Robert C. McLeod

Mr. Speaker, the intent is to have something by December of this year that we could possibly share. Obviously, there is a lot of work that needs to go into this to make sure we get a product that best serves all the people of the Northwest Territories. By December of this year, we are hoping to have something that we can have a discussion with committee about. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Originally this money was slated to sunset because we thought this would just be a temporary program until we can work out the details for a full-blown ambulance service once we did all the work, but it was committee’s wish that we reinstate this money. We are still a little ways off from coming forward with another plan on providing a wider scale of service.

As far as the application process goes, the communities know the drill. They have a pretty good idea of how they can access this money. However, I will commit to the Member that I will do some research into the...

We’ve done our homework and we know how this is going to affect seniors in the communities. As I said the other day, it will affect them to the tune of $35 a month starting September 1st, and full implementation on July 1st. One of the reasons we had the $1,000 exemption for seniors was the fact that we recognize a lot of them are on a fixed income. We have to be very careful that when they have adults in the home, again, I think we were talking today and there was some mention made of elder abuse. This sometimes can lead to elder abuse, where you have adults in the housing that are working...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my response to questions the other day, I did talk about the fact that there was some concern raised by Members and by the Seniors’ Society. We did take some of the recommendations. That’s why we decided that we’d implement it over a two-year period with the first being September 1st and the second being July 1st of next year. I did say the other day that this is something that needs to be done, and it’s a question of treating all people across the NWT equally like we all signed up to do in our Members Code of Conduct. That’s where we’re going with this. To pay $35...

That’s one of the options we would have to look at, as far as the timeline goes. We have to explore with the community the different options, as far as the types of water treatment plant. We haven’t had that discussion yet so we have to sit down with the community to discuss those options. I think at that time it would probably be best, or appropriate, then to come up with a timeline depending on which system they choose.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Enterprise has put in a desire to have their own water treatment plant. Our role now is to work with the community, and look at all of the options, and look at some of the different cost factors, and work with them to try to come up with the best deal possible for the community.

Mr. Speaker, $6.1 million was the initial figure that we used. Once we go through all the planning, the number may rise. We would have to look at all the options and then come back to committee with what probably is closer to a final figure and share that with them, and then we will determine what the next steps are going to be once we do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There had been a working group that had been established. MACA is part of the working group. Health and Social Services is part of a working group. We do have some assistant fire chiefs that are part of the working group. We are looking at the overall delivery of emergency services across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The earliest that we would be able to have some dialogue on this – and this would give us the summer to do some work on this – I think would probably be this fall when all Members get back together again. So if that’s acceptable to the Members, then it’s something I will work in the department to see if we can have something put together to sit down with committee in the fall time. Thank you.

We have committed to zero until September 1st. On September 1st the $35, or half of what they would have initially been paying, will kick in.

In response to the Member’s question before, we have made contact with the NWT Senior’s Society. We have offered up a meeting. We got a response. Actually, it was this morning. They’re quite busy right now with summer coming on, so we’re going to try to make some time. But it is going to be zero until September 1st. September 1st until July 1st of next year they’ll be paying half. That will get them acclimatized to having to pay rent, because of not...