Great Slave

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don’t have that detail in front of me. I’m not familiar with the number, but I am happy to get the department to pull that information together and provide it to committee.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Thank you, Madam Chair. To give those specific details, I’d like to go to Deputy Minister Aumond.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Mr. Speaker, on March 4, 2014, this Assembly received a report on child and family services from the Auditor General of Canada. The report confirmed what we already knew: that we need to do a better job of supporting children and families. It highlighted areas where

our system has seriously failed. It told how some children are falling through the cracks and how some health and social services authorities have not routinely followed up on the well-being of children placed into care. These situations are unacceptable.

I recognize the need for change, and I am committed to taking aggressive action...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Mr. Chair, I hear the Member loud and clear as I have heard the Members from Hay River as they speak about the same issue. What we do know is, based on the assessment of that building, that building does not meet the needs of a health facility. I don’t believe that we’ve done that additional assessment to see if there is any other purpose that it can be used for. As with the normal disposal process, that building would obviously have some work done to it to figure out if it can be used for any other. I can’t say. I haven’t climbed around in that building myself. I don’t know the true nature...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

I would.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

The build is not going to start until the summer of 2016, assuming the procurement process goes well. We have a requirement to continue to provide services to all the residents of the Northwest Territories and this is a territorial facility. We are taking steps to ensure that where we can utilize equipment, construct or utilize during the capital process, we can continue to use it as we move forward in the new design. We don’t want to throw anything in the garbage. We want to maximize our investments as best possible, but we are going to gut the majority of the existing building, once...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled “Report of the Director of Child and Family Services for the Years 2002-2012.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

I don’t have the full data with respect to the full project. I’ve got the data with respect to the carry-over. I would be happy to get the Member and committee that additional information and provide it to them as soon as we can pull it together for them.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

Thank you. I did mention that there are a number of things going on, and there’s work at the federal level, but I’m happy to keep the committee updated on that as we move forward. There’s also the work of the Medical Directors’ Forum and I’m happy, as I get briefings, to provide that information to the committee, as well, but we also have the departmental group that is being led by our chief clinical advisor and that group actually has been convened. Their scheduled first meeting was for May. I will follow up to find out what the results of that meeting were, but there’s so much good work out...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 31)

The building as it stands right now is compliant with the 2010 National Building Code with respect to accessibility. These will improve a number of the areas that have been challenged for some of our residents and enhance our accessibility. Going to barrier-free would require a significant amount of other work. We’d have to bring in some other professionals like CNIB to help us identify other areas that are working.

Earlier today I had an opportunity to meet with the NWT Council of Disabilities and the Speaker, and we walked through the building and looked at some of the areas that need some...