Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to thank the Minister of Health and Social Services on his recent visit to Fort Providence. They had a meeting that evening, and I think it was very clear that constituents were concerned about the well-being of elders. It's a known fact that we have an aging population in the NWT, and also Canada. This government has committed itself in terms of creating available beds at a specific date, and including beds, including facilities, and those facilities more likely will provide senior care and specialized care. I wanted to ask the Minister if he could update this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I wanted to ask is the Minister noted an interesting initiative between Health and Social Services and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to try to not encourage, but to meet the interests of elders who want to live in their homes for as long as possible. Is there any immediate initiatives that could encourage or else at least reassure elders who want to live in their homes that at some point, there could be some tailored or customized programs to meet their needs, whether it's building access ramps for the wheelchairs, or whether it's for enhancements...

What I did not hear is reference to small communities, so that's the question that I have: what are the plans for the Minister and his department in addressing the needs for senior care and elderly care programming and facilities in small communities?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As you may recall, I spoke to the House in 2017 about calls from local leaders of Fort Providence for the establishment of a long-term care facility in Fort Providence. Deh Gah Got'ie Koe has somewhere in the neighbourhood of 116 residents aged 60 years and older. Nevertheless, the government decided to regionalize long-term care, placing beds in larger facilities in larger communities and forcing many elders and seniors to move away from their communities, their homes, and their loved ones.

For those seniors and elders who do not require long-term care, Fort Providence has...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Yes, there are lots of things happening within this area. A lot of things like ships and that are happening. Maybe sometimes we think we've got to look at this thing. [Translation ends]

Boating season is upon us on the lakes and rivers of the NWT, and practising safety is critical. Earlier this month, there was a boating accident in K'aagee Tu/Kakisa Lake. Thanks to the quick actions taken by Chris Chicot, Melaine Simba, and Ryan Moore, and the Fort Providence RCMP detachment, there were no fatalities and the three boaters were rescued after clinging to their...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, too, support this motion. I think it is a long time coming. I just wanted to thank the constituency assistants that keep our office operations going. You know, they also serve as the link to our communities and our ridings, so I wanted to say thank you for the constituency assistants who man our offices when we are not there. I think this is just timely, and I support it. It goes a long way in terms of helping our people who work for this institution, and it should have been done years ago. It just helps the small communities, especially the economy where jobs are very...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement on homecare services, my questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It's said that we have a growing number of senior-aged people in the country, and especially here in the NWT, and so this government has gone on record to say that we encourage our elders to live in their homes for as long as possible. How does the department determine what elders may need? Sorry, I will rephrase that question. How does the department determine what elders may need in terms of special care in order for them to live well in their own homes? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Women in the NWT said one of the biggest barriers to their participation in politics is their role as caretakers of household and family. Overall, there was a strong sense that women are expected, and often expect of themselves, to be the caretaker of extended families. Their professional work and caring for family often leaves little time for preparing to participate in politics.

The committee also heard about poverty and how it heightens the pressure on women to provide for children and family. We heard often that women provide financially for the extended family and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to meet with the communities so that he can see for himself that there is a need for additional homecare workers in the community of Fort Providence? Mahsi.

How are our elders currently referred to homecare services, and who is responsible for those referrals?