We have been doing some research on a number of these initiatives. I was around when the hotel tax was proposed and was introduced, and so we have the research completed on the hotel levy. We are very close to finalizing research on energy retrofits, and we will be moving forward with consultations with other communities. As a matter of fact, MACA officials met with the city on September 29th and they agreed on a work plan. We expect that, in early 2017, we will able to move forward. We also need to work with other departments, Ministers, MACA, Justice and Finance, because some of the proposals, we've heard for the first time.
I'd like to reassure the Premier, though, that this is not the first time these changes have been requested. Some of them date back to when I was on city council in 2007. So I'm pleased to hear that we're going to have some more research done; research is great, but I'm looking for action. Changes have been requested to the Property Assessment and Taxation Act. Is that something that's going to happen within the lifetime of this Assembly?
I believe I mentioned that we are looking to be able to move forward in early 2017 with some parts of the requests in the letter.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response and thank the Premier for that. But I'm still a little bit concerned here, more than a little bit concerned, that we're not going to make progress on these legislative changes within the lifetime of the Assembly. So is the Premier prepared to work with Regular MLAs who might bring forward a private Member's Bill to make these legislative changes, which are essentially housekeeping matters, if the other side can't do it in a reasonable period of time? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are always open to any methods that will move legislation faster. If the Member has some ideas, we would certainly be prepared to entertain them. We would also like to work with all of the Members to help us identify what should be the priorities.
Some of the legislative priorities we're working on, the Department of MACA is working on, is to update the civil emergency procedures, the territorial emergency procedures, the fire prevention and community fire prevention plans, the Western Canada Lotteries legislation, legislation for 911, access to information for communities, energy efficiency. So we have all of these other priorities, and I'd be very pleased to work with the Members on the other side to help tell us which ones should be advanced the fastest.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I spoke about medical travel and some of the issues I had to deal with this past week with medical travel and the policy. First of all, I would like to thank the staff. The patients were able to work with the staff given the numbers and they worked really well together, so I thank them for that. However, Mr. Speaker, this question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister please advise this House if his department is looking at the Medical Travel Policy as it pertains to ensuring that anyone over the age of 65 has a non-medical escort made available for them on all medical travel flights? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services is doing a review of the Medical Travel Policy. We've already made a number of changes and improvements, including putting in an appeal mechanism. With respect to whether or not we intend to modify the Medical Travel Policy specifically for an age requirement, that is not something that we're doing right now, Mr. Speaker. I've had an opportunity to travel around the Northwest Territories and meet lots of different individuals, including seniors, and I've had many seniors tell me, just because I'm 65 doesn't mean that I need or should get a non-medical escort.
We have some tight criteria for when an escort is supported, a non-medical escort is supported. In fact, it also has to be based on a clinical referral from a practitioner. Non-medical escorts will be supported when a patient is under the age of 19 and requires an escort, when a patient is breastfeeding an infant and requires an escort, when a patient has a mental or physical disability of a nature that he or she is not able to travel unassisted, and when the patient requires an escort for interpretation during their travel.
In many situations, if a senior has got some mobility issues they will likely get a non-medical escort; if they have communication issues, they will likely get an escort, but it does have to be referred to a physician, and I'm hearing people across the Northwest Territories, as I said, say just because I'm 65 doesn't mean that I'm physically unable to attend meetings on my own.
I appreciate the Minister for his answer. I guess we're talking to two different people or different people out there because the people that are coming to me with issues are over the age of 65 and say they want to have a medical escort, and some of the challenges that I understand with the Minister saying, however we need to work with our seniors and our elders because when they come to us they should be treated with respect. However, I'm going to go onto my next question 'cause instead of arguing we could spend days on this issue together.
Mr. Speaker, last sitting I spoke about patience from the smaller communities and asked the Minister if they were working on setting up a place for these people to stay. So can the Minister please advise me if this is happening? What work is being done? I've been hearing this for non-elders and elders that say, you know, we come here in the morning, we go back at night and we don’t have a place to stay. So can the Minister please advise the House what the department is doing in this regard?
Mr. Speaker, the Member is right. We could probably debate this for an extended period of time, but at the end of the day we do respect our seniors. We are putting programs and services in place in support of seniors. We have a healthy relationship with the NWT Seniors Society. In fact, one of the members of the NWT Seniors Society said just because I happen to be 65 doesn't mean I'm infirm or unable to do these things.
When an individual is challenged, they have some limitations. Of course, Mr. Speaker, we are going to provide non-medical escorts. With respect to the situation that the Member is describing where an individual comes to a community is left for hours or their appointment is hours away from when they land or when they take off. If you're in Yellowknife or Inuvik or I think it's Hay River, we actually have facilities where an individual can go and spend some time, whether it's the hospital or Vital Abel House or one of our other facilities. It's helpful if the Member, the individual who's travelling gives us some head's up that they need some place to go because we can help coordinate that.
The other communities we haven’t been able to resolve those issues at this point. We are coming out with a medical travel book or a passport, if you will, a handout that will go to residents as they're going to be travelling on medical travel that outline all the different numbers by communities, where they can go, where there might be places where they can spend some time so that they have options available to them, but we haven't finalized all those details. We're continuing to work on it.
I thank the Member for that answer. Maybe we can get together so I can get that information and we can share it with people. It's just not people that need it or want it, you should be able to provide that quick knowledge beforehand.
Mr. Speaker, in my previous statements I talked about Fort Nelson Hospital as a first place for residents of the Hamlet of Fort Liard to go and set up residence going to Fort Simpson then to Yellowknife. I realize it's only a three or four-hour trip to Fort Simpson depending on the ferry and only a two-hour drive, but however it's only a two-hour drive to Fort Nelson.
I know it doesn't sound like a big difference of time, but it's huge for our elders and the people from the community of Fort Liard. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise this House if the department is working with the BC government to arrange referrals to Fort Nelson for residents of Fort Liard instead of Yellowknife?
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to meet with residents of the community of Fort Liard, as well as the Nahanni Butte prior to the election last government where this issue was raised. At that time, I made a commitment that we would follow up with BC once we concluded our negotiations with Alberta. Alberta is our go-to province when we have individuals who need to go out for services that aren't available here in the Northwest Territories. We have agreements and other procedures or protocols in place to have our residents go to Alberta and receive services there.
Once we're done negotiating our new agreement with them, I made a commitment that I would follow up with BC. We haven't finished that agreement; I haven't followed up with BC.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I thank the Minister for that answer. It's great to hear. So we're waiting for negotiations in Alberta, but it still doesn't help the residents of Fort Liard. So will the Minister give us a timeline when he expects to talk to the BC government, so that the residents of Fort Liard can be prepared to get service in BC? Closer service, I should say, because it's great service in Simpson and Yellowknife; it's just the distance. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, just to be clear, residents of the Northwest Territories when they travel to other jurisdictions like BC and they go to a hospital or health centre for medically necessary care through reciprocal billing agreements and whatnot, those services are provided to those residents and there's no cost obviously to our residents for doing that.
Where we have a challenge with BC is where a health practitioner in the Northwest Territories makes a referral on behalf of one of our residents to something like an MRI or a specialty clinic that's available in Edmonton or Calgary or in Alberta for specialty services that are not provided in the Northwest Territories.
In those situations, we have to have solid agreements with those jurisdictions. It's not a matter of just showing up and just saying, hey, I want an MRI. You actually have to have a referral; it has to go through a proper protocol. We are finalizing and updating our agreement with Alberta. We hope to be done this year. Once that's done, I will certainly raise the issue with BC and follow up accordingly.
Masi. We've gone through three Members' oral questions and it's been 20 minutes already, so I'd like to remind Members and also Ministers to keep your questions and answers short and concise so we can get through all the oral questions today. Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci Cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I spoke about homecare services. I'd like to ask the Minister what the status is of a departmental review of the current homecare services? Thank you.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've already mentioned several times in the House over the last couple of weeks that we're currently working on the Continuing Care Services Action Plan for the Northwest Territories which includes review of our home care services provided to date and what level of services we need to provide to meet the needs of our residents, you know, addressing the fact that we do have an aging population in addition to demands on home care. It's also looking at our long-term care demands and how we're going to address those as well as our palliative care demands and how we're going to address those. We're hoping to have that action plan out by the end of the fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister what actions were taken this fiscal year, 2016-2017, to improve the home care services even if it's within the continuing care?
Mr. Speaker, we have been working on some of our respite and home care services for seniors across the Northwest Territories. We have identified respite beds that are available across the Northwest Territories in our different facilities, and we're looking to get more information out there about the types of programs that we provide under home care.
We do provide home support in most communities and certainly all regions in the Northwest Territories. They are based on a medical referral. You do have to be referred for home care and a physician or a practitioner will identify the degree or range or level of support you need under home care.
We do provide that across the Northwest Territories, but we do acknowledge more needs to be done. We do acknowledge with our aging population we do need to put in some additional supports.
I'd like to ask the Minister how the department is working with the NWT Housing Corporation on the whole idea of aging in place?
Mr. Speaker, one of our key partners in aging in place within the Government of the Northwest Territories is the NWT Housing Corporation who has a number of programs for seniors so that they can make modifications to their homes as they age to help them stay in their homes for as long as possible. There is a recognition that even if we provide greater levels of home care and the housing corp. does provide some programs to help modify homes, unfortunately, some individuals will have to go to different living situations like independent living units.
The Housing Corporation is building five independent living units throughout the Northwest Territories. We just recently attended the opening of one in Fort Liard. One of the nice things that has happened as a result of our relationship with the Housing Corporation is in those independent living units they've allowed for some programming space, for group activities and for other things to happen, and it's also an opportunity for Health and Social Services to have the home support workers come in to those facilities and do some interaction and supports for the residents who happen to live in those buildings.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister if there will be financial resources available in 2017-18 for enhanced homecare services or if it is part of the continuing care services? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we won't have a clear indication of whether or not we need some additional resources, how much those additional resources might be until we're actually done the Continuing Care Action Plan. I'm certainly going to bring that to committee so we can have some discussions.
Before we ask for more money, Mr. Speaker, one of the things that we have to do is make sure that the current dollars available for homecare are being spent wisely and that we're getting maximum benefit for every dollar that we're spending; that we're getting the outcomes that are intended.
The Members know, all Members in this House know that we do have some limiting fiscal situation on top of us, and any money that we're going to spend on homecare has to come from somewhere. So we're going to have to work together as a legislature to identify where resources are in order to re-profile them.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, honourable Members raised the issue of 911 previously in this session and were told that the department is not in a fiscal position to provide this, more research would be done, and the Minister has committed to working with standing committee on developing some options. However, the honourable Member for Frame Lake just asked the Premier some questions and we heard that they are now working on legislation for 911. Can the Premier please clarify whether or not 911 is coming to the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Honourable Premier.
We always work with the Members on the other side; we are looking at 911.
I'm always willing to work with honourable Members on any side of the House. Are we currently developing legislation? Not just working on it, not just exploring options, but developing legislation.
As we indicated, that is our intention and that is part of the business planning process of the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps my memory is a bit foggy, but if it was included in the business plan it certainly was an oversight when we developed the mandate but it is an issue that is important to Northerners so I'm pleased to see that we have some willingness here; however, previously in this Assembly we were told that it was not in the cards. So can the Premier explain that? Is this a knee-jerk reaction to some questions that were raised in this House or is this a long-standing initiative that we've just simply never been told about?
We have said in the last Assembly, I believe, and also that we would work with Members to find the commitment. I'll go back through Hansard for the Member and see where the discussions on 911 took place.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I can tell the honourable Premier now that won't be required. Can the Premier tell this House when Northerners will be able to dial 911 on their phones? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don't like to speculate so I'll respond to his question when I have the exact date.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are a government that is taking necessary steps to conduct our affairs in public, and I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency if he could provide the House an update and maybe some specifics, if possible, on what work is being done with regard to the Open Government Policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have created a working group that is guiding the development of the Open Government Policy and part of this work, of course, will be consulting with residents and we will be undertaking to do that in the early part of the next year.
Masi. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Minister for his response. Further to that, this government made a commitment that we, within the first two years of our term, were going to create legislation in support of an Office of the Ombudsman. Can the Minister please provide us an update on what work is being done to establish that legislation? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, of course this is a priority under the mandate of this government and I think all Members will recall we had an interesting discussion on this very issue at the Caucus retreat in August. I expect to have a legislative proposal to committee on the establishment of the ombudsman in the first half of 2017.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
