Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have over 120 elders over the age of 70 in my constituency, all the way up to 98 years of age. Mr. Speaker, most of these elders have lived independently all their lives. They own their own homes. They’ve worked hard all their lives. Now, Mr. Speaker, they depend on a fixed income, which is their pensions.
Mr. Speaker, so many times as an MLA we get calls from the elders in our communities about the challenges they face trying to access government programs and services, and especially when realizing that they have a fixed income, being told to fill out tons of paperwork, account for the people who spent the weekend in your homes, and more importantly, asking for your pension statement annually.
Mr. Speaker, I think the frustration that these individuals feel, and ourselves as MLAs, is having programs and services there to assist elders retain that independent lifestyle, remain in their homes and not to have the worry if I am going to have enough fuel in my fuel tank this month or will I run out, what are my options or alternatives.
The same thing in regards to the different programs and services through the Housing Corporation in regards to the seniors emergency repair programs. Mr. Speaker, a lot of these seniors don’t have mechanical skills or even the physical skills to deal with the restraints of upgrading their furnaces, doing the fundamental maintenance that you require to basically maintain your home. Again, Mr. Speaker, I think it is upon us as legislators and government departments that we do everything we can to take down those restraints and the burden that a lot of the elders face, the emotional, physical, and more importantly, the stress we put them under simply to apply for a government program.
I think ourselves, as government, have to get rid of the red tape. We have to deregulate the programs. They are accessible. They are achieving results and they are helping the people they are supposed to serve, especially our elders who basically have worked all of their lives for an independent lifestyle to show the rest of us that if you work hard, you achieve a healthy lifestyle and you can be independent. You don’t have to end up in a home, but you basically will be supported during the remaining days of your lives in comfort without having the stress and strains of applying for a simple program from the Government of the Northwest Territories.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Premier some questions on this matter later. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
