Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, approximately six months ago Yellowknife MLAs met with the Minister of Health and Social Services to ask him about how he was going to establish a new adult day program for seniors in Yellowknife. He outlined a range of options, and we haven't heard from him since. Could he please provide the House with an update? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to those meetings, staff from the department did reach out to a number of stakeholders in Yellowknife. There was a meeting. They had an opportunity to share what different organizations are doing within the community. I had an opportunity to speak, myself, to the mayor and talk about the concept of supporting Yellowknife to become a seniors-friendly community. I think there is a lot of room that we can do there.
There is another meeting scheduled for February 21st to see where we can go based on what we have heard and what we have been able to compile. Like the Members, I am getting a little frustrated on the timeline here. I feel like it is taking too long. There are competing demands, but I have told the department that I hope to see some concrete results out of that February 21st meeting. Otherwise, we will go to a different plan, as we discussed with the Members. I think it was the honourable Member for Frame Lake who suggested that, if we can't find an option, we just need to do it in-house. We all agreed that wasn't the best solution, but if we don't get some solid results out of the 21st, it may well turn out to be the solution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for that. I want to note that contacting with community organizations seems to be off the table, no results to the RFP partnership model. We have capacity issues in the non-profits, so that seems to be off the table. At what point is the Minister prepared to go to the next option, which is operating it in-house? I mean, we have been waiting two-and-a-half years. At what point does this issue achieve priority that there is, in fact, a solution proposed that doesn't only involve meeting?
When we went with the Yellowknife MLAs, we explored a number of options, and we pretty much, I think, came to the conclusion that going out for an RFP was off the table, but it was suggested that we reach out to a number of different groups and figure out if there is an opportunity to partner together, building on the strengths that exist in a number of the NGOs, the municipality, and the government so that we could partner on a solution.
I would have more comfort in that answer if the Minister would make a commitment to offer it in-house within a specified time frame. I think we have waited long enough.
I am hoping to get some concrete direction on the 21st from our partners working together in a collaborative way. If that does not happen, I am prepared to bring it in-house.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to tell us whether there is money to offer the program in-house in the next budget, the one for the next fiscal year, or whether he is prepared to obtain funding through a supplementary appropriation? Mahsi.
I don't think this is a surprise to the Member. We had money to go out for an RFP to deliver this service. We still have those dollars available for us. We will use those dollars to deliver a program in-house. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
