Caitlin Cleveland

Mr. Speaker, my mother is my favourite senior. I might get in trouble for referring to her as that, but she is a feisty and fabulous 74-year-old. She loves to travel, kayak, create, and she is affectionately referred to by my girlfriends as the original diva. Those of us with seniors in our lives are truly blessed. Our elders and seniors are powerful, but it is not a power that is physically exerted over us. Their power comes from the knowledge and wisdom gained over decades of life experience. It is a power that teaches us to sit, breathe, and listen.

Mr. Speaker, aging isn't just a biological...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment direct the district education councils to keep technology to support student home-based learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; and further, that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment focus on positive interventions and outreach to improve relationships between families of "high risk" or vulnerable students. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I just also wanted to support the words of my colleague from Yellowknife Centre. This program has been the most popular program that myself and my constituency assistant have recommended to people during the COVID pandemic. It's open to any NWT resident who is spending over 30 percent of their household income on shelter and is funding of up to $500 a month, and has kept a tremendous amount of Northerners out of homelessness, which is far more expensive to pay for at the end of the day. I commend the quick ability of the Housing Corporation to put money into...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services continue to work with national partners to increase testing supplies, materials, and personal protective equipment to maintain a robust inventory for the anticipated second wave of COVID-19. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As noted by the Member for Nunakput, the GNWT's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-term recovery of our economy and territory have been the focus of all committees' discussions. The Standing Committee on Social Development focused its work on the response of the Departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Justice, and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. As chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development, I am pleased to introduce this report and would like to take this opportunity thank committee members for...

What is the anticipated wait time that somebody should expect to hear back from Protect NWT?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. One of the most common questions that I get from constituents right now is in regards to family unification and being able to visit with family in the Northwest Territories. I am wondering if the Minister of Health and Social Services can speak to instances where family is allowed to come to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Just to reiterate, this one has such huge social and economic ramifications throughout the Northwest Territories. Anybody who tuned into any single one of our committee meetings got to see what it was like for us to communicate throughout this time. Anybody who was working from home had the same type of challenges clear across the Northwest Territories. Especially at a time like this where information really became survival for a lot of people, having access to information is vitally important. I fully support this recommendation. Thank you.

I'm wondering if the Minister has considered developing a plan for aging in the Northwest Territories that identifies things like policies, programs, and services that are currently in place to support seniors; that identifies gaps in those supports; and that also sets out a course of action or a plan for how to improve territorial supports of seniors going forward.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I 100 percent agree with this one. I believe that centralized clear, consistent communication throughout a state of emergency is one of our most important tool. If we expect people to know what we are asking of them and to be able to help us out to get to where we're trying to go, then they need to know what that is and where to find that information. So I think that having not only consistent information out there, but also the ability for the people of the Northwest Territories to know where to go to get that and to be able to anticipate where that's going...