Glen Abernethy

In my response to some of the opening comments I talked a little bit about the midwifery services. We are doing a minor renovation to the existing Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, which we believe will allow us to move forward with the Midwifery Program sooner than anticipated. We had some limitations given that the current facility doesn’t meet the needs, and we are expecting the new facility to meet the needs, but we’ve now got a coordinator hired in the department who is doing the work for us, so we’re actually anticipating we’re going to be moving forward more quickly with...

The two departments have been working together. The new facilities have been designed so there’s a day program room area where different programs can be delivered in the communities where those independent or assisted living homes are going to be located. As those programs roll out, authorities will work with the communities to make sure that our staff are able to provide the services and if it means increased staff, we’ll certainly have to have those discussions at that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did have the opportunity to travel with some members of committee to one of the facilities we have a contract with, Poundmaker’s in Alberta, just outside of Edmonton. I am familiar with that facility. The other three facilities that were contracted, too, I haven’t had an opportunity to visit or tour. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the shared services around IT, we made a commitment that there would be no job loss in the communities and regions. They would likely, and will be, changing reporting relationships in who they report to, so we are not losing the number of positions. Some of them will likely change slightly and have new reporting relationships, but we also made a commitment to working with our staff to make sure that they are accommodated as well.

We’re not sure what the federal government is going to call this $70 million, but THSSI, as we know it, no longer exists. They have given us some broad statements that we were able to get out of their budget statement about what these dollars are intended for, but it doesn’t seem to directly correlate to things THSSI funding in the past. It may, some of it might, but at this point in time we’re not 100 percent sure. When we know and we’re in a position to pursue those dollars, we will certainly be having discussions with committee. I can say they have been very clear up front that no money...

That is the net in and out.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We ran out of time on the clock last night before I was able to respond to all of the Members’ opening comments. A number of the Members mentioned THSSI funding. I would just like to talk a little bit about the THSSI funding before we move on.

As I think everybody knows, THSSI was originally funded for five years in 2005 to 2010 and it was extended for two years for 2010 to 2012 and again for another two years, 2012 to 2014. The original intent and purpose of THSSI was to support health reform activities that addressed one or more of the following three broad goals: to...

I’m going to have to get that information from the Member because I’m not sure what he’s actually talking about.

That’s fine. We can do that.

I do, Mr. Chair.