Debates of October 30, 2024 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to say supporting youth with autism in the Northwest Territories is critical. We need to look at it through a multifaceted approach by addressing their needs, whether it's regional or in large centre, Mr. Speaker, like Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, imagine if you're in a small community and you have children or a child or there's other types of people with learning disabilities in your community, where do they go? Well, they come to Yellowknife often because the services and supports aren't there. Mr. Speaker, but what I also find here in Yellowknife is people are leaving Yellowknife to go to Alberta because supports for things like autism are there, not here, Mr. Speaker.

We have a duty to help these young people achieve the best and most full potential that they can. It may be limited in some cases because I'm also a realist and know that, but the fact is we have a duty to ensure that they can live the best lives that they can. This burden often falls on the big shoulders of parents who struggle with these challenges each and every day. Mr. Speaker, we cannot leave these young people who can do better, who want to do better, behind.

Mr. Speaker, lifetime pathways are being developed and formed when young people are born and then in their formative years, they're not getting the assessments and treatments and supports they need. We need early intervention because it's when it's when they're young it matters the most.

Mr. Speaker, we can help redefine some of those weaker pathways. We can strengthen the ones they've got because we don't want to miss this critical opportunity, because if we don't do this when they're young it's too late. In other words, collectively we must work together. How can we do this, Mr. Speaker?

Well, early intervention and diagnosis is clearly critical. Many families will tell me it takes them a couple years to get an assessment. Two, maybe three years already pass by without those critical interventions needed.

Educational supports, Mr. Speaker, we can only rely on the schools so much and there's not enough funding to go around, as well as focus on this particular issue. Mr. Speaker, community and family supports are critical. Mr. Speaker, when we have parents who have children with autism, you know, they end up having to leave work to cover for the SIP days, Mr. Speaker. After school programs don't exist for folks like this. Summer programs don't exist for this. It falls again on the family's shoulders.

There is limited, and I mean limited, funding through ECE, but it's barely enough to fund a couple families when we have more than our share. Mr. Speaker, there are mental supports for the families who struggle with this each and every day. Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions later on this particular matter because it is critical for the North. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements.