Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their words. Clearly, respite services are important to the Members of this House. We need to continue to provide respite. I agree with the Minister; there are huge financial challenges, but we are talking about a couple of hours a week for these families. What is the cost of a program like this when you factor in what it is costing for somebody like Yellowknife Association for Community Living to deliver those two or three hours as opposed to having the families work with other institutions like our hospitals, where I guarantee you those same hours are going to cost this system significantly more.
I am a little concerned by the reference to an exit strategy. We have an organization that has proven time and time again how to run a respite program for persons with intellectual challenges, for children and families.
In my opening or my Member’s statement earlier today, I talked about the families a little bit. I talked about their desire for respite. They are not asking this government for help because they are incapable of caring for their children. They are capable. They are asking for some support to help them for short periods of time. This time will allow them to recharge so that they can care for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the current Minister asked the Minister-of-the-day to maintain the respite program delivered by the Yellowknife Association for Community Living and to expanding to communities outside of Yellowknife. That, Mr. Speaker, is what we are asking the Minister today to do. Keep YACL programs alive and expand respite to all the communities in the Northwest Territories. It is the right thing. The Minister already said she supports respite. Let’s do the right thing, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to request a recorded vote on this motion.
Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Bromley.
All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty; Ms. Lee; Mr. Miltenberger; Mr. Roland; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Results of the motion: in favour, 11; opposed, 0; abstaining, 6. The motion is carried.
---Carried
---Applause
The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.
---Unanimous consent granted
