Delivered on September 20, 2017

Mr. Speaker, the priorities of the 18^th Legislative Assembly include a commitment to take action so that Seniors can age in place.  Our government’s mandate builds on this priority by committing the Department of Health and Social Services to complete a projection of programming needs; develop updated capital plans to address the need for long-term care beds, and to develop a regulatory framework and financing options that will allow us to meet the growing demand for long-term care in the Northwest Territories.

YELLOWKNIFE (September 12, 2017) – The Minister of Health and Social Services, Glen Abernethy, announced that the government has signed a lease for a long-term location of the Yellowknife Day Shelter and Yellowknife Sobering Centre. The building is located at 5111 50^th Street.

Finding a location for the Yellowknife Sobering Centre which can also support the Day Shelter program has been a priority of the Government of Northwest Territories. The new location was chosen after assessing 22 potential sites in order to find a suitable location.

FORT SMITH (September 11, 2017) – A community-based mobile addictions pilot program is being delivered in Fort Smith that is responding to a need identified by elders and community members for culturally-safe addictions programming. The program is made possible by a collaboration between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Salt River First Nation (SFRN) and Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centres, which is a facility of excellence with a long standing history of supporting NWT residents in their healing.

YELLOWKNIFE (September 5, 2017) – Premier Bob McLeod today announced the appointment of Bruce Cooper as the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services (HSS) for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).

Mr. Cooper comes to the GNWT from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (GNL) with over a decade of experience as an executive in the public service, including five years as Deputy Minister of Health and Community Services. He is currently Deputy Minister of the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development for the GNL.

Yellowknife (August 4, 2017) - Minister Abernethy issued the following statement on arsenic signage in the Yellowknife Area:

“Protecting the health and safety of Northerners is a priority for me and I am committed to making sure that everybody who lives in or visits Yellowknife has the information they need to confidently and safely enjoy the many outdoor recreational activities available here. 

YELLOWKNIFE (July 28, 2017) – The GNWT has introduced two important changes to the Vital Statistics Act that promote inclusion and respect:  the ability to use single names based on traditional culture, and changing the sex designation on a birth certificate to better reflect gender identity.

Single traditional name as legal name

NWT residents can now use single traditional names as their legal name, as long as it is based on their traditional culture.

Government of Canada and the Northwest Territories Announce Significant Investments to Improve Health Care for Patients in the Northwest Territories

Minister Philpott visits Yellowknife to announce health funding and meet with researchers.

July 19, 2017 – Yellowknife, Northwest Territories – Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Canadians benefit from a health care system that is responsive to their unique health needs, which is why investments in research targeted to advance patient care is essential.

YELLOWKNIFE, July 17, 2017 – The new Sobering Centre program recently announced by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Glen Abernethy, began operating as scheduled on Monday, July 17, 2017.

A collaborative effort by the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA), the City of Yellowknife and the Department of Health and Social Services led to an agreement to temporarily host the program in the Yellowknife Community Arena until a longer term location is found.

YELLOWKNIFE (July 14, 2017) – Glen Abernethy, Minister of Health and Social Services, announced the 14 schools chosen as winners of the 2016-17 Drop the Pop campaign.

YELLOWKNIFE (July 11, 2017) – NWT residents are being asked to provide their views on how the Northwest Territories will safely regulate cannabis and to comment on proposed principles to guide how the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) addresses cannabis legalization.  Residents can provide their views through a new website launched by the GNWT this week.