Thank you to the Minister for that answer. What are GNWT's expectations with respect to accessing funding associated with the new federal law?
The Member is correct in her statement. She did recognize that the implementation and the funding has not been worked out. We are still in the process of waiting for the federal government to have a meeting. There was a meeting scheduled, an FTP for last month, and it has been rescheduled. Although we recognize that the legislation is place, we still need to work on what does that mean for the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that answer. One of the things this means for the NWT, and for all provinces and territories, is that Indigenous government organizations have an opportunity to become responsible for child and family services in their own jurisdictions. What role does the Minister see the GNWT having with respect to helping Indigenous government organizations take on this responsibility? Thank you.
The Member is correct. The child and family services, you look at the children who are in place, and we have 99 percent of Indigenous children in place in care. Right now, within the Child and Family Services Act, the Indigenous and government organizations can enact their own child and family service law for their citizens. Right now, we have only one Indigenous group in the Northwest Territories who has reached out to our department, and is interested, and looking at what does that mean for their Indigenous groups. They have the option to enter into a process that would have their laws prevail over territorial law and the federal law. It is in our best interests to work with the Indigenous groups in the Northwest Territories as the majority of the children in care are in our care, and we would like to build on that partnership with Indigenous groups. If they can come to the table and do a better job than we are, then let's absolutely entertain that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The mental and physical wellbeing of our seniors is very important to me, and I would like to ask the Minister of Health: what process in place does her department have to ensure that the workers would engage the residents in the community to assist in visiting the seniors and helping out? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do want to start, and I will get to the Member's question. I do want to recognize that enabling seniors to age in place with dignity is one of our priorities. If you look at the mandate priorities, it is a partnership, not only with the Health and Social Services, but also the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the department of housing. If you look at the three objectives, number one, we need to increase supports so that seniors can stay in their own homes and communities. That's number one. Number two is fun actions that can enhance inclusion, safety, and remove community barriers. The other one is to help protect seniors from abuse or neglect. These are some of the areas that we are looking at for our mandate, but in addition to that, I do want to talk a little bit about what the Member's asking for, what are we doing. We have a variety of activities that are in our regions, and I do want to speak about a couple of them. We have adult day programs, including the elders in motion exercises, meal program, meals on wheels, and other recreation and social activities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
In the wintertime, many of the seniors are kind of locked up. Not locked up, but they're in there in the facilities. They don't have, really, an ability to get out on their own. I am just wondering: does your department have anything in place to allow that to happen, to take them outside the building during the wintertime so they can get a little fresh air and also a little sightseeing?
There are some limitations in delivering some of the programs for a variety of reasons, lack of suitable space or lack of transportation for elders. Every region is different. You look at some of the regions. For example, I'll use in the Beaufort-Delta. We have a very strong elder day program where the elders come from their homes into the elders' day program, and they have a variety of activities. There are supports in place. However, there are limitations. I understand the Member's concern about the lack of possibly transportation or whatever the case may be.
I know the Minister will say yes to this one. We have a 48-bed slated for Hay River, and I think there is one for Inuvik, as well. One of the issues that I find is that, when I was visiting the other day, I noticed the handy van was sitting there, covered in snow. I asked the person, "Do they use it?" They said, "Not really because to take people out, it was slippery, and it was hard to get them in the van." One thing I suggest is that with this new 48 facility is that if they could have a little something off to the side where they can have the van parked so the people can go right in from the building into the van where it's warm and take them out. Kind of like they have for the ambulances. I would just ask the Minister if she would consider that in the design of the new 48-bed facility for Hay River and for Inuvik?
I say yes to the concept and the idea because I feel it is important. I feel like if there are many ways that we can get our elders from their facility into their community, it is very important. I also do want to remind the Member that the 48-bed facility in Hay River and Inuvik is still through the design process, so there is an opportunity for our department to work with the Department of Infrastructure to have a look at the designs and to be able to see what works for the communities. I mean, we need to build these facilities so that they work for our elders and for our communities. If that's one way of getting the elders out into the community, then, of course, that's something we would look at.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South, final supplementary.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's responses, and I look forward to working with her, and I have no further questions. Thank you.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Speaker. [English translation not available.] ...and families to identify gaps in existing resources. Madam Speaker, question to NWT Housing Corporation: what are the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's programs available for seniors so they can maintain their own homes? Masi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. The programs that are offered for the seniors to age in place, we do have a safe program. We do have the accessibility to accommodate the limited mobilities for the seniors. Also, we have constructed seniors' complexes throughout the Northwest Territories, and trying to support the seniors to age in place. I don't know all the programs off the top of my head, but I can provide the Member with the programs that we do have listed. Also, working in conjunction with my colleagues, that we do have a set programming to address that, to have our seniors age in place, and the number of programs that are out there throughout the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Again, I would like to touch on the support agencies and families to identify gaps in existing resources as part of our mandate. We know that the cost of airfare into our isolated communities is quite high across the North and my region, about three communities I represent. If any work has to be done on a senior's home in an isolated community, those travel costs are often passed on to the senior on top of the actual cost of the work involved. Are there any Housing Corporation programs specific to having a certified oil burning mechanic to visit all our communities so that they can service the furnaces for our most vulnerable seniors?
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation created the seniors aging-in-place program to help seniors improve the durability of their home and to make energy-efficient retrofits every year. It is an easy program to access and seniors can apply for this every year. There is also a co-payment portion for seniors who make only low to moderate income. Seniors can also access the SAFE program, the emergency repair program, to access up to $10,000 per year for urgent emergency repairs, such as furnace failure. Seniors can also have their furnace maintained under the preventative maintenance program, up to $3,000 per year. As for seniors' complexes, I just really would like to stress that we have completed seniors' complexes throughout the territory, and we are now just looking at one in the Sahtu that is just completed. We've constructed five of them.
The Minister hasn't really answered my question about if they had specific certified burner mechanics visiting the isolated communities. I'll just move on to the next question, because these are tough questions that the department should be answering, especially for our elders in the communities. A couple of months ago, I had an 82-year-old senior constituent out of Behchoko who had furnace issues, and this was broadcast on the CBC, as well, when we were in the middle of a two-week-long cold spell. Apparently, her furnace had not been serviced for a few years. In the end, Polar Ice from Yellowknife stepped up to the plate and fixed her furnace for free. Masi to Polar Ice for doing such an awesome job for this elder. Would the Minister consider implementing a pilot project so that every senior in our communities can have their furnace serviced on an annual basis as a safety precaution, as well?
My apologies to the Member that I didn't answer the last question about the burner mechanics going into the communities. We do have contractors who go out and they do work on the function of the homes, looking at the water heaters and the furnaces, and making sure that they are up and they are functioning. I'm not familiar with the contractors who go into the isolated communities, but also I just wanted to inform the Member that we do have the SAFE program that is accessible for the furnace and upkeep of them and to make sure that they are maintained, and it's up to $10,000. I would encourage the residents in his riding to contact the Housing Corporation further to complete the application.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Speaker. The Minister is referring to an application-based process, and a lot of our elders obviously are struggling, sometimes because of individuals living in their household. It's based on household income, so most times, they don't qualify, unfortunately. When it comes to two weeks of cold spell, this is a very urgent matter that we need to deal with on an annual basis, to service their furnaces, especially the vulnerable elders. I've touched on Polar Ice as a contractor going to the community, on their own services. Could we have something similar to that as a pilot project in our communities, not just my Tlicho communities, but other isolated communities in the Northwest Territories? I believe this is, indeed, an asset that we should be utilizing, having those individuals qualified to service the furnaces. Madam Speaker, masi.
I am interested in looking at that, actually looking at our application process. I have gotten feedback that it is quite difficult for the residents of the Northwest Territories to access our programs. I would like to go forward and encourage that initiative and that suggestion from the Member. It's something that I will work towards, and I would like to have a conversation with my department to see how we can initialize that and work with that initiative going forward throughout the Northwest Territories and make sure that our elders are getting the services that they need. If it's just a simple application process that is keeping them from accessing our programs, I would really like to connect the LHO housing managers and the clients, that we are there and we are able to get the applications done immediately, but I will be working with the Member going forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.
I believe that's my fifth question, now, Madam Speaker. I just want to say I look forward to departmental correspondence on this particular, very important, matter in my region. When can we see this happening? Masi.
Going forward, looking at this initiative, I would like to hopefully be able to get back into the communities, hopefully, I want to commit in July, that I would like to look at this and then going forward and looking at the need for the rest of the Northwest Territories and working with the Member, also. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Mahsi cho, Madam Speaker. My question here is for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Just to supplement what my colleague from Monfwi was asking about seniors and mobility-restricted people, my questions are regarding people with no land tenure in our communities.
Can the Minister advise if there are any programs available to seniors or people with restricted mobility, if there are any programs available for them in terms of mobility access? Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to touch on the first issue, which was the land tenure process. I know that it does hinder a lot of our applicants going forward in accessing the programs that we have. Right now, our department is looking at our policies, and we're wanting to look forward to see how we could work around the hindrance of having the land tenure issue burden our application process and having our clients access their entitlement to the programs that we offer.
Looking at the wheelchair access, we do have funding that is available. It is the SAFE program, and I would encourage the Member to work with me so we can look at these programs and distribute them accordingly, to make sure that we are able to increase the number of seniors who are able to age in place.
Also, the accessibility is starting to become a huge situation that is identified out there, that we need to make our units and our homes more accessible for people who are in need of these programs. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for the response. Just judging from what was just said, outside the SAFE program, there are no other programs available for residents who have no land tenure in their homes? Is that correct?
Sorry, I should have been more clear, but we do have the CARE Mobility Program, the SAFE Program, the CARE Major and the CARE Minor, and they do come with forgivable loans that are established and set in those programs that are available.
I have one last question for the Minister. Is there any appetite to change this policy to open up more programs for our residents with no land tenure?
Going forward with the programs that are accessible for the seniors, we can have them access all three of them going forward, and it's per applicant. I would like to meet with the Member so I can give him the programs that we do have for seniors, and I can provide him with a clearer understanding of what those programs entail.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madame la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Lands. I know he made a statement earlier today about the Conservation Network Gathering, with a different hat on, but I would just like to know what the status of the Edehzhie proposed protected area is? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have been in communications with DFN and their planning committee, and we have been corresponding through letters on some issues that we are trying to work out. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I want to thank the Minister for that. I am kind of putting him on the spot, but that is his job. I would like to know if he could be a little bit more particular or give us some more specifics about what these issues are. Look, this proposed protected area has been in process for years. The feds, as I understand it, are ready to go. They have the surface of the area that is going to be protected as a national wildlife area. The feds are ready to invest. I understand the community has lined up some private donors to set up a trust to hire guardians and so on. What is the problem? The problem seems to be our government not transferring the subsurface, so can the Minister tell us, give us more specifics?
This is actually a very complicated file because it involves EIA, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, and Lands, and DFN, and we are trying to work with them to get a clear understanding of the process, the big process, of how we are dealing with all issues with the Dehcho First Nations. Right now, this is where we are working on it. We have been corresponding through letters. As well, the Premier has already met with the grand chief about a month ago, I believe, or a month and a half ago, to start the negotiations again.
Life is complicated, but this is a simple one. This is a win for us all. Just transfer the subsurface lands. Get this done and over with. Here's a great way to show some respect and start to build a better working relationship with the Dehcho First Nations. When will this government transfer the subsurface and allow this protected area to be established and get guardians on the ground working?
As much as it sounds like it's that easy, it is not that easy. It's a very complicated process. It's about process, and we need to do it right. We need to work with them, and we need a clear understanding of the overall picture. Right now, I cannot make a commitment. I know it's in my riding, or it's actually in my colleague's from the Deh Cho. The other riding, Nahendeh, is part of the Deh Cho, and I have heard from leadership. They have talked to me about this, as well, but we want to make sure we do it right.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madame la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. Look, this is a very long, drawn-out process. The boundaries have gone through a lot of discussion, negotiation. Any areas of even medium mineral potential were carved out of this area. The community wanted to protect the Willow River down to the Deh Cho. Even that area, the canyon, was carved down to a very small area. The problem seems to be this government is not moving forward. Look, this is a great way that we can start off on a new foot, better relationship, with our Indigenous governments. When is this government going to transfer the subsurface and get this deal done? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
