Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that health and social services authorities, in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Services, assist child protection workers in identifying and accessing prevention programs available to children and families; and further, that the Department of Health and Social Services should also ensure that prevention programs, such as the Healthy Family Program, are offered to families in need. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Nadli.
Again, it’s really asking the department to address the very fundamental concerns raised by the Auditor General. Perhaps there are strengths that the department has, and I think it needs to build on its strengths. There are some programs and initiatives that work well and we need to build upon the positives, and perhaps this motion is in that spirit. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Chair, I’m not too sure if this type of discussion has been taken up by our Aboriginal Affairs Minister and the Aboriginal governments on all the jurisdictional or intergovernmental relationship issues with our government and their government in bringing a stronger linkage between the two governments on this type of issue here with child and family services.
Child and family services are key to our communities. With health and social services, again I go back to the 16th Assembly where a great concept of the communities were going to take some type of role or leadership role when you looked at the family situations in the community, but that didn’t come about. I remember that in the 16th because I went with the then Minister into the Sahtu communities, and they were asking different communities in the Sahtu, are you interested in this, do you want to do this. We got our hopes up in Colville Lake and Fort Good Hope, same as the other communities, but nothing happened, diddly-squat. Now you want to have this. It has been raised by the Auditor General and it had to do with the financial issues.
I want to look at this issue of regaining the trust again of the Aboriginal governments. You know, we have to show – and that’s what I agree with Mr. Bromley’s comments on earlier – just give a short period of time to show some measureable results showing that the linkage is going to be strong with our Aboriginal governments. Right now, you know, they’ve been stung once, so they’re going to be looking at this issue again and saying, do you really mean this business, do you really mean it? Show us something. Right now we have not seen much action in this area here, and the Auditor General has noted it clearly.
We’re playing with people’s lives here, families and communities, and that’s serious business. This isn’t something that’s like a road or a bridge. These people have feelings. They have hopes and aspirations.
I’m hoping that the Minister can put some strong plans together to show us yes, we are making a difference in our small communities, especially with the Aboriginal governments on this issue here. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. With respect to recommendation number four, we agree. In the Aboriginal health and community wellness division, new regional positions focusing in on wellness and community development will play a key role in helping communities implement their wellness plans, and also in helping support interagency or wellness committees and in helping our child protection workers stay informed on the different available programs within their region and in their communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Nadli.
