Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
At the time of a loss, family members find their stress levels very high and their tolerance levels very low. Recently several families in Tu Nedhe had to deal with loss of loved ones and looked to the government for support. These families looked for support during the time of the illness of a family member and leading up to death, and support after the loss of a loved one, whether that be a father, mother, daughter or son.
When family members lose other family members, the support for the government should be swift and people should not be made to wait days, weeks and sometimes even months before support for travel, accommodations and, ultimately, caskets come from the government.
I had a situation where an elder over 90 years old, that communicated in her aboriginal language almost exclusively, had a very difficult time dealing with Health and Social Services to provide accommodations for family members that had to be in that community feeding her country foods, cooking for her, providing bed care and translation. Overall, these family members needed to leave their community to provide support to their mother. The Department of Health and Social Services did provide service and accommodation, however I had to deal with the Minister frequently in order for that support to be maintained.
When a family member loses a loved one, there is often an issue with the casket. Family and the community often want to put their money together to upgrade the casket to something a little better than the basic casket provided by the department. Even when families are indigent they often want to put their loved ones in a nice casket. It is the last thing they can do for that person, that loved one.
The Department of Health and Social Services does not seem to have a clear policy to deal with these issues; policies that make the lives of individuals who are already going through the hardest thing they have to deal with in their lives a little bit easier, a policy that respects the people that have to utilize this social service. Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.
