Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue my questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question is: how long is he prepared to wait for Avens to get itself into a position for providing a day program? Mahsi.

I appreciate the Minister's willingness to share that report. The report, I gather, sets out what is required for a quality and safe program for elders in Yellowknife. My question is: how is the Minister going to provide that? Does it all depend on Avens, or is he going to put out an RFP so that other non-profits can bid on it?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. As I said in my statement, the closure of the Elders Circle adult day program is clearly not temporary. The service provider has no plans to restart it because they cannot afford to do so. My question is: what is the Minister going to do to get an adult day program up and running in Yellowknife? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Avens Manor and Avens dementia cottages together lost almost $200,000 in the last fiscal year. Granted, that’s less than the year before, but it’s still not a sustainable position for Avens to be in. I would like the Minister to talk about what he thinks the possible solutions are, especially with respect to revenue. Mahsi.

That is correct. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have some questions that follow on from my Member's statement and the questions and answers earlier today. My questions have to do with how the allocation of money to Highway No. 3 is determined.

It looks like there are two different pots. There is the New Building Canada pot, which is $18 million over four years ending in 2019, and then there is, let us say, own-source money for structural rehab and chipseal, which comes from the GNWT. I guess I will just start by saying: is that correct? There are the two streams of money for maintenance on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation won't build additional housing without additional operations and maintenance money. Has the Department of Infrastructure considered this approach? What is the point of pouring money into new roads like the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway and the Whati road where there obviously isn't enough money for maintenance? Mahsi.

Let's call it an infrastructure deficit. The question is still: what are you going to do about it?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my constituent Nalini Naidoo. It is through the generosity of the Naidoo family, the MS Naidoo Foundation that helps to support the Northern Youth Abroad program.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister's willingness to take it back to his department. I think that we know that climate change is real in the North. This is an example of how real it is, and I think it would be informative for motorists to know that this is what climate change looks like.

My last area is about operations and maintenance money for the new roads, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway and the Whati road. Are those costs factored into the road? We are saying we need $67 million for the road to Whati. Does that include maintenance money, or is there a segment of the budget...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand what the Minister is saying. I want to move on to managing expectations. That seems to be one of the major issues with this road. There is no write-up about it in Spectacular NWT. There is nothing that prepares the driver for the condition of this road until they are driving this road. Is there something more the Minister can do to communicate the condition of the road to the people who are using it who are coming to the road for the first time? Thank you.