Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my statement I presented my perception of the Foundation for Change strategic document that the department is currently using. So my first question to the Minister today is to ask whether or not she can confirm that I’ve understood it correctly and can she define for me and for the people listening the purpose of the Foundation for Change? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Foundation for Change is a pretty straightforward, clearly written document about what the department is proposing to realign the way we deliver our services and what we are focusing on. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that over the three and a half years I’ve been here working with MLA Bisaro, she has an insatiable appetite for details. So instead of making a broad statement about lack of information, if the Member could tell me exactly what detail she is looking for, I’d be more than happy to provide her with the details she needs. Thank you.
To the Minister, I like to think that my insatiable appetite for detail enables me to do my job properly.
As to the detail that the Minister is asking that I want, I think I explained in my statement that the Foundation for Change document, to me, has objectives and it has no detail on how those objectives will be achieved. About a month ago, Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Social Programs met with the Minister to discuss the document. We asked for that kind of detail, we asked for the actions, we asked for an evaluation plan to flesh out the Foundation for Change document. Unless those things came today, Mr. Speaker, I haven’t seen them, the committee hasn’t got it. So I’d like to ask the Minister when Members can expect to receive the Foundation for Change update information that was promised to us a month ago. Thank you.
I don’t believe that was a month ago. I think it was January 14th or 19th. We are working on the details the Member asked for and it’s in my office, it’s about 50 pages long. I’d be happy to get the document to the Member as soon as possible. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister for that commitment. I hope that we will see it sooner rather than later. If it’s in her office, I guess that means sooner.
To the Minister: if this is a strategic document and it guides the department, I would think that it should be reactive to new info and it should be a living and breathing document. So I’d like to ask the Minister what actions identified under the Foundation for Change document, the actions which presumably are on her desk, deal with recommendations from the Child and Family Services Act review report?
The three pillars of Foundation for Change are wellness, accessibility and sustainability. There is a section in Foundation for Change about working to support children, to enhance services for children, and as I said in my Minister’s statement on Friday, we support the direction and the general spirit and intent of the standing committee report on the review because it’s very much in line with what our department’s goals are under Foundation for Change. I see no gaps there and it’s very much in line. We are, I believe, moving in the same direction.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have to take from the Minister’s answer that there are no specific recommendations from the Child and Family Services Act review which are dealt with in the Foundation for Change. I asked about actions. I didn’t ask about intent and I didn’t ask about direction.
My last question to the Minister is: I would like to know whether the Foundation for Change document has been re-evaluated and/or updated in light of the Child and Family Services Act report. Does it reflect the recommendations in the report, and, if not, will it be updated?
The Foundation for Change is an action plan that requires direction and intent and spirit. I say again, Children and Family Services Act review of the standing committee we agree with the recommendations. We support the recommendations. We have agreed to implement 61 out of 73 recommendations. The 10 that we’re not able to, the exact way that the committee has recommended, we say in our reply how we are going to go about them.
As I said, I realize it’s not the answer that the Member is looking for, but we see nothing in the recommendations from the report that’s not in line with what the department wants to do and what the Foundation for Change action plan has to say. I believe in that way we are in harmony about what we need to do for the benefit of the children and families in the Territories.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
