Sandy Lee

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Member that the programs are spread out, but I don’t think it is there without mandate. I think all of our seniors programs have specific programming and criteria mandate that are housed in responsible divisions and sections.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am interested in looking at what he has in mind. Maybe it is something that the Standing Committee on Social Programs can take a look at as well. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing what he has. Thank you.

I’m happy to note that that increase of $1 million under prevention and promotion services speaks to Healthy Choices Framework and Healthy Families programming that I spoke about earlier, and Fort Simpson is one of them.

On the social worker question, I am committed to following up on that. I agree with the Member that we need to know what the status of the current incumbent is. We were not able to fill the position with a casual just because… I mean, they have social work coverage, it’s just that to have a position there, because this position requires to have all kinds of statutory powers...

Mr. Speaker, now I see where he is getting at. Okay. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of success in HR training for health care professionals. We graduated 11 nurses last year. We are expecting 19. We are expecting way more over the next couple of years. CHNs, as the Member stated, we have trained them and we have placed them in communities. I would be happy to undertake to get that information for the Member. I think actually now we have embarrassment of riches for nurses because we have been so successful with the Nursing Program.

As we go forward, what we see now is we need more community support...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m sure the Member wants me to be brief, so I’m going to try to be brief. The Member is right that we spent $2 million at Nats’ejee K’eh but we also spent $6 million for the community counselling mental health program. That’s not to include the psychiatric unit and the heavy duty mental health work that goes on at the hospital. I understand the Member’s frustration, but what we are talking about is a huge demand. We have this huge need among a large portion of our population who needs mental health support, right up from psychiatric and most acute care that needs to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not familiar with what details that concept entails, but if the Member would like to provide me with that information, we will have a further look at it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I need to find out more information about exactly what that $5,000 program speaks to. What I can tell the Member is that it may be that is allocated monies under one program. Communities like Trout Lake, or other communities, can access other programs and funding whether they be within the authority or department-wide. Sometimes there’s federal funding and such. Without having more detailed information, I would just like to tell the Member that if a community is interested in something specific, I’d be happy to inquire within the department and the authority to see...

Mr. Speaker, we work through the Graduate Employment Program to look at their training needs, and if there are any out of the graduating program, match them with jobs available.

My information is that is hasn’t been done and we will follow up and I will get back to the Member on timing of when that could be done. Thank you.

I think the mandate of the Health and Social Services is busy enough, full enough, demanding enough. I don’t think, unless the government tells us to, the department is interested in getting into the housing business. We have the NWT Housing Corporation that does that. I am aware that the Housing Corporation has built units and renovated units for persons with disabilities, whether they be seniors or non-seniors. I would ask the Member to kindly refer the question to the responsible Minister. Thank you.

Just firstly on the Food First Foundation, I have seen the letter from Mr. Lafferty. It was under the heading of Executive Council because it involves more than one department. That’s why I said it might be getting funding from somewhere, I just don’t know exactly which department. I’m going to get back to the Member, as I had already stated.

The Mental Health Program review began in November and we hope to have that finalized with recommendations to the standing committee in the spring, April-May.