Sandy Lee

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to the treatment of an individual with disabilities that is so appalling, and I have been meaning to ask these questions. I think given this week is Disability Awareness Week it has even more significance, Madam Speaker. This individual is somebody that is well known to us, he’s from a community and he used to work in this building. He has been housed in a hospital since February; three months. His apartment had to be renovated, and it has taken this long, and I challenge...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think that is where we should be heading. Madam Speaker, in his work, I wonder if there is any study or research going on as to what numbers we are dealing with. I think there is a very small segment of the population who is severely disabled, whether physically or cognitively, and who are not going to be able to partake in the mainstream working world. They need the help of the government. If the government could help them, with the help of family and friends, they can function relatively well in a situation that doesn’t have to be institutional. I would like...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it's with regard to the Member’s statement that I made earlier. Madam Speaker, I know the Minister is very well aware of the issues I outlined in that statement, and that has to do with the fact that the Income Support Program that we have now is engineered and oriented for those who are in need of temporary help from the government, in between jobs or for whatever reason they need some social assistance until they get back on their feet. Some of them take longer than others.

Persons...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in honour of the Disability Awareness Week which was celebrated at our luncheon in the Great Hall this afternoon, I would like to take this opportunity to once again call upon this government to move quickly in revising the income support policies in ways to understand and address the particular needs of those with physical or mental disabilities.

Madam Speaker, in a nutshell, the problem with the government’s income support policies is that it’s largely an effort to fit a square peg into a circle. Madam Speaker, generally speaking, it makes sense to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I suppose that is his judgment call, but I can assure this House, Madam Speaker, that I have run into this individual in many places and he is begging all of us to do something. So I can tell you, Madam Speaker, that I am speaking with his total consent, and perhaps the Minister could be sympathetic enough to make a commitment in this House on his behalf that he will look into this situation and confirm to us that he will be back in his house by next week. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know that the Minister is proposing to bring this to the committee. Could the Minister indicate any time frame as to when the stakeholders outside of this Assembly will be able to partake in this discussion? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Absolutely, there is a process on the way but I think it’s good for us to air out our ideas and the process we are following. I would like to ask the Minister where the department and the Minister stands with respect to the possibility of treating those with disabilities differently than those who are on income support in a regular manner. For some public policy reasons, income support is quite low. One of the reasons, whether it’s accepted or not, is to encourage the people to get off the system and get better income options wherever possible. That is not the case...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a class from Yellowknife in the gallery today. By looking at them I know that they are absolutely fascinated and interested about what is going on in this House. I am going to visit them in their class next Tuesday and expect to be answering some questions about some of the interesting proceedings in this House. Let me introduce Mr. Speakman's Grade 6 class from Range Lake North School. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Given the situation we are dealing with here and there seems to be numerous situations here of similar cases that obviously these goals are not being met, and the case I am talking about is a person who has studied his program in 2004 and he is expected to finish this year but he cannot register until next year. I can understand cancellations happening and such, but would the Minister look into guaranteeing that whoever is registered for an apprenticeship program, even if there are three or four students, that the courses continue? You cannot hold back people’s...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are also for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it’s regarding the same issue as the Member for Kam Lake has raised. When I was listening to Mr. Ramsay’s statement, I thought maybe he was reading the correspondence that I received from my constituent because the stories are exactly the same. I think the Minister is aware of this issue because I have been copied a letter that was sent to him. It has to do with some young person who wants to get into an apprenticeship program to get his plumbing certificate and he’s...