Julie Green

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's my understanding that the consultation on the seniors strategy is going to begin in April, and it will last for a couple of months of having different kinds of consultation online, in person, special meetings, and so on.

It was my understanding that a "what we heard" report would be developed and finished in June, and then the strategy itself wouldn't be ready until the fall. So I think there's my understanding and what's written here are not the same. So I am expecting to see it in the fall and so that that gives us about four or five months to...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the referral onwards for diagnosis is provided by a healthcare professional. In the case of small health centres, that would be a community health nurse. If it's an emergency, the telehealth system is available for the community health nurse to call the Stanton emergency room and speak to a physician there. And then, as I say, when the visiting doctor comes, it's possible for that person to make a referral for a diagnosis. So those are the different ways that that's handled by medical health professionals who are working in the local community setting...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am aware that the NWT Seniors Society is looking for a new executive director. I don't know how soon they plan to do that or whether there is a transitional period with the current executive director. The seniors society is really at arm's length from government so if they ask for our help, we'll help them but they manage their own affairs. And so that would be the case, as I say, unless the board members choose to ask us for help in some way. But they are funded with a number of different pots of money and so they have their own board to make a hiring...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can certainly have that conversation with the Minister of Health I mean, the Minister of Housing. Thank you.

Yes, thank you. There isn't anything in this mandate that deals specifically with that issue. But I know from my own use of the extended health benefits that that's how it works that I pay and then I get reimbursed. It takes about three weeks. I can appreciate that for some people who have a short have a limited amount of income that that is that that can represent a hardship but at this point, I'm not aware that there are any plans to change that. Thank you.

Thank you. The transitional housing program pilot project which I just mentioned may, in fact, fill that role otherwise there is only one sobering centre in the NWT. It's in Yellowknife where the majority of the vulnerable population who require the service are located. So at this time, that is the major service for immediate sobering. The transitional housing program is for people who are maybe a step or two further down that road. Thank you.

Extended health increase.

Mr. Speaker, the Healthy Family Program is a voluntary, homevisiting and knowledgesharing program for pregnant parents, caregivers, and families with young children under six.

Over the last five years, the Department of Health and Social Services has worked closely with communities to renew this valuable program. Elders and other community members have shared their vision for this renewed program, where children thrive, caregivers are supported, and communities care for families so that future generations are stronger and stronger.

The robust renewal process included an evaluation of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that apprehension is always the last resort. And so at this point, we do have these service agreements available that family preservation workers, social workers can sign with families to ensure that their basic needs are being met. I don't know if it would be useful for these workers to have a another way of accessing money, whether that would improve the service delivery, the timing of it, and so on. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what the process is of getting money now and how onerous that is to meet a specific deadline. So I will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize that that the Member is duly concerned about children being removed from their homes where poverty rather than parental neglect is the primary issue. That is something that we're aware of. And we do have voluntary service agreements and brief service agreements which will assist families with their with their needs for shelter, food, and so on so that the children are not removed because of poverty.

This is obviously a systemic issue. It's a question of an inequity within the system. Some children have much more than others and that shouldn't...