Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I spoke about seniors and elders. Today my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question: what are the next steps for the department with respect to the continuing care facility legislative initiative? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is currently a legislative gap for residential community care services in the Northwest Territories. That includes long-term care facilities that are run by not-for-profit organizations, supported living facilities, as well as group homes. It is more than just long-term care facilities that we are talking about now. The "What We Heard" document is what we heard from a wide range of stakeholders throughout the Northwest Territories.
The next step is to develop an LP. These are the dying days of this Legislative Assembly, so I have asked the department to put together materials that could be shared with the new Minister, so that he or she can work with committees to finalize and put forward an LP that will meet the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories.
It is not going to be super straightforward, Mr. Speaker, as you can see in the "what we heard" document. There are a lot of varied opinions on how we need to move forward on this, and those will be discussions and debates that will need to be had in the next Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Minister advise us if there is a timeline in mind for when this legislation might be coming forward?
No. At the end of the day, it's going to be the next Assembly that makes the decisions as to whether they even want to move forward with an LP on this initiative. I personally believe that it needs to be done. I think that it is necessary and incredibly important, because we do have a legislative gap. As I have said, I have asked the department to put together the materials so that the new Minister, regardless of who he or she is, can make some informed decisions and work with committee, who can also receive this information during their technical briefings in the life of the new Assembly, so that they can make informed decisions, and hopefully, they will see this as a priority.
I agree with the Minister. I think that it should be a priority for the 19th, but we will have to wait and see who is here in the 19th Assembly. Looking at the "what we heard" report, I didn't see any specific proposal to create advocate positions, but I have heard this idea talked before, even before I was an MLA. It is good to have the legislation, but we need to be forward-thinking about putting these positions out there. Is this part of the discussion moving forward?
Prior to the last election, the Seniors' Society did put out some information on the creation offer a seniors' advocate. The continuing care action plan or the "what we heard" document is more than just seniors, as I have indicated. It's special care homes; it's all these situations where somebody might have to live within an institution. There is no reference to an advocate in there, but once again, that is something that the next Assembly will have to discuss as they are reviewing the LP and trying to figure out how to move this initiative forward.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the Minister for his answers. I have heard this from the Minister; he's already going to put something together for the new Minister coming forward. Would he try to encourage the department to reach out to the new Members of the 19th Assembly to get their input on this initiative before finalizing an LP, just to see what also might be out there? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have gone one step further than that. I have actually asked them to include it in transition materials coming from this department to the committees and to all new elected Members so that they can make an informed decision. As far as the LP, we have a process and protocols on how LPs work. It will come from a Minister, and it will go to committee, who have an opportunity to suggest amendments, changes, or reject or accept. There will be definite interaction moving this LP forward, as any. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
