Sandy Lee

I am aware that a lot of work has been done and is being done on that, so I will follow up to be able to confirm that to her, seeing as it’s going back to 2009.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that we are talking about... While lots of clients of the Centre for Northern Families, have to do with victims of family violence, the Centre for Northern Families is funded in a different way and they serve also different clientele.

I can assure the Member that, under the action plan, a number of things have been accomplished. We have conducted a territorial attitude survey on violence. A territorial family violence consultation was held under this action plan. We have also developed a training program called Supporting Northern Women, a Northwest Territories shelter...

Mr. Speaker, we do have an agreement here that that organization has an important function to deliver and it is an important part of the spectrum of services that we provide for the homeless and those who need our support in the community, not just for Yellowknife but for many people that come to Yellowknife. But the Member is also aware that we have had long-term structural issues with the financial situation of that organization. We have been working, the department and ECE. I just do not have the most recent update, but I will commit, once again, to follow up on that and see what our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, the Department of Health has been working with Education, Culture and Employment to review the situation and come up with the options. I do not have the most recent information. I have asked the staff to look into that and I will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Surely, I don’t believe at any time, as the Minister of Health, have I ever downplayed the deficit situation in our health care system. That’s what occupies my mind as the Minister and my fellow Members on Cabinet. This is something that’s in the forefront of all Health Ministers in all jurisdictions. The entire country and the world is under pressure to address our health care funding needs.

Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that in ’09 and ’10 our system deficit was $14.685 million. We project this year that the system deficit will be reduced by about $4 million to $5 million. That’s as a result...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, this government has been involved with the Family Violence Action Strategy and we work with the coalition to address this issue. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I believe through the work that the government has been involved in, we are better able to keep track of stats, and the stats do not show a downward movement. We still stay at the high end of the increasing numbers of family violence and domestic violence and other violence in the Territories per capita. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, specific to that event, the organizers had asked me if I could attend and say a few words. I was happy to accept that invitation and participate in the event. Mr. Speaker, under the NWT Family Violence Action Plan, which is now in phase II, we fund shelter stabilization enhancement funds. We fund funding for non-shelter regions. We also work with Justice and we have contracted YWCA to deliver a program on children who witness violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows, the Department of Health and Social Services and the Status of Women are part of the coalition that works on family violence issues. One of our initiatives that Strategic Investments committee Building Our Future has approved is a program for men who use violence. That program is being delivered by the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Yes, absolutely. I would even commit to the Member that his constituent who wrote to me, I will personally write her and ask her if I can come and meet with them. Thank you.