at a community level is having difficulty, the recommendation would be, get them to the health centre and the health centre can do an assessment, and based on their current status, whether or not they’re a harm to themselves, whether – and thanks to the committee for this – they have recently harmed themselves or others. The community health nurse can then make a referral, have that individual go on an involuntary basis to Stanton or the closest location that is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just one final point on facilities. I had the opportunity to travel to Iqaluit in April when I had an opportunity to visit a mental health transition housing facility providing transitional housing and support for individuals who are struggling from mental health issues.

In talking to their Minister over there, they have such incredible success with it just helping with the homelessness problem, but also helping people to prepare to be ready to go out for treatment if that was their choice. Also, helping people with mental health transition back into the community. It was...

Thank you. I think Mr. Bromley’s comment goes directly to Mr. Dolynny’s comment about the requirement for a review of the legislation, and as we are rolling out to developing regulations and recognizing future strategies and action plans, there is a possibility that we may have to do some legislative reviews. I believe the department, the government would be open to that. Mind you, it will be a new government, but I anticipate, given the interest in this particular area, that reasonable responses will be provided.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thought I heard a couple of questions in there. The assisted community treatment, we do hear what the Member is saying and what the other Members have said and there will be many assisted community treatments ordered in the community at a Yellowknife and regional level. We also believe, with our current resources, and it will all be on a case-by-case basis, depending on the individual’s condition. If an individual is relatively stable, or stable and requiring meds, and wants to go back to their home community, we can actually set that up today with a community health...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my right is Debbie DeLancey, the deputy minister of Health and Social Services. On my left, Thomas Dorian, who is legal counsel.