Kevin A. Menicoche

When trying to address seniors’ needs with some of the program dollars that are there, small communities like to get everything done at the same time. I’m sure the Minister is aware that that’s an issue.

I would just like to speak a little bit about the homelessness supports. It references the Anti-Poverty Strategy Framework. We are investing $680,000 in four new transitional housing units. I know that I raised this with my communities. When we try to address homelessness, I don’t know if it’s old parameters or guidelines, but I think it was $40,000 per community. It was told to me that they...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. There are lots of great initiatives in the NWT Housing Corporation as we move forward. I just want to make note that there are a lot of individual cases that continue to come across my desk, but I think as we replace public units and more homes and increase the changes to the PATH program… I’m not sure what changes have been made to the PATH program. Maybe the Minister can elaborate. I’m not sure if they have examined it, but with regard to PATH, many people in my constituency are always over the household CNIT limit, the Core Need Income Threshold limit. I don...

It’s important and I’ve been making the case that with the increase in development in the Sahtu, the services of Wrigley are being impacted. There are needs there and I would like the Minister to review the Wrigley situation and say, yes, there is a definite need for an increase in services and work on that aspect, much like what happened in 1973 when they got a hospital in Fort Simpson, and policing and nursing in Simpson, because of increased development. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up, as well, on nursing in small communities. The issue in Wrigley was they had the services there. They had policing and they had nursing. That was consequently withdrawn. So there are examples of nursing in small communities previously. We are asking again, let’s get these nurses back in the communities.

What progress has the department made towards hiring full-time nurses in Wrigley and other smaller communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to stand here today on our micro theme day on community nursing.

In theory, this government provides high quality health care to all residents regardless of where they live. In reality, there’s a two-tiered system. A handful of small communities don’t have year-round fully accredited health providers. Wrigley is one of them.

When the nurse isn’t there, except on a fly-in basis, residents don’t have reliable access to health care like the larger centres. This creates a scary situation when a serious medical emergency arises.

For years I’ve been pressing the...

So that’s a little bit clearer. One of my communities started working on a proposal and then they ran into an issue and weren’t sure where to get a unit. Do they approach the district office for their particular community to see if there’s an older unit that can be retrofitted and not scheduled for repairs for homeownership? I’m pretty sure the Housing Corporation can assist communities as they develop their application and try to do something for homelessness in our small, little remote communities. Thanks.

In Fort Liard alone, I think they’re building a new seniors complex. The community is looking forward to that. It will help alleviate some of the needs of the elders in the communities or in the older units and are of that age where they can be accommodated somewhere else.

Just speaking of elders in the communities, I know that the Housing Corporation used to have senior-specific programming, but a lot of that is done away with. Perhaps the Minister can comment on that. I get a lot of requests by elders as I travel to communities. I think one of the programs was just cleaning their chimneys...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. An additional point is we are already paying for nursing salaries, so it’s a matter of getting them to the communities. Can you review that as well? Thank you.

That’s exactly what the constituents want; they want better service.

The Minister brings up the Integrated Service Delivery Model. When the report came out in 2004, it was a step forward in moving towards enhancing services in our regions and communities. Has that model been re-examined since? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, colleagues, for being content with me concluding my statement. Due to these changes, the community needs have begun to escalate. It is the only community on the winter road from the Sahtu to the Mackenzie Highway. It’s about halfway between Tulita and Fort Simpson. There are no services in between.

We have been told in the House that the Department of Health and Social Services is currently reviewing options and creative ways to provide health care. I would like a report from the current Minister on plans to enhance nursing services in Wrigley and other small communities...