Mr. Speaker, this reminds me of the old adage that when it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. If YACCS is only paid in Sodexo coupons and there’s only one place that takes Sodexo coupons and they are privatized food services that offer only short term food delivery based on a seven day meal plan, what is the Minister doing to accommodate the long term meal plan as designed by the single point design that this dementia centre is designed on?
Mr. Speaker, I believe the Member is trying to say Signal Pointe facility based in Calgary. I want to tell you, and I’m sure he knows from talking to YACCS, that this new facility has three kitchens. It will be a beautiful facility. It’s a facility that’s very much required in the Territories. It will allow us to take our elders who are suffering from dementia into extended care, some of them for ten to 12 years. It will take care of elders who are being sent away from Yellowknife. It will be a wonderful facility, very needed, and the seniors will be very well taken care of. The Member should be cautious in suggesting that this…. We don’t want to alarm the public. This will be a very beautiful facility with beautiful programming.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not alarming the public. The bell has already rung. I cannot unring the bell that’s been rung, that’s been brought to me. The fear and concern is because YACCS is not allowed to build their own independent kitchen at this time. The fact is that no one’s one hundred per cent clear where these meals are going to come from, and no one’s one hundred per cent sure at this time why you would have three kitchens when you only need one. So where are the meals coming from? Clearly, the question simply is: will the meal plan be delivered by Sodexo, and is that privatization of the meal plan going to lead to the privatization of the meal plan at Aven as well?
The staffing and programming services are the jurisdiction of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, which is YACCS. I have every confidence that YACCS will use the money they get from the government and provide the best services for the seniors. There is no suggestion or conclusion that any of those services will be privatized.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. A final short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In that report it cites that long term patients need long care meal plans. That’s typically based on a 30 day meal plan. I’d like to know exactly who will be making the meals for the dementia centre. Is it strictly based on YACCS only having the Sodexo contractors to go to? Or are they able to design and cook and create their own meal plans within their own facility? Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, once again, YACCS has one hundred per cent control over what services they provide. This government provides funding for that. It’s not within the purview of this Legislature as to what they do in terms of providing food services to the seniors. I can assure you that those seniors are going to have a beautiful facility, and it’s going to be beautiful programming.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of ITI, and interestingly enough, it’s on bathroom facilities.
On our highway system on Highway No. 1, ITI provides at the pullover stops the safety cabins and washrooms. There are indications that they’re all run down now and they’re kind of unsightly. I’m just wondering if there’s a plan to replace them in the next little while.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the NWT highway system has long stretches of road without communities or other identifying points of interest in between. We work very closely with the Department of Transportation so that our travelling public and tourists that come up here can have points of interest identified to them and we can make stops available to them when nature calls — also that they can stop safely. We’re working with the Department of Transportation so that we can strategically identify and place pullouts. As funding becomes available, we can put in place rest stops and other facilities.
The roadside pullouts and those rest stops are existing, but some of them are the outdoor type. The Minister didn’t really identify when they’re going to replace them. Should they be replaced? Can they look at the more sanitary style, the more modern stucco style or the cisterns?
Mr. Speaker, we do have some rest stop facilities. Where it becomes difficult is that some of them are located quite far away from communities. Generally we make arrangements with either a contractor or the Department of Transportation. Those are the arrangements we have in place, and as we progress with our plan, we could look at better and more effective ways to have these facilities.
Once again I’d just like to ask the Minister if they can develop a plan to replace the toilets. Some of our campgrounds, too, are distant, and maybe they can do some cost savings. Instead of going out there with the sewer trucks, they can stop at the roadside pullouts.
We would look at that where it’s feasible. I know that in some instances we do have sewage pickup. I don’t know how feasible it is if they have to travel long distances to go to a campsite, but we’re prepared to look at that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question in regard to the cost of child and family services in Mackenzie Delta communities. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services:
How many children from the Mackenzie Delta communities are receiving services through Child and Family Services, Department of Health and Social Services?
Please provide the monthly costs to administer voluntary support services and agreements, plan of care agreements and child apprehensions per child in the Mackenzie Delta constituency under the following situations:
care in the parental home;
care through extended family;
foster care; and
treatment from a facility in southern Canada
What steps are taken when a child turns of age and is released from the care of Health and Social Services?
What type of planning and support is provided in these children upon their release from care?
What follow up measures does the Department of Health and Social Services undertake to track these children/young adults over time?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 19, Donation of Food Act, and wishes to report that Bill 19 is now ready for Committee of the Whole.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to CR 2-16(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.
Document 106-16(2), GNWT Response to CR 2-16(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation, tabled.
I’d like to table a document. It is page 3 of the Yellowknifer dated Friday, October 17, 2008, which is today. The article is titled “34-Hour Reading,” and it makes specific note of a memo that was received. Thank you.
Document 107-16(2), NNSL article, tabled.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly recommends implementing a tiered vehicle registration system where fees are based on the fuel economy rating of vehicles, thereby encouraging ownership of more fuel efficient vehicles and supporting the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this Assembly communicates its desire for the Government of Canada to undertake a full and detailed audit of the Food Mail Program in order to determine exactly what food items and which clients are currently being subsidized in order to improve program practice and accomplish the stated government objectives of contributing towards healthy diets in the North.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker.
Thank you Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that the Government of the Northwest Territories establish a milk subsidy program for all children aged one to 12 in any community where milk costs are 10 per cent or more higher than those in Yellowknife, and further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories include the cost of the milk subsidy program in the 2000–2010 budget and implement the program in early 2009.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you Mr. Bromley. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move that Bill 21, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009–2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Thank You, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS this Legislative Assembly is required to appoint Members to the Board of Management in accordance with Subsection 36(3) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of Management of this Assembly:
Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Member for Monfwi, and
Mr. Jackie Jacobson, Member for Nunakput
AND FURTHER, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of Management as alternate Members:
Honourable Robert C. McLeod, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, and
Mr. Kevin Menicoche, Member for Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
Motion carried.
Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Minister’s Statement 80-16(2), Tabled Document 93-16(2), Bills 14, 15, 16 and 17, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.
I’d like to call the Committee of the Whole to order. Under consideration is Minister’s Statement 80-16(2), Tabled Document 93-16(2), Bills 14, 15, 16 and 17. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The wish of the committee today is to continue with the Northwest Territories Capital Estimates ’09–10 and carry on where we left off yesterday on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.
With that, we’ll take a short break.
The Committee of the Whole took a short recess.
