Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health. In the 16th Assembly the Joe Greenland Centre was shut down, the long-term care facility that was in the Mackenzie Delta riding. I’d just like to know what the plans are that the department has in this next four years for the people of the Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although I have not had a full opportunity to check into the long-term care and what they’re able to provide to people from other communities in the Beaufort-Delta at this time, my understanding is that there is a shortage of beds in Inuvik for people from other communities in the Beaufort-Delta to go there and that’s an issue that we are trying to address.
At this time I do not have an overall plan here with me on what we’re going to do with the people that are going from their homes or from senior citizens homes into long-term care.
At the moment we have an average or approximately 300 elders over the age of 60. I think within the next four years here we need to establish a facility either in Aklavik or Fort McPherson, which are the larger communities, to accommodate those elders who need long-term care.
As everyone in the House is aware, infrastructure money is short with the government at this time. We are doing health infrastructure. We are continuing to forge ahead with health infrastructure. We’re looking in areas where there is a need, an immediate need for long-term care. We’re looking right across the territory in all of the regions. Hopefully we’re building in the region where they’re looking, as an example, in the Sahtu to build a long-term facility. We’ll offload some of the pressure in Inuvik. We’re hoping that if that happens, there will be room for other people in Inuvik, and we’ll also be looking right at the Beaufort-Delta for the needs that are there as well.
I look forward to working with the Minister of Health within the next couple of years here to find a solution to the problem.
Thank you. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
