Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to the department providing a comprehensive framework and action plan, and I look forward to how this matter will be addressed. But one thing for certain that I think government needs to do is more likely an interdepartmental cooperation.

This motion seems to suggest that the family preservation workers initiative should be elevated to a territory-wide level, but at the same time, right in the communities we have home care program workers. I think we have to get beyond this idea of working in silos. There has to be some interconnections and also, at the same...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think it’s fair to say that most of us have experienced in some way the experiences of the residential schools and the trauma in terms of separating children from parents. Again, unfortunately there are instances where that separation continues. We have examples of where grandparents want to step in to help their grandchildren, but sometimes the system is not favourable for them to step in to be there as guardians, as the caretakers of their grandchildren. Unfortunately, sometimes they say the system does not help them at all.

This motion is encouraging the department to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the motion here, it’s asking the department to come up with a comprehensive action plan by June 30, 2014. Hopefully, we learned from experience, and first from the experiences are several efforts that were made to try and reform the children and family services in terms of its deliverance and the program and services itself, so this basically says that things should be done in a timely manner and that the department needs to move forward, and we look forward to at least a semblance of an action plan that will address the very fundamental concerns that the Auditor...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Within the process of reviewing the report of the Auditor General, we had an opportunity to come up with several recommendations. I had this opportunity myself, and committee members will be reading into the records, so I have motions one to six that I would like to read.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m rising to support the motion in terms of the intent and spirit. I realize that there are some details that need to be worked out, but I can imagine in terms of the intent and purpose of this motion is that the primary concern is our elders. If our elders are sick then they have to be brought to Yellowknife or Edmonton. Just the thought of them being alone, being unilingual, not able to communicate in another language. They have very specific dietary needs and preferences. Of course culture is always a big impediment in terms of understanding elders, especially First...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What was really apparent in the Auditor General’s report was the disconnect between the central headquarters, or Health and Social Services, and the regional authorities. It came to the point there was a bunch of affected communities; call it zigzags in terms of reporting. In some respects, structures were working in isolation of themselves. So it’s an immediate thing that the department has to check in terms of accountability. Who is accountable at the end of the day in terms of the children and families that have to go through the system? So it’s essential that we...

I think it’s an acknowledged fact and reality that the biggest factor, in terms of determining the vibrancy of the economy, is just the cost of infrastructure, and one of them is in terms of the fuel prices. At some point government has to step in on behalf of, of course, its citizens, and so I wanted to ask the question: What steps is the government taking to standardize fuel pricing? The Minister has outlined some complementing initiatives such as biomass as one example.

At some point will the government look at standardizing fuel prices for the NWT?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services provide quarterly updates to the Standing Committee on Social Programs on improvements to child and family services; and further, that these updates replicate indicators associated with Exhibits 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Auditor General’s report pertaining to the following areas respectively:

conducting investigations;

addressing confirmed child protection needs;

attending to children in care of the director; and

screening and reviewing foster care homes.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The past previous winter, I think, was on record as the coldest winter we’ve experienced, and likely as the trends towards global warming continue, likely we’re going to see more cold winters up here in the NWT. Of course, colder winters have an effect on people’s homes in terms of their heating costs. My question is to the Minister of Public Works and Services.

How does this government help NWT consumers control the fuel pricing?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services build stronger linkages with Aboriginal governments pertaining to child and family services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.