Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, my questions are for the health minister, and since I got in the House, you know, the fluctuations of the amount of beds that were going to my community went from 48 to this final number now is 20. So I'm just wondering the first question I have for the Minister, why is this fluctuation continuously changing? Thank you
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we created bed projections based on historic occupancy of the longterm care and projections of the population going forward. We had reason to revisit that in 2020, and we learned that in fact there weren't as many beds required all across the NWT as we previously thought. And so at that time the bed projections were revised, and 20 is the number, as my colleague said, for Inuvik. Thank you
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I know there's we have had a pilot program that the government has had since I think it was announced February 2020 on the Paid Caregiver Pilot Program, and I know that it was only in so many communities. So I'm just wondering now that this two year has passed, is this program continuing, or is it still going? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Paid Family Caregiver Program was indeed a pilot project. It has been evaluated and found to be worthwhile in the communities where it's operating, which is I don't remember off the top of my head exactly but it was about half a dozen communities and 30 clients. There is money for this fiscal year. There is money for next fiscal year. And we're looking to continue the program indefinitely. Thank you
All right, thank you. The reason I'm asking is, you know, I've had other people have contacted me in regards to this program, because it was a pilot, and they contacted it that it was not it was being reviewed. So I'm just clarifying that if it is continuing, that's great. Can the Minister advise if this program will be in all the communities now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have enough money to continue running the program at the scale it's at now. In order to have a larger program, we would need a greater investment from the federal government who pays for a portion of home and community care and has been paying for this program. Thank you
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my past career, I know that this was something that the Indigenous governments did talk about and so I'm just wondering, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister has been discussing this possibly with Indigenous governments and then they can access more federal dollars together, and maybe the Indigenous governments could run this program for their seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these programs are community run at this point so it is possible to have Indigenous governments or Indigenous government organizations provide these programs in the communities as well as municipal entities and nonprofits. So we would certainly welcome that. At this point, there hasn't been a wholesale transfer only to one kind of entity such as an Indigenous government. Thank you
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
