Kevin A. Menicoche

I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer there. It kind of details it a bit for myself and the public out there. I had raised this issue because there’s an elder in my community of Fort Simpson, as well as the other communities that I represent, Wrigley, Nahanni Butte, and I’m sure in other ridings as well, we have the issue where the elder or the senior is living at home and through no fault of their own they want their son or their daughter to live with them, but it’s household income that is, I believe, one of the determining factors.

So I’d like to ask the Minister, here we’ve got a...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In this community’s case, I think the request is simple, that the elders need a better understanding of how the programming works. So can the Minister look at, I don’t know if it’s an elder workshop with a particular focus on the programs that they have for them? Can the Minister work towards that? It’s probably something that many, many small communities have challenges with throughout our North as well. Thank you.

How much work would it take to, like the band manager suggested, if they’re going to write a letter to an elder, to cc it to the band office so that they can at least know that there’s a request for more information to the elder or even, indeed, if it’s an approval letter, the elder is not even going to know that either, Mr. Speaker. Often -- and I’ve brought it up in the House before -- elders will receive a letter and they’ll just put it on the table until somebody comes along that understands English, had some schooling, et cetera, then they’ll open it up and ask what that letter is. Thank...

Like other communities, vandalism occurs in Fort Simpson. It is usually in the form of spray painted words on signs, sidewalks and sometimes it goes as far as damage on empty buildings. Vandalism is a costly problem and can make a community look unsightly. It shows a lack of respect.

In this case, one or two people did something worse, with the desecration of a grave. The RCMP are treating this case very seriously and have asked anyone with information about the vandalism to phone the RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers. As the Deh Cho Drum said, this particular incident by vandals hurt and...

Another issue that the elders are raising there is the department officials usually ask for T-4s, Revenue Canada statements. So they’ve filled out applications before and they just don’t understand why they’ve got to keep filling out applications every time they ask for a program. Their situation is not going to change very much over a year, especially if it’s a senior. It’s like a fixed income. So they don’t understand why they have to keep filling out applications, Mr. Speaker. Do they have to fill out one application or for every program? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Housing some questions. I just recently got a call from Trout Lake and a lot of the elders are getting letters asking for more information, T-4 revenue statements. These letters are directed to the elders, but they’re actually non-English speaking. Slavey is their first language and they’re getting these letters, and Housing, for good reason, is getting non-responsiveness. So when that happens, programs are in jeopardy of being cancelled or else transferred to other people. The band manager said can Housing at least cc the...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to speak on vandalism and how it is hurtful to people. The Deh Cho Drum reports that it has been a very disturbing time for a family in Fort Simpson. The grave of Marc Andre Lapierre, who died at the age if 18 in 1996, was desecrated last week. Mark Andre loved fire trucks, so a model of a red fire truck was placed under protective glass as a memorial on his grave. However, vandals damaged the fire truck beyond repair and left the site in disorder. This is a terrible thing. It causes a resurgence of grief to the family. My sympathies, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement, the idea from one of my constituents from Fort Liard about beginning cancer screening for our elders. I know that we have a great program in diabetes screening and diabetes workshops that we provide in all the communities. I see there’s good uptake on that. I, myself, take the opportunity to check out my blood sugar levels with that program. His idea was that in the past there have been cases where elders are diagnosed too late for any treatment and he thought that since elders are going to health centres, is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the Human Rights Commission 2007-2008 Annual Report and commends it to the House.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed the 2007-2008 Report of the Human Rights Commission. The committee would like to thank Mary Pat Short, chair of the Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Therese Boullard, director of human rights, for their appearance before the committee.

The 2007-2008 Annual Report was the fourth report on the Human Rights Commission since its establishment...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think the intent or the idea is, of course, to prevent cases where somebody comes in at the last minute with a chronic disease and/or specifically cancer which is untreatable and it leads to tragic consequences.

In the smaller communities I could probably foresee visits just specific to this issue as opposed to doing regular medical visits. Is that something in the plan, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.