Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have to realize that one of the most important populations that we have is our elderly population in regards to the years that they have served the Northwest Territories, but more importantly, the knowledge, the culture and the ability to show us how to basically respect not only one another but show us the way of how life should really be lived. Mr. Speaker, we have to realize that is a special component of our population, ensuring that we are also able to support them in living out their remaining days with dignity, respect, and more importantly, that giving them the dependency that they require by way of services and programs and meet the needs of the elderly and aging population in the Northwest Territories, including the personal care and use of handicapped accessories and making sure that the elders that basically require the assistance and physical and mental disabilities that may occur as they age is there to give them the supports they require.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of our elders still stay at home but, again, they still require the supports and not only the dependency but also ensuring the dignity and the ability to be independent is there and there are also programs to take care of those individuals, but more importantly, the individuals who require respite care regardless of their ailments in regards to their disabilities also have to be taken into consideration regardless if it is a disability or an aging format regardless if it’s a physical or mental disability. Again, we have to ensure the essential programs and services are there to meet all our elders’ needs regardless of where they live and making sure we keep them active, keep them involved in community activities, and more importantly, ensure that their physical well-being is taken care of, if that means Meals on Wheels or giving them a ride to the community base, a music festival.
Again, Mr. Speaker, it is a society that can show how they treat the most vulnerable in our society. It shows what type of governments we are able to provide to the rest of the Northwest Territories, but more importantly, to show the Canadian citizens that we really do have respect for our elders by way of programs and services.
So, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services questions on this matter. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
