Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The committee held public meetings in Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Hay River, advertising these through newspaper, radio, and social media, and held its public clause-by-clause review in Yellowknife on May 25, 2017. Both Yellowknife meetings were also streamed live through the Legislative Assembly's Facebook page, receiving more than 1,000 views together. We have also received 237 written submissions and completed a media scan, and have published related correspondence with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. These are available on the committee's web page on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from the Minister to follow up on these questions when he does his other follow-up to oral questions from this session? Mahsi.

I know the Minister hasn't had a lot of time to consider this, but would he agree that privacy is currently a problem and a dedicated space may be a solution?

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line here is we've got a group of seniors who are isolated because of their lack of socialization, and that's been the case now going on for six months. We have got various reviews, one of which the continuing care review which is overdue. So, I guess my bottom line question is: when can seniors who need this program, and families who need this program, expect to see a solution? Mahsi.

I am not sure if I'm encouraged or dismayed by the fact that there is now a working group working on another report and another deadline. Maybe the Minister could tell us whether there is money in place to implement a solution when one is identified?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mandate of this 18th Assembly commits the government to take action so that seniors can age in place, and this is also a priority of the Standing Committee on Social Development. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about aging in place, we most often talk about housing, particularly renovations that make it possible for elders to remain in their own homes. However, in addition to meeting seniors' physical needs, we also need to consider how to meet their mental health and well-being needs.

Day programs, like the Elders' Circle at Avens, gave seniors who lived in their...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the review of this piece of legislation was unnecessarily hampered by not just poor but dismal communication by the Department of Finance. It took a very considerable amount of work by our research staff to understand where the money was and is to pay for this benefit and how taking money out of income assistance for food and clothing was not at the detriment to the people who need it most. Income assistance, as you know, is not over the poverty line. I have to say that this is another example of very poor communications within the Department of Finance. They...

May I also suggest that the Minister of Justice talk to the Minister of Health about whether there could be a dedicated space or whether there is already planned a dedicated space in the new hospital for the use of the sexual assault evidence collection kit?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today we had Marie Speakman here. I'm not sure if she still is here, but she is well-known and well-loved for her support for victims of sexual violence. It's my understanding that she has initiated some discussion with police around having a private space for sexual assault victims to receive services of support and the sexual assault kit that is used to collect evidence. I'm wondering if the Minister can tell us whether he is taking a role in this initiative to create a private space for this purpose. Mahsi.

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. Is the Minister open to solutions that may look for a new partner rather than Avens to provide this program?