Debates of October 27, 2004 (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it’s further to my Member’s statement. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is very clear that the YACCS, which stands for Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, have done all the work. They have the vision in place, they have plans in place, they have a plan for the Aven Manor, they have a plan for Aven seniors’ independent courts and their plan is like a domino or puzzle. One has to work in order for the rest of the pieces to fit, and they have a long-term plan to have seniors’ housing in the form of condominiums in the land that they have available in the same area of the manor and the courts. But their plan includes a dementia facility so that the people who need to go in there can do that, and so they can move on to the condominium idea. Mr. Speaker, I know that the Minister is well aware of this proposal, and last we heard from him he had provided a deposit or down payment or initial money for them to look into this. Now they have submitted a full proposal and I would like to know where the Minister stands on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I met a number of months ago now with YACCS and I met with the Social Programs committee on this issue. I believe that I have also written to the Yellowknife MLAs who are supporting this project. Basically what is currently happening is we are in the process of completing a report that’s due in November. It’s going to look at facility usage across the Northwest Territories in terms of acute care beds and long-term care beds and the issue of dementia and how it impacts not only Yellowknife, but Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Smith and Simpson, all the places that have facilities. As I indicated to the executive of YACCS, the Yellowknife proposal that has been done is going to be part of those deliberations. That will be part of the report that I will be bringing back to Cabinet and to the Social Programs committee that will lay out how we are going to reprofile some of the resources as they relate to a surplus of acute care beds, as well as how we are proposing to move ahead to deal with the issue of dementia and dealing with the cognitively impaired across the Northwest Territories, including Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This has been in the books for a very long time and I guess if the study is going to be done at the end of November, we have to wait for this. But I’m concerned that the Minister has not indicated enough commitment to seeing the results of the study being implemented. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister is well aware that YACCS is not looking for capital funding, it’s not looking for a handout, it’s only looking for the commitment from the government to pay for the operating costs that the government would otherwise have to do anyway. So would the Minister, if there is a need found in this study, commit to providing operating funds to YACCS? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to point out that the government has been very committed to working with YACCS. The Department of Health and Social Services has given them money to do their studies. As a government we’ve turned over land worth $1.6 million to them to assist in their planning, and at this point it’s part of the mix when it comes to the final report that’s going to be coming out in November. There is a lot of money at stake that’s being requested. The YACCS facility is a multi-million dollar proposal with the territorial government being the sole funding agency that would pay the capital costs through the O and M budget, basically paying the lease costs or the mortgage costs through monthly payments. So the reality is we are going to be the sole funding agent. There is money on the table. We also have to factor in other needs in Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Fort Simpson as well as Yellowknife, and we have to come up with a plan that’s comprehensive for all territorial residents and we will come forward with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister is only partially correct. He is correct and I give him credit and I give the government credit in saying that the YK Health and Department of Health and Social Services has given extra money to Aven Manor so that they could take care of seniors with dementia, which I would argue is their job, but thank you very much for giving that money.

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Mr. Speaker, I would also say that YACCS is not looking for capital funding. YACCS is proposing that they will go out to the private market to borrow the money to build this facility, as long as the government commits to giving them money to take care of these seniors. I think that’s a different thing, Mr. Speaker. These seniors with dementia are in private homes…

What is your question, Ms. Lee?

Supplementary To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know if he could give support in principle that if the need is found in this study, that he would look positively at giving operational funding that he would have to spend as the Minister of Health anyway for seniors. Thank you.

Hear! Hear!

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reality is at the end of the day that the territorial government will be the sole funding agent for any development that goes on with dementia units, including the Yellowknife one. The reality is what they are looking at is a different variation, but the fundamental dollar requests come to the department, come to the government, and we are going to guarantee and through the O and M costs pay the mortgage costs for whatever construction takes place. So the reality is we’re going to work with YACCS. It’s going to be in the plan, but when the YACCS borrow the money what we are doing is guaranteeing repayment and we’re going to give them the repayments through the O and M. So it’s clear.

We may not call it capital, but it’s being funded through the territorial government and I have to make a case to my colleagues and this Legislature that that project, along with many others, deserves to be given consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final and third supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must say I don’t really like the general approach of all the Ministers. For some reason doing something for Yellowknife takes away from doing things for other communities, and I don’t accept that. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the government has already set a precedent. We’re building a bridge, the government is funding it, but there are other people who are benefiting from it and the government is bridging with a private partner. Why can we not do that for seniors?

I think that’s a question, Ms. Lee. I’ll let the Minister answer that.

Further Return To Question 319-15(3): YACCS Proposal For Facility Use

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the bridge it is my understanding it is a P3 project that’s going to generate revenue through tolls. With this facility we are talking about building a facility that’s going to address a very specific need. It’s not a revenue-generating item. It’s one of providing a needed service not only in Yellowknife, but across the Northwest Territories. I’d like to remind the Member that, yes, she speaks as a Member for Yellowknife, but we are a government for all people of the Northwest Territories and it’s an issue that is a problem across the Northwest Territories and we have to have a territorial plan. Thank you.