Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement on the lack of social workers in Fort Liard with the Minister of Health and Social Services. Currently, like I had indicated, they have been short staffed all summer. It’s really impacting the health and wellness of the community. When can the people of Fort Liard expect to see another social worker at work in the community of Fort Liard?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that information on when the vacancy… I suppose there is a vacancy in Fort Liard, but I am prepared to look at filling that vacancy as quickly as possible.
I look forward to that information. The point is that it’s a critical need and I’m hoping that the Minister can urge working with the Human Resources department to ensure that position is being filled and that the gap that’s there now has coverage.
On another line of questioning with regard to early childhood education, what kind of work is the Department of Health and Social Services doing right now to improve childhood programs in Fort Liard?
I thought I heard Food Challenge Program but I’m not familiar with that. I thought we were talking about Healthy Families. I’m lost. I didn’t hear if he said food challenge.
I’ll ask Mr. Menicoche to reaffirm his question.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be happy to restate that question. What kind of work are the departments of Health and Social Services and Education doing to improve early childhood programs in Fort Liard?
As the House knows, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Services is working on early childhood development. Our role there is working on expanding the Healthy Family Program across the Northwest Territories, including expansion in the Deh Cho.
Can the Minister inform me when the Healthy Family Program will be brought to Fort Liard? What is the scheduling date for that program?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Just to remind the Members to stay on topic. You changed the topic from social workers to programming. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is that the program in the Deh Cho is rolling out now. We have expanded the program in 2013 to include a base in Fort Simpson and having satellite operations of the Healthy Family Program in Fort Liard and Fort Providence.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for keeping us on track. With that, I’d just like to ask the Minister when we can see results of that in the community of Fort Liard.
I can have the department check into the status of the program specifically in Fort Liard and report that back to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
