Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this first opportunity this session to ask a question to Minister of Health and Social Services and on an issue that he’s quite familiar with. It has to do with the efforts of the Yellowknife community to build the Alzheimer’s facility in the city, Mr. Speaker. This has been something that has been worked on by the YACCS and other senior leaders of the city for a very long time. A couple of years ago there was a suggestion by YACCS to the government for them to finance the money that was required to build the building as long as there could be a commitment from the government to pay for O and M. The Minister and the Cabinet considered that, but, instead of going that way, the government and the Minister has agreed to look at the overall long-term care strategy for all those who are in need of long-term care and mostly including seniors and also those with Alzheimer’s. Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that the community is very happy with the initial $1 million that we got to do some planning on that, but I just wanted to ask the Minister where he is with this project and to just reconfirm his support with moving forward with this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
Return To Question 5-15(5): Long-Term Care Facility For Yellowknife
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what was initially proposed by YACCS was both that we would cover the O and M, as well YACCS would take out the loan and we would just cover off the monthly mortgage payments. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for some time now. There’s been funds, as the Member indicated, committed to this and the direction from Cabinet was to put this into the current business planning process that is now underway in the capital planning process and that has been done. Work has been done on the model and the initial cost estimates which we have received. All those figures have been included and, as far as I’m aware -- and I’ve asked the deputy about this -- this has been included into the capital plan for this 2007-08, as has been instructed by Cabinet. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.
Supplementary To Question 5-15(5): Long-Term Care Facility For Yellowknife
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate his answer in this regard and I could advise him that I’d like to continue to work with Cabinet and the Minister on this project and overall long-term care strategy for all those in need in the Territories, because I think the national trend and all the health indicators suggest that it’s better to have our people in need of care outside of the hospital setting and in communities. So, Mr. Speaker, I’m just wondering, for those who are not aware of the business plan and capital process, when would it be that those parties could be advised as to where this project might be at? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.
Further Return To Question 5-15(5): Long-Term Care Facility For Yellowknife
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, work is underway as we meet in this House. Business plans, both on the O and M side and the capital side are being worked on. There will be formal review by committee members in the coming months and formally, as well, in the fall. Over the next three or four months the work on the business plans is going to continue and it will go through the normal process of committee review and discussion, as well as initial review by Cabinet. So that process is going to unfold here over the next three or four months. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.
Supplementary To Question 5-15(5): Long-Term Care Facility For Yellowknife
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my final supplementary on this issue, which we know we’re going to continue to work on, Mr. Speaker, could I just ask the Minister to reconfirm his support for this project and similar projects in the North for the seniors? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.
Further Return To Question 5-15(5): Long-Term Care Facility For Yellowknife
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all the capital projects we bring forward are very good on their merit and we’ve been working hard on recognizing, as the Member has pointed out, that there is a need here. We are competing for scarce resources, as the Members all know. But we are bringing it forward, along with a number of other initiatives and we will be making…We have, I believe, made a very good case. The factors are going to be looked at like the capital fund that’s available, the cost of the project as it’s been initially laid out. But we are moving on this and it is on our agenda, but the final words of comfort that I can offer, in my opinion it’s not a question of if we’re going to build this, it’s a question of when. Thank you.
