Wendy Bisaro

Thanks, Madam Chair. I just have one question here with regard to the cost to us as a government for… We have many of our residents who are covered under the federal Supplementary Health Benefits Program, the NIHB program, and it’s always a mystery to me whether or not we top up the NIHB payments to us, whether we provide a service which costs us more than what we get back from the federal government and I’m thinking particularly of travel costs. So I’d like to know from the Minister whether or not this budget includes any funding, any expenses, which are an expense to this government to top...

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Perhaps your question is why are you frustrated. Order please, Members. Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services related to the lack of infrastructure in the NWT to house adults with many different disabilities.

Please provide information, by community, about NWT residents in need of independent, 24/7 supported living housing.

Please provide information on all waitlists for independent supported living housing, with particular regard to Yellowknife.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have one question here I wanted to ask with regard to data collection from the Health and Social Services authorities. It has been expressed to us in committee a number of times that the department sometimes has difficulty in providing information to Members because it’s not all that easy to collect data from the authorities. Is the department working on that with the authorities and does that mean that there’s a money issue here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not having seen what the response to the group’s requests were, I know the letter came on letterhead from the NWT Mine Heritage Society, but it certainly was signed by nine different organizations. I’d like to ask the Minister if he at least is considering expanding the Minister’s Cultural Circle to be a Minister’s culture and heritage circle in terms of the awards that he presents on an annual basis. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that we do, as a government, provide some funding for heritage activities, but the Minister received this letter from the nine organizations who are looking for more funding, obviously, everybody wants more funding, but they are also looking for a little more assistance, I think, to sort of profile some of their activities.

To quote from the letter, the activities of these nine organizations create an enhanced learning, research, tourism, employment and business opportunities across the NWT, and that’s a pretty broad reach. I’d like to know from...

They also ask for continuation of funding to hold their bi-annual meetings for culture and heritage. They also ask to provide support for ongoing training and networking opportunities. All of these asks are something that we as a government can do that won’t require much financial support. Maybe we don’t need another ministerial portfolio, but to consider an expansion of the Cultural Circle awards to include heritage I believe is certainly doable. I urge the Minister to seriously consider the requests from the NWT’s nine heritage and culture societies and to copy Members of this House on his...

Thanks, Ms. DeLancey. Noting the clock, Members, I will call a halt for today and I will rise and report progress. Sergeant-at-Arms, will you please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Thank you, witnesses, for your attendance.

Thanks, Mr. Beaulieu. Ms. DeLancey.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Yakeleya, your time is up. I’ll put you back on the list, if you wish. Next on my list is Mr. Dolynny.