Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again that all sounds great. Unfortunately, it also sounds like you're going to be doing to the voluntary sector what you're occasionally doing to us, which is telling them what you're going to do, rather than working with them.

Volunteer NWT is a central organization, a champion for all these groups, and would be a great group to engage and involve in conversation to help set a direction that's going to be acceptable to all the groups that are out there.

If you're not going to give them money, will you at least meet with Volunteer NWT and find some way to engage the...

Where that is actually true, in the past, is the feds had provided money. The feds, in their wisdom, had actually cut the money last year, and the GNWT stood up and helped support the voluntary sector through the Volunteer NWT. Regardless of whether the feds are doing it or not, they play an incredibly important role in the Northwest Territories, which has clearly been acknowledged through our strategic plan.

I'd like to ask the Minister to commit to meeting with Volunteer NWT and working out some form of financial arrangement that will help them sustain their existence and continue to do the...

Today is a sad day for the voluntary sector and non-governmental organizations in the Northwest Territories. As of yesterday, due to lack of GNWT funding and support, Volunteer NWT had to close their doors.

Volunteer NWT has been a champion for the voluntary sector, which includes volunteer organizations as well as NGOs, by promoting and supporting this sector. They have worked towards increasing the number of Northerners helping out, providing communities and organizations with the tools to increase volunteerism, and setting up a formal network to support the long-term goals and work of...

Mr. Cummings.

I’d like to take a second to recognize Ms. Kathy Tetso in the gallery. She’s the CEO of the Health and Social Services Authority.

I think that’s great. I think the PLAR process is an important one and certainly an avenue to help some of our nurses get to the level of NP. It’s good to hear that that’s where some of the money’s going and we’ll be continuing to invest in our current nurses who wish to upgrade to nurse practitioners.

I want to drop back to the Community Health Nurse Development Program. As I indicated before, there was specific reference in the Premier’s statement to enhancing the Community Health Nurse Development Program, but based on the reductions, it looks like you’re cutting the program by four...

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Bisaro.

The Department of Health and Social Services has a mandate. In reviewing the positions you’re eliminating, how did you determine which ones weren’t contributing to the mandate of the department and, therefore, you were justified in eliminating? I want to know what type of analysis you did in relation to what your mandate is, and how you chose to eliminate specific positions and not adversely affect your mandate.

So what are you going to be using this THAF money for? To help develop nurse practitioners?

Mr. Cummings.