Oral Questions, Health and Social Services — 1 March 2022 (19th Assembly, 2nd Session, pp. 3603–3664)
2022-03-01, 19th Assembly 2nd Session, pp. 3603–3664
Northwest Territories — Debates (Hansard)
Debates of March 1st, 2022
This is page numbers 3603 - 3664 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.
The word of the day was know .
Topics
Oral Questions
Members Present
Prayer
Yellowknife Airport
Update on Health Human Resources
Tourism Supports Across the Northwest Territories
Lifting of Pandemic Restrictions
Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Lack of After-Care Facilities and Transitional Housing in the Northwest Territories
Opening of the Snow Castle in Yellowknife
Mactung and Cantung Contaiminated Sites
Accountability and the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement
Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Supports for People Parenting with FASD
Use of Biomass Energy in the Northwest Territories
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
People Parenting with FASD
Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Three-year Energy Plan
Prohibition Creek Access Road
Tabled Document 578-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2021-2022
Tabled Document 579-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2021-2022
Tabled Document 580-19(2): Northwest Territories Tourism - Welcoming Visitors - 2022-2023 Marketing Plan
Tabled Document 581-19(2):
Article from The Daily dated February 16, 2022 - “Black and Indigenous people's confidence in police and experiences of discrimination in their daily lives”
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Infrastructure - Deferral of Department
Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Orders Of The Day
Members Present
Hon. Diane Archie , Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge , Hon. Paulie Chinna , Ms. Cleveland , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Mr. Edjericon , Hon. Julie Green , Mr. Johnson , Ms. Martselos , Ms. Nokleby , Mr. O'Reilly , Ms. Semmler , Hon. R.J. Simpson , Mr. Rocky Simpson , Hon. Shane Thompson , Hon. Caroline Wawzonek . Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
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---Prayer
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Prayer
Prayer
Page 3603
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Good afternoon, colleagues. I am pleased to announce that we are now able to reopen the legislative building to the public.
Effective today, we have reopened for tours, event bookings and, most importantly, the public gallery. As a place of the people, we look forward to welcoming back our residents and opening our services to the public. Try not to get too shy today.
Thank you, colleagues. Ministers' statements. Minister for Infrastructure .
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Minister's Statement 213-19(2): Yellowknife Airport
Ministers' Statements
Page 3603
Diane Archie
Inuvik Boot Lake
Quanani. I would like to update Members and the public on some of the activities occurring at the Yellowknife Airport, or YZF. The airport has had an eventful year that included lucrative cold weather testing partnerships, responding to the challenges from COVID-19-related events and work to advance important infrastructure improvements.
Quanani, cold weather testing at YZF continues to generate economic growth in the Northwest Territories. After successfully hosting Bell Helicopters in 2019, we followed up by welcoming the Korean Aerospace Industries from December 2021 to February 2022. This partnership supported cold weather testing for their weaponless light-armed helicopter, with a total of 40 pilots, engineers and support staff travelling to Yellowknife. Over $2 million was injected into the northern economy through spending on local hotels, car rentals, office spaces, and other local businesses. All travellers were required to comply with Northwest Territories health order.
Det'on Cho Logistics, the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation secured a contract with the Korean Aerospace and provided logistical support and gained valuable experience that will translate into future cold weather testing support opportunities.
As we now recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellowknife is in the unique position to provide both the ideal climate and the necessary amenities to support cold weather testing. Our government continues to seek partnership with international aviation leaders who are in need of suitable testing locations.
Mr. Speaker, It is no secret that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on airport traffic. At the lowest, we saw 91 percent decrease from previous pandemic numbers in passenger movements through YZF. There are signs of recovery in the travel sector which, when compared to 2020, saw nine straight months of increased in passenger traffic from the past April to December.
As passenger movement increased, airport staff and management worked to support the monitoring of passengers and the implementation of federal travel requirements that is related to COVID-19. As COVID protocols evolve, the airport will update and change procedures as required for staff and passengers. I am optimistic that with the opening of the borders to leisure travel on March 1st, today, we will see a marked increase in the number of travelers coming here to the North.
Mr. Speaker, YZF continues to improve and modernize its infrastructure. Upgrades to the runway airfield lighting were completed in October 2021. This included replacement of all cabling, lighting, airport signage, and improved approach lighting. These improvements provide increased reliability and safety for its users. Work scheduled for 2022 also includes rehabilitating the airfield drainage and replacing the public parking access control and management system.
Finally, the airport consolidated master plan is in the final stages of development and scheduled for completion by the end of this month. The re-instatement of the Economic Advisory Committee is also underway. The committee members will be confirmed within this next month. And this month, the work is vital to support the continued improvements of YZF infrastructure in the years to come.
The GNWT and the YZF will continue to work with private and public stakeholders to secure new investments and federal funding to expand our local economy while also improving our infrastructure. Quanani.
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Minister's Statement 213-19(2): Yellowknife Airport
Ministers' Statements
Page 3603
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services .
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Minister's Statement 214-19(2): Update on Health Human Resources
Ministers' Statements
Page 3603
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to update to talk about steps being taken to address the recruitment and retention of Health and Social Services staff in the Northwest Territories. Members will remember we created a mandate priority to increase the number of resident healthcare professionals by at least 20 percent during this 19th Assembly.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for Health and Social Services workers across Canada and within the Northwest Territories.
Staff in the Department of Health and Social Services and the health and social services authorities have been working hard to respond to the challenge of recruiting healthcare professionals and to retain them at health facilities across the NWT. We have talked with frontline staff and the Union of Northern Workers, as well as reviewing efforts undertaken in other jurisdictions. We want to be competitive within Canada and a destination of choice for healthcare professionals.
Mr. Speaker, to guide this work over the next three years, we are finalizing the 2021-2024 Health and Social Services Human Resource Plan which will be released in April. Looking ahead, several of the plan's initiatives are specifically designed to attract Indigenous and northern residents to careers in health and social services. Many of these initiatives will go live over the next few months, including a transition program to support new graduates moving into permanent positions within the health and social services system. We will also be launching a bursary program for Indigenous and northern students who choose to pursue an education in health and social services.
Mr. Speaker, we are also developing job shadowing and observer guidelines, along with an updated NWT Health and Social Services career guide. These tools are designed to inspire students and youth to consider a career in health and social services. These new initiatives will complement outreach programs, such as Take Your Kids to Work events and promotional activities through PracticeNWT.
In the meantime, we are aware of concerns about staff morale within the healthcare system and work is underway to address them. We understand that staff are a most valuable asset. Ensuring they feel engaged, valued, and supported to build a career within the NWT Health and Social Services system is critical to us being able to provide sustainable services to residents.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware that the NWT is the only jurisdiction in Canada without a registered nurse recruitment bonus. There was a time when registered nurse salaries in the NWT were significantly higher than in most other Canadian jurisdictions, and this helped to attract staff. However, we are watching that gap narrow.
The Financial Management Board recently approved a Labour Market Supplement Policy to enhance our ability to recruit and retain positions identified as difficult to fill because of national shortages of skilled staff. The Department of Health and Social Services recently requested this policy provide a wage supplement for frontline registered nurse positions and medical laboratory technologists across the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, our intention was to provide recognition of existing staff within the system and to demonstrate the value of their continued retention, while also encouraging new staff to work for us.
According to the collective agreement, to apply the Labour Market Supplement Policy the GNWT must first consult with the UNW on the terms being considered and unfortunately the approach proposed was not agreed to. While I am disappointed, I want the public and healthcare workers to know that we will continue to engage with the UNW on other ways to support the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals.
Mr. Speaker, we are turning our attention to other efforts to address staff concerns. As part of an employee engagement survey, we are trying to understand why staff are leaving or changing positions within the organization. Exit interviews and staff movement surveys are being conducted with all staff who have left the organization and with those who have transferred to pursue another opportunity within the system. Using the data received from these survey results, we have drafted an action plan to address immediate issues and concerns.
In addition, the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut is now conducting a survey of all nurses to better understand their concerns and solicit ideas for possible solutions to staffing issues. A report will be submitted to the department and recommendations to address concerns related to retention and recruitment will be provided to the health authorities.
In line with this work, retention strategies that address staffing shortages have been prioritized, particularly within the obstetrics unit at Stanton Territorial Hospital. The NTHSSA will be launching the specialized nursing transition program that will help RNs to expand their scope of practice into areas of specialized nursing, with a focus on orientation, mentorship, competency development, and financial support to obtain their certificate in obstetrics nursing. The long-term strategy for this initiative will be to expand the program to all areas of specialized nursing.
Mr. Speaker, supporting and developing the health and social services workforce will help to ensure that residents of the Northwest Territories have access to top quality services and receive the best possible care.
In closing, I would like to thank the staff of the NWT Health and Social Services system. I, along with the entire health and social services leadership team, remain committed to making improvements that will lead to a better future for staff, clients, and residents throughout the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Minister's Statement 214-19(2): Update on Health Human Resources
Ministers' Statements
Page 3604
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment .
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Minister's Statement 215-19(2): Tourism Supports Across the Northwest Territories
Ministers' Statements
Page 3604
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Mr. Speaker, today is the day that the Northwest Territories tourism sector has been anticipating for nearly two years. I am happy to finally say that as of today, the Northwest Territories is welcoming back friends and visitors from near and far.
We all know that the Northwest Territories is a growing destination of choice for travelers from across Canada and around the world. In fact, in the year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the territory had a record 120,000 visitors, contributing more than $210 million to its economy.
Mr. Speaker, the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have been unprecedented, but so has the support provided by this government to ensure that this pandemic will not overpower our tourism industry. $3 million was invested in tourism initiatives across the territory under the Growth and Recovery by Investing in Tourism Fund. Additionally, two key support programs were introduced to help Northwest Territories businesses cover their costs, maintain staff and keep infrastructure and investments intact:
The Pandemic Relief Extension Program for tourism operators; and,.
The Supplement for Tourism Accommodation Relief Program for accommodation providers.
We have waived tourism insurance requirements and licensing fees. Further, we partnered with organizations including Northwest Territories Tourism Association and the Chambers of Commerce to encourage Northwest Territories residents to shop local and enjoy staycations within the territory. We also worked with NWT Tourism and the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer on the requests of qualified lodge owners to operate in the summer 2021 under special conditions. As well, we invested heavily in making our parks COVID-19 friendly for the extraordinary local use that we experienced from Northwest Territories residents and their families.
In total, we have injected more than $17 million into the tourism and parks sector since March 2020, and we continue to support local suppliers, contractors, and employees as we improve our tourism product for the future.
As we prepare to celebrate the much-anticipated return of leisure travelers to our territory, our government will maintain its long-standing commitment to tourism.
We recently closed applications for the second intake of our Tourism Restart Investment Program, with funding of $2 million, which will aid tourism operators in ramping up their workforce skill development and marketing to Canadian travelers.
In addition to supporting tourism operators and tourism-related businesses, the GNWT is also supporting Northwest Territories residents with the development of a Resident Readiness Strategy. This strategy includes actions to help the Northwest Territories residents welcome visitors and act as ambassadors in sharing their cultures and their way of life with people from around the world.
Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, the Tourism 2025 Strategy is in place and charts a path for the industry going forward.
Before the pandemic, we had committed to work with Indigenous and community governments to increase tourism and develop local tourism capacity and infrastructure. This remains a primary action of the Tourism 2025.
Mr. Speaker, behind our territories' world-renowned tourism product exists a community of dedicated and resilient individuals, many of whom have made it their lifework and passion to present and represent our land and its people to the world. One of these critical partners is Northwest Territories Tourism, who has tirelessly advocated and represented their membership throughout the past two years. They have carefully and consistently continued to strategically market the Northwest Territories both domestically and internationally, positioning the territory as a spectacular destination.
Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the Northwest Territories Tourism 2022-2023 Marketing Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Minister's Statement 215-19(2): Tourism Supports Across the Northwest Territories
Ministers' Statements
Page 3604
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave .
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Member's Statement 963-19(2): Lifting of Pandemic Restrictions
Members' Statements
Page 3604
Katrina Nokleby
Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. March 1st, Mr. Speaker - I don't think there's been a date in this territory that so many people have looked forward to, except perhaps the day the KFC reopened last year.
Today we see the easing of restrictions and the end of the dreaded "mandates" or "proof of vaccines". Whatever you may choose to call them, the semantics game is over. Today is the day that so many NWTers have been anticipating for almost two years; the day where we no longer need to know how far six feet is or ask probing questions about our friends' vaccination status or who they've been spending time with. I know I'm not the only one who wants to sing with joy and dance in the streets. It's almost hard to believe this day has finally come.
However, Mr. Speaker, as we welcome this day, like we do the sun after it returns each cold winter, I must admit I still feel some anxiety.
After years of the onslaught of conflicting and changing information, I'm not quite sure what my risk is anymore. I'm immunocompromised, do I still have to be extra cautious in avoiding people? If I do get sick, will I be okay since I hear omicron is supposed to be less fatal? What's going to happen if I require hospitalization; has our healthcare system recovered enough to properly take care of me?
Mr. Speaker these are just the worries I have around my health. In addition to medical concerns, I now worry about socializing again. It's been ages since I've made small talk in person and I've been operating in a COVID fog for so long will I even be able to speak properly without putting my foot in my mouth? Will people continue to respect my personal space and boundaries as I remain concerned about risk, or will I have to ask people to back off, causing me further feelings of awkwardness and social embarrassment?
Mr. Speaker, I've spoken a lot about the mental health toll I've seen COVID taking on our people. But we can't discount that this "reopening" brings with it a whole new set of concerns and issues, particularly for the vulnerable. People with chronic health conditions and seniors have expressed to me a lot of apprehension about what March 1st means for them And, admittedly I don't have the answers.
So, I urge my colleagues, and all the residents of our territory, to remember that while they may be excited to return to a life like that before COVID, for many it brings a whole new set of concerns and anxieties to deal with. So be kind, be respectful, and hopefully, Mr. Speaker, this is the beginning of a brighter time for our people. We all know they could use it. Thank you.
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Member's Statement 963-19(2): Lifting of Pandemic Restrictions
Members' Statements
Page 3604
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .
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Member's Statement 964-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Members' Statements
Page 3604
Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks the GNWT launched its remote work policy. This policy sets out the rules and conditions for GNWT employees to work away from job sites potentially in a different community or even outside the territory. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that there is a clear need for a remote work policy. Over the past two years, many employees were forced to work from home. Some of these employees found that they prefer the flexibility of working remotely while still being able to do their jobs well.
And if it's implemented properly, the policy holds possibility to make jobs at headquarters available to residents in the smaller communities without having to leave home. But I am concerned with that in practice the opposite will happen. Positions in smaller communities will be filled by people who already live in or will move to Yellowknife. And, more generally, GNWT positions will be filled by people who live in or who have moved to other provinces and territory.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister, when I ask the Minister about this later she'll probably say that the various rules, principles, guidelines, toolkits should stop this from happening, or at least minimize it. But I am not sure that the policy will have such a small effect.
According to a News North report, as of February 1st there were 29 employees working outside the territory. While some of these 29 were approved for reasons besides the remote work policy, it's still a big number, especially considering that these numbers were only two business days after the remote work policy was announced.
I am concerned that this is just the beginning and that over the next months and years, more GNWT jobs will be done by people living in the south and community jobs done by people living in Yellowknife. Of course I hope that my fears are proven wrong but then I remember that GNWT already has problems with hiring local and with Indigenous recruitment and retention. I am worried that with all these policies and guidelines and checklists and community positions will be filled outside of Yellowknife and there aren't the right mechanisms to verify that employees actually live where they say they do. I will have more questions later for the Minister of Finance . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Member's Statement 964-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Members' Statements
Page 3605
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes . Members' statements. Member for Hay River South .
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Member's Statement 965-19(2): Lack of After-Care Facilities and Transitional Housing in the Northwest Territories
Members' Statements
Page 3605
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when questioned last week about treatment centres for the NWT, the Minister of Health stated: "If there is a need for more bricks and mortars healing, then that needs to be a priority of this Assembly and it's something that we need to talk about together."
Mr. Speaker, one of this government's mandate items is to: "Increase the number and variety of culturally-respectful community-based mental health and addictions programs, including aftercare."
Mr. Speaker, this mandate item directs government to consider community-based mental health and addictions programs - programs that may go beyond community outreach for health, counselling, and support programs. Patients who have returned from southern treatment facilities, some, not all, are pleased with the service they receive. However, a critical issue raised has been the lack of acceptable aftercare or, more specifically, lack of aftercare facilities once returning home.
Mr. Speaker, if treatment centres are not on this government's radar, then I would like to talk about increased access to transitional housing for those returning from addictions treatment - an action item included as part of this governments mandate. It is important this government listens to solutions proposed by those who are suffering from addictions. Anything less may well result in setback or collapse of an individual's treatment progress.
Mr. Speaker, those returning from treatment in the south may require, in addition to counseling and support groups, those supports to avoid relapse. It may include removing oneself from a situation that requires a safe and immediate place to attend, whether it be for day, week, month, or months. To accommodate this, government must consider providing half-way or residential aftercare facilities in regional centres and small communities. It would allow those with serious addiction problems an option while integrating themselves back into the communities upon returning to the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, why is aftercare important? Statistics show that relapse can be as high as 60 percent, and it is those aftercare supports that stand between success and returning to substance abuse. It is up to us to change those odds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Member's Statement 965-19(2): Lack of After-Care Facilities and Transitional Housing in the Northwest Territories
Members' Statements
Page 3605
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .
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Member's Statement 966-19(2): Opening of the Snow Castle in Yellowknife
Members' Statements
Page 3605
Rylund Johnson
Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As noted by the Member from Great Slave , today, March 1st, is an important date for a number of reasons. Today, restrictions end, we are welcoming tourists back to our territory but, Mr. Speaker, all of these actions pale in comparison to one event that occurred today which is the opening of the snow castle, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to report that a special envoy of MLAs went down at lunchtime to the grand opening of the snow castle, and it is better than ever this year. The slide is in great working order, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage all of the residents of the Northwest Territories and all of the Members to get down there. And thanks to the contributions of Members of this House, it's free admission today at the snow castle.
There are a number of events, and the snow castle is actually looking for performers so if anyone wants to perform at one-of-a-kind venue, please get in contact with all of the great staff at the snow castle.
I would like to thank the carvers, the builders, the board members, and all of the volunteers who make this happen. 27 years strong of the snow castle. Long live the monarchy, Mr. Speaker.
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Member's Statement 966-19(2): Opening of the Snow Castle in Yellowknife
Members' Statements
Page 3605
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake .
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Member's Statement 967-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Contaiminated Sites
Members' Statements
Page 3605
Kevin O'Reilly
Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President, that's a tough act to follow.
Another day, another contaminated site mismanaged by our government. This time it is the Mactung exploration property in the former Cantung Mine. Cantung and Mactung are mining properties in the Mackenzie Mountains. The Cantung Mine was a tungsten producer from 1962 until it closed in 2015. The owner, North American Tungsten, went into creditor protection on June 9th, 2015 after we agreed to take on this operation under the Devolution Agreement.
Somehow the federal government let that company put up the Mactung property as part of its financial security for its water license. When our government inherited the management of the Cantung site under devolution, nothing was done to change that arrangement even though GNWT had total discretion over the form of the security. That's another preventible liability that has cost our government millions of dollars. So much for Polluter-Pays Principle and the devolution promise of responsible resource development.
As part of the creditor protection proceeding, Cabinet ended up purchasing Mactung for $2.5 million with a special warrant that bypassed the Legislative Assembly. In that way we were told GNWT could hand Cantung back to the federal government for remediation. When we acquired the Mactung property, a lot of junk and hazardous materials were on the site even though I had been told that there was nothing there. GNWT spent $172,000 on a partial site cleanup of that property. Then GNWT hired a southern consultant to prepare and submit a land use application to the Yukon government for an imaginary exploration program in an attempt to hike the value of the property.
As far as I can tell, GNWT has owned Mactung now for seven years and all attempts to sell the Cantung and Mactung properties have failed. These two properties are 140 kilometres away from each other by air and 700 kilometres by road. It's not clear to me why we are marketing these properties with the federal government. There is little chance that some buyer will take on these mining properties that are now contaminated sites without significant concessions and subsidies.
Needless to say I will have lots of questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment about these properties, our failure to manage them properly, and whether we can ever expect to recoup the money spent on them. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Member's Statement 967-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Contaiminated Sites
Members' Statements
Page 3605
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Members' statements. Member for Thebacha .
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Member's Statement 968-19(2): Accountability and the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement
Members' Statements
Page 3605
Frieda Martselos
Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on November 29th, 2021, I had made a Member statement on the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement with the NWT. I asked questions of the Minister of Justice about RCMP accountability in relation to the police service agreement and I did not receive any good answers to my questions. In fact, I walked away from that exchange with more questions than answers about the RCMP regarding transparency and accountability in the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2022-2023 Main Estimates, the Government of the Northwest Territories is paying over $50 million for policing services in the NWT which is already nearly $2 million than the 2021-2022 revised estimates. That's not even considering the additional $3.5 million for increased RCMP salary costs for their new collective agreement. There's also an additional $8 million that our Department of Infrastructure is paying to provide maintenance and utility services for the RCMP commercial and residential properties in the NWT.
All together that amounts to $61.5 million that the Government of the Northwest Territories is paying to the RCMP. With costs like that, what are we getting from it? How are these increasing costs for policing making policing services better for the people of the NWT?
Mr. Speaker, there is much talk in numerous jurisdictions about cutting or reducing funding to the police yet here we are increasing those costs. Do these increased policing costs make people safer? Will they lead to a reduction in crime across the NWT? Are police doing more patrols throughout the communities? Are there ways to measure whether police are improving the quality or level of public safety within our communities? These are legitimate questions given the amount of money we are allocating here.
Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago Statistics Canada released two articles with detailed analysis of the perceptions and experiences of people in Canada, with particular focus on black and Indigenous people. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to complete my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
According to these studies, black and Indigenous people are twice as likely than non-Indigenous non-visible minority people to report that they have little or no confidence in police. Additionally, the studies also state that one-third of Indigenous people reported experience in discrimination from people in the past five years.
Mr. Speaker, policing and police services is something that affects everyone in our society regardless of color, race, or background. Upholding and maintaining public safety is the core duty of policing. It is also a core duty of governments to ensure proper transparency and accountability is maintained in all police services in all jurisdictions.
I understand and I respect that policing in this country is done with an arm's length relationship between government and police services; however, as a public government we must provide proper oversight over the police to ensure public confidence and that peace, order, and good government is maintained. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Member's Statement 968-19(2): Accountability and the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement
Members' Statements
Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha . Members' statements. Member for Monfwi .
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Member's Statement 969-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Members' Statements
Page 3606
Jane Weyallon Armstrong
Monfwi
Thank you, mahsi. Mr. Speaker, today I am going to talk about the housing corporation customer service. I am speaking on behalf of my constituents, a couple, an elderly, who live in one of the communities. Their interaction with the housing corporation demonstrates how the bureaucracy of the corporation approach the communicate with our Indigenous homeowners.
Mr. Speaker, it is a total clash of culture.
Mr. Speaker, they are also elderly and do not understand the world of administration and legal contracts. How the housing corporation administer their housing unit is totally alien to some people in the communities. This couple understands life in the bush - hunting, trapping, surviving the seasons, and speak Tlicho.
Mr. Speaker, this couple has no understanding of the information they have received from the housing corporation. What is the purpose of all these formal letters? To intimidate them? To advise my constituents to seek legal counsel? Mr. Speaker, they have no concept of the western legal system.
It is clear, Mr. Speaker, the customer service standards for the NWT Housing Corporation need a dramatic overhaul. There needs to be an understanding between employees and clients. There needs to be communication and dialogue. If the housing corporation staff had made an effort to communicate or have a conversation with this couple, they would have quickly understood that translation is required. Mr. Speaker, if this is happening to elders and others in my communities, what about all of the other elderly people in other communities? Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude?
---Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, there needs to be a better communication between the housing corporation and its clients and a triage support system for clients of both income support and the housing corporation. Regular communications between income assistance and the housing corporation is required with clients to ensure they feel secure in their homes with adequate financial support for all their needs. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing . Thank you.
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Member's Statement 969-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Members' Statements
Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi . Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake .
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Member's Statement 970-19(2): Supports for People Parenting with FASD
Members' Statements
Page 3606
Caitlin Cleveland
Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, FASD is similar to trauma in that it changes the way a person responds to the world around them and how they fit within it. People with FASD require some of the same supports as a person who has experienced traumas.
Mr. Speaker, there is limited research available about FASD prevalence and even less research available on parenting with FASD. In studies I did find, less than 50 percent of children to parents with FASD were in the care of their parent. Parents with FASD are more likely to experience homelessness, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
FASD is a spectrum of disability and strengths, Mr. Speaker, and integrated service delivery, harm reduction programs, and mental health and wellness supports are prevention tools.
First, people need their basic needs met, like housing and food security. Second is a need for long-term individualized comprehensive supports like, for example, transportation to and from work, parenting mentorship programs or also respite, Mr. Speaker.
To achieve this, the GNWT needs two key things. First is pathfinder positions in the FASD diagnostic clinics to set up connections to FASD-informed and trauma-informed support services and to help people navigate the GNWT system. Second, a safe space to secure support without the fear of triggering a child and family services investigation.
In its first year, the adult FASD diagnostic clinic assessed 25 NWT adults, 20 of which were diagnosed with FASD. There are no statistics in the territory on the prevalence of FASD in our communities, Mr. Speaker, and no statistics on the prevalence of parents with FASD and to understand the magnitude of this issue, more research and data needs to be tracked.
We are on the tails of a pandemic that saw increased trauma, increased alcohol consumption, and increased family violence during isolation, Mr. Speaker. We need to talk more about FASD and continue to peel away the stigma. We need to change the narrative and we need to continue these conversations in this House and in our communities. But most of all, Mr. Speaker, we need clear paths to person centre supports for all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake . Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho .
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Member's Statement 971-19(2): Use of Biomass Energy in the Northwest Territories
Members' Statements
Page 3606
Ronald Bonnetrouge
Deh Cho
Mr. Speaker, I rise again to talk about the biomass energy in the Northwest Territories and the use of it, specifically to the NWT Housing Corporation, because the corporation itself has about 2600 units up and down the Valley and their fuel budget every year is $9 million. Other departments have started on the biomass wood pellet boiler systems, specifically infrastructure, at that time it was Public Works and Services. We started incorporating them into their buildings and into the schools and I am familiar with the school in Fort Providence, I think that I voiced that many times here.
And, you know, I am concerned with the housing corporation because many of my people live in those units, about 80 or 90 percent in my community. And when we are talking about the year 2038 when O and M funding from CMHC will no longer be available, that is really concerning because it is the future of our people of the Northwest Territories and where they're going to live, what's the strategy for leading up to that date. I have asked before and we've never really got any answers related to that.
And also, too, over a year ago I recall asking for a biomass energy plan from the NWT Housing Corporation and they basically said in 2021 that they would have one out by the spring. I think I mentioned it this past week, and so far there has been no report whatsoever. So it really makes me, you know, wonder about the sincerity of the department to come up with such a document.
And I think, you know, many of us understand that savings is a big thing with this government since we are not gaining in revenue and all departments there probably should help the corporation to realize some of these goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions because climate change is a real thing. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Housing at the appropriate time, mahsi.
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Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho . Members' statements. Recognition of the visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu .
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 3606
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce today, I have got my auntie, Ms. Celine Proctor. She is a government service officer and works for the Department of Executive. I also have my cousin Ms. Tammy Proctor from Fort Good Hope, and also my brother Mr. Randy Kakfwi as well. Mahsi.
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Sahtu . Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South .
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 3606
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to acknowledge my wife Betty who is here. I think she is very excited to be here today because she told me this morning that it's very exciting that she gets to come and watch her son R.J. today. And she asked us to be nice to him. Thank you.
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3606
Richard Edjericon
Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to recognize respected elder from our community of Fort Resolution. I want to recognize Terry Villeneuve. I can't see her, but she's a former president of the Native Women's Association of the NWT. She also served on the Dene Nation Elder Council. She served as a chairperson on the AFN Women's Council at the national level. Ms. Villeneuve is retired and lives in Fort Resolution with her daughter Cindy Villeneuve.
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3606
Richard Edjericon
Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
I also have another Member from the community of the N'dilo. I want to recognize Shirley Tsetta. She served on the Yellowknives Dene First Nation for three terms. She was a YKDFN community negotiator. She's also served as a secretary-treasurer of the Native Women's Association of the NWT. She also worked with all three mines - Ekati, Diavik, De Beers - to help implement the socio-economic agreement. And she's my C.A. Please welcome Shirley Tsetta.
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3606
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3607
Richard Edjericon
Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
This is, I mean March 1st, COVID free and, this is great. I just want to also recognize a translator from our community as well. She's not up there but I just want to recognize Mary Rose Sundberg from our community from Dettah. She's also a translator here, mahsi. Tom Unka, also from Fort Resolution, and he's also a translator here as well. Mahsi.
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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Page 3607
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Welcome. Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh . Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Welcome, if we've anybody in the gallery today welcome to the Chamber and I hope you enjoy the proceedings. It is always nice to have an audience in the Chamber, especially after two years. Mahsi.
Replies to budget address, day 6 of 7. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Acknowledgements.
Colleagues, before we begin oral questions, our rules are generous regarding oral questions. We do not have hard time limits for questions or answers as you would see in some other jurisdictions. This allows Members to ask questions of importance to their constituents and for Ministers to provide meaningful responses.
Although we do not have time limits, our rules are clear regarding oral questions. Rule 7.2(1), oral questions must be concise and any
preamble must be short. Similarly, when a Minister is answering, Rule 7.2(2) provides that the answer should be clear and concise.
Recently, I have noticed that many oral questions have included long
preambles. Similarly, many responses have not been clear and concise.
Our rules permit all Regular Members to ask oral questions on each sitting day, which is not common in many other legislatures. In fact, if we use our time effectively, we can often see Members have the opportunity to ask multiple questions. However, when questions include long
preambles and answers are not clear and concise, we can easily see situations where all Members may be unable to ask questions.
Colleagues, I remind you to follow our rules when asking and answering questions. This will ensure that all Members wishing to ask questions are able to do so and will help us make efficient use of our time in this House. Thank you, colleagues.
Oral questions. Member for Hay River South .
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Health confirm what is the purpose and cost attributed to substance abuse and what does it comprise of? Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Minister responsible for Health and Social Services .
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, according to a government news release from November of 2020, the NWT spends $2,329 per person on substance abuse treatment and aftercare versus the Canadian average of about half that amount.
I want to say that the total budget for facility-based treatment, aftercare, and related supports is $20 million a year, and that accommodates in the facility-based treatment a high of 270 people in the 2018-2019 year and a low of 73 people in this fiscal year, obviously lower because of COVID.
And I also just want to note in closing, there is no limit on the amount of money we'll spend on southern-based treatment. The more people apply and who are accepted into the program, the more we'll pay for. Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm what aftercare supports for substance abuse are available for those returning from treatment in southern Canada? Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you. The process of welcoming someone home from southern-based treatment begins with a discharge plan that's created collaboratively with the person receiving treatment and with his or her supports in the NWT. So that person would be connected with community counselling for ongoing support. And there are, of course, a number of AA groups that are available in the larger centres. We have been working on aftercare support in the smaller communities by offering a peer support fund which communities can apply for specifically to assist people who are returning from treatment. Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm if her department has considered the need for transitional housing supports to those clients returning home after receiving treatment in the South? Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you. Yes, indeed, we have considered that and, in December, we issued an expression of interest to Indigenous governments seeking communities who would be interested in operating a transitional housing program, which would be safe and sober housing closer to home for people who are returning from treatment. We got an uptake of four organizations who submitted an expression of interest, and the department is now working with them on the development of their applications. The budget for this fiscal year was $750,000, and for next year is just over $1 million. Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South .
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Rocky Simpson
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm pleased to hear that. You know, it's time that we move ahead and we try and provide the support to those that are, you know, battling and fighting addictions.
So I'd ask the Minister what strategies and action plans are in place to address how this government will support those returning from treatment in the south as we go forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you. I mentioned the peer support program. There's also an addictions aftercare fund which communities are using to hire counsellors to provide ongoing support for people who are coming back and establishing themselves in a new and sober lifestyle.
We have an app for those who have the tools and the connectivity called Wagon, which was developed by Edgewood Institution in Nanaimo, and that's another possibility for people. Of course, we have the community counselling program for which no appointment is necessary. People can access on the same day. So we have a variety of ways of reaching out to people to help them with their journey to stay sober. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, I'm aware from my own life that staying sober, having invested the 30 days or 60 days in the program, is the biggest challenge, and we're here for people who are trying to do that. Thank you.
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Question 953-19(2): Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse
Oral Questions
Page 3607
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha .
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Frieda Martselos
Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister of Justice at all concerned with the increasing cost of policing services in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha . Minister responsible for Justice .
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it's my job to be concerned about the budget of the Department of Justice and so, of course, I am concerned about these increasing costs.
The increasing costs are due to increasing demands, service demands on the RCMP, and I hear requests all the time from communities, from Indigenous governments, that they want more RCMP. I've never once heard in the territory that someone wants less RCMP.
There is an acknowledgement that perhaps RCMP aren't best suited to do everything, and they would agree with that, and so where we can we need to find ways to supplement those services so that the RCMP aren't focused on doing things that other entities or organizations could be. So because of that, we are piloting a community safety officer program and the hope is that that can expand and then reduce the demands on the RCMP.
Here in Yellowknife, there's been a number of services that have started up over the past number of years, primarily through non-profits, which have reduced the demand on the RCMP. So we are taking steps to address the rising costs.
Each year, the Minister of Justice provides policing priorities to the RCMP. There's four of them. And innovation, fiscal, and -- operational and fiscal innovation is one of those priorities that I put forward to the RCMP this year. Thank you.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Frieda Martselos
Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if he believes policing in the NWT is conducted with the highest levels of transparency and accountability? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's varying levels of accountability. I know in jurisdictions in the United States, they elect their sheriffs and you could say that's the ultimate accountability. So we don't have a system like that but we are focusing on ensuring that the RCMP are taking steps to become more transparent and accountable to the public. And I mentioned my policing priorities. One of the other four is accountability and transparency. So I am focusing on this in response to, you know, concerns I've been hearing from people like the Member. Thank you.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
Frieda Martselos
Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if he believes policing transparency and accountability should be improved in the NWT; and if so, are there any specific tools at the Minister's disposal that he can utilize to do so? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3607
R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And you can always get better at being more accountable and more transparent. I think that's true for every entity.
One of the tools that I have are those policing priorities which I mentioned. In addition, there are new initiatives that are likely rolling out in the coming year, such as body-worn cameras. And of course, and I mentioned this before, the Territorial Police Service Agreement has a number of checks and balances and a number of ways to ensure that the RCMP are accountable to the department.
And as well, there's countless working groups, meetings, local-level meetings, national-regional meetings, that the government is involved with with the RCMP to ensure that we know what the RCMP is doing and that they are accountable to us and their operations are transparent. But there's the other aspect where the RCMP need to be more transparent to the public, just like we all do. And so to that end, I've had discussions with the commanding officer about taking steps to ensure that the public is more aware of what the RCMP are doing.
That said, the RCMP are busy, and I think that, you know, that's reflected in the concerns I hear from around the territory, that they want -- the communities want more RCMP. So while I would like for the RCMP to go out and do a lot more community engagement and meet with people and, you know, hold meetings, the fact is they're busy doing what we pay them to do. So yes, we are working on it, and yes, there are tools, and yes, we are utilizing them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3608
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha .
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Frieda Martselos
Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if he has had any significant discussions with the federal minister of public safety about potential solutions to improve transparency and accountability of the RCMP and policing services in general? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3608
R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have significant concerns about the transparency and accountability of the RCMP so I haven't had those types of conversations. That said, I do have regular conversations with the commanding officer of G-division; the department has regular conversations as well. So those conversations are ongoing. And noting the -- your comments earlier, I will keep this last remark brief. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 954-19(2): Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories
Oral Questions
Page 3608
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions, as I said, are for the Minister of Finance for whom human resources I guess falls underneath her.
How many GNWTs are working outside of the territory? Because according to my Member's statement, in the news
article there were 29, and I just want to know if the Minister can confirm if this is accurate? Thank you.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes . Minister responsible for Finance .
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as of January 31st, there are 31 employees on active duty working outside of the territory. That represents about .4 percent of the total work force. The majority -- the vast majority of those, of course, would have been approved by their supervisors prior to this policy taking effect. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the concerns that I brought forward in my Member's statement is that if these positions are, you know, outside the territory, they could be taking away from residents that are in the Northwest Territories. So of these now 31 positions, can the Minister confirm have they moved away or are they just temporarily away, or is this a precedent that we're setting that could potentially lead to more people leaving the Northwest Territories to work remotely and become residents in other territories and provinces? Thank you.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ability to work outside of the territory is meant to be for exceptional purposes only, and "exceptional" is really just that. It's, for example, if you have a child who has to get medical care, specialized medical care for a period of time that is not available here and you need to go care for your child, well, that's pretty exceptional. It is not for people who simply prefer to live somewhere else, who might have family that they'd like to see. It's not a matter of convenience. It is for exceptional purposes only.
And you know, I don't want to pre-empt where the Member might be going, Mr. Speaker, but I would also note that with respect to being outside of a community other than Yellowknife, the policy's actually quite express that this is not a -- that people are not being authorized to have a worm out work arrangement if they live -- if they want to live in Yellowknife and their position is located outside of Yellowknife, that is not authorized under this policy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So thank you to the Minister for her answer and yes, she's reading my mind because she has my questions, but. So I know the intent of this is not to fill GNWT positions with non-NWT residents. It was pretty -- predominantly, you know, a recommendation made by the government OPs committee too to establish this remote work policy for instances of a pandemic where everybody gets sent home, because we didn't have it.
But what steps are being taken to put in place that, you know -- that people aren't moving out of the territory and that employees that are in positions and getting approval that they haven't taken up residence and they actually live and their primary residence is the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, the Member's quite right. This certainly speaks to the experience we've all had during COVID-19. But this was something that was considered even before that. It's a direction that a lot of the public service -- sorry, the human resources experts are starting to look at across Canada. We want to be a workplace that is keeping up with the direction of human resources approaches.
We want to be a workplace that is considered attractive to bring people here and not so that people will leave and want to have that flexibility for folks who may be outside of a headquarters region or a regional position and who can now work in their home positions. It's the policy and the guidelines that go with it are structured to do just that. People have to be providing their addresses of where they're going to be living, providing photographs of their work site for as much to ensure that they're in a safe position to work with in that position, and that is going to be monitored.
If anything, by putting the policy in place like this now, now there actually is some guidelines. It's not a matter of one person or a another who prefers to work down south might get a one-off approval. That's not going to fly anymore because now you have to actually be applying whether or not you fit within this policy as being directed from human resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the potential impacts of this policy, I believe there needs to be more transparency and oversight.
Will the Minister commit to publishing statistics on remote work policy in the public service annual reports? I'd like to see the reporting on the number of jobs done in a different community and the reasons for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the public service annual report certainly is one place that we might be able to report on this. I have no concern in saying that we will definitely be able to report back, just as we are today, about the total number of residents who might be working either outside of the territory or who are working in some sort of remote arrangement and whether that is in the public service report or whether somewhere on our website. I will see that it does get published somewhere and inform the Members when we've made that decision as to what's the best place to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy
Oral Questions
Page 3608
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake .
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caitlin Cleveland
Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services . Sorry, I'm not operating off of paper today.
My first question for the Minister, Mr. Speaker, is what type of data about the prevalence of FASD in the NWT and people parenting with FASD does Health and Social Services collect? Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member's question. FASD is a common concern in the NWT, unfortunately.
We have the statistics that she quoted about people who have been to the diagnostic clinics. But for the population as a whole, we don't have data that tells us what the incidence of FASD is per thousand population. It's been estimated by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health that it's eight per one thousand population. But it is more prevalent in some populations than others. So we don't really have a firm grip of the number of people who have FASD at any age. Much of the difficulty here has to do with diagnosis.
Sometimes people choose not to be diagnosed, or the parents choose not to have their children diagnosed, and so this is really a self-reporting metric. And for reasons that have to do with shame and fear of intervention by child and family services, people may choose not to go that route. Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
Oral Questions
Page 3608
Caitlin Cleveland
Kam Lake
Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The NWT is definitely not alone in that. When looking for data and research worldwide, it's definitely -- the stigma around FASD is definitely shared and by having these conversations, I think we can do our part to try and strip away that stigma.
I'm wondering if part of the adult FASD clinic identifies whether or not the person taking
part in the clinic is a parent? Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you. That's a very interesting question, whether that is something that's acknowledged, and I don't have that information off the top of my head. I know that they -- they're concerned with the person himself or herself, but I'm not sure if they take their family circumstances into consideration but, of course, it would be useful to know that. So I appreciate the question. Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
Caitlin Cleveland
Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. One of the things that the Minister said is absolutely true, is that it's a self-reporting mechanism. But part of being able to have the opportunity to self-report is having access to that clinic. And so I'm wondering how many communities will the adult diagnostic clinic travel to in 2022 and how many NWT residents do they plan to assess? Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the difficulty here is that the FASD -- the adult FASD clinic was launched in 2020 which was not a year in which there was a lot of travelling around. That said, last year the program was able to visit Behchoko and Fort Providence, and I think that generally they committed to travelling to four different locations a year.
So based on what's happened to date, 25 people have been to the adult FASD diagnostic clinic, and 133 children and youth went to the FASD diagnostic and support program. So we would want to see those numbers as good or better in the year to come if the COVID restrictions remain the way they are; that is to say, it's much easier to travel. Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
Oral Questions
Page 3609
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final short supplementary, Member for Kam Lake .
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
Caitlin Cleveland
Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if Health and Social Services will commit to establishing navigator or case worker positions within the adult diagnostic clinic to provide that individualized personal and centered supports that their clients need? Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
Julie Green
Yellowknife Centre
Yes, thank you. I was under the impression that that was in fact being done now by people who work at the FASD clinic, who provide services to people who have a confirmed diagnosis, that there was some pathway navigation going on in that situation. But I can certainly confirm that and provide the Member with that detail. Thank you.
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Question 956-19(2): People Parenting with FASD
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Page 3609
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North .
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Rylund Johnson
Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the Minister of Health and Social Services Minister's statement today, she mentioned that the gap between what we pay our nurses and what other jurisdiction are paying is closing, and we are one of the only jurisdictions in Canada that, during COVID-19, did not give recruitment and retention bonuses. But one line jumped out at me is that we -- she went to FMB and got approval to give those bonuses and then in consultation with the union there was not agreement to provide that money.
My question is for the Minister of Finance , who is responsible for that relationship, can I just get an explanation of what is going on here; why we can't pay our nurses more money? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Oral Questions
Page 3609
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Minister responsible for Finance .
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So Mr. Speaker, the labour market supplement was something that we didn't have before. It does provide a tool. Given that the collective agreement is the bargaining document on which all of the salaries are based, all the recruitment -- any recruitment bonuses would be based, the total package of salary is based. So to go outside of that to offer something extra, we had to create this labour market supplement that would give us that proper tool or that basis on which to do that.
In that policy, it does state that, of course, still the UNW remains the representative for all of our employees. And so before going ahead and doing something such as a labour market supplement, we would consult with them. The policy itself speaks quite clearly to the conditions under which one group of employees would be offered an enhancement to their salary. There's some fairly specific parameters that it's for certain conditions, particularly when there are shortages, particularly when there's great need.
For instance, also that it would be the kind of a position that goes to health and safety of the people of the Northwest Territories. So when we apply that policy and we get to a certain point, we then go to the UNW and unfortunately we weren't able to come to an agreement. They took a different view as to what might be appropriate or needed in the circumstances. And again, you know, Mr. Speaker, they're there to represent their people and we are doing our best to maintain that relationship. We'll continue to do so.
And as the Minister of Health detailed today, there are many other avenues by which we are going to continue to pursue an improvement for the morale of the staff over in the Department of Health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Rylund Johnson
Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the Minister, you know, probably there was some negotiations maybe going on, or still ongoing in this matter, but I am still looking for a bit of an explanation of how this did not happen.
I hear that we got a labour market supplement. Somehow we got money out of cabinet, never an easy task, and we wanted to pay nurses more money and the union said we will not let our members have more money, is what I am hearing. Can I just get a clarification from the Minister as to why they said that? Thank you.
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Mr. Speaker, I am not here to speak on behalf of the union. That would not be appropriate. It's a relationship that I have a great deal of respect for. So I'm not going to combat out and detail what their own reasons would be and be certainly seen to be speaking on their behalf.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a situation where in the course of a pandemic, we have held firm on not having cutbacks to our services and not having cuts to the public service. But to do that, we are running a lean operation. And so to be able to be offering any kind of additional bonuses and salary on top of the existing collective agreement, which does have increases in it unlike some jurisdictions during the last pandemic -- during this pandemic, in order to do that we're running a lean operation, Mr.
Speaker, and there's only so much we can do and it's going to have to be narrow and targeted, and that was the position we were attempting to take here. As I said again, Mr. Speaker, we're not done looking for ways to continue to improve the system for nursing staff but we're just going to have to do that in a different way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 957-19(2): Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers
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Page 3609
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake .
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Kevin O'Reilly
Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment , who seems to have the lead on the management of the Cantung and Mactung properties.
When I look at the list of creditors, I see that GNWT's owed $5.528 million from this operation. Can the Minister tell us how much North American Tungsten actually owes us, for what, and when we expect to recover that money? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism, and Investment .
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can go and look into the specific number the Member is quoting. My understanding is that when the GNWT purchased the Mactung asset, we did so and that became our asset. Canada, of course, owns the Cantung property. And at this point, the two parties tother are agreeing to market those assets as one and as such, as we go forward, there's nothing more owed to the GNWT by North American Tungsten. So again, I'll double check to confirm if there's some misunderstanding on what's on there, Mr. Speaker.
At this point, we're proceeding with a process that's well underway and, in fact fairly advanced, in order to see that the Mactung and Cantung properties are sold and benefits are accrued to the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Kevin O'Reilly
Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I'll be happy to send her the list of creditors from the court-appointed receivers website, so.
But as I understand it, GNWT has decided to try to market the Mactung property and the Cantung mine site with the feds but there has been little to no interest over seven years. Can the Minister explain what is going on with proposed sale of the Mactung property and when the taxpayers of the NWT can expect to recover their so-called "investment"? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
I'm pleased to say, Mr. Speaker, there's been an RFP out to some shortlisted proponents as of March of 2021. It closed only just last month. And we are right now actually in the midst of reviewing those bids. A due diligence process needs to take place. But, Mr. Speaker, you might note that there's a bit of a delay between those two dates but that was entirely for the purpose of engaging further with some of the Indigenous governments in that region, and I'm very hopeful that we'll be in a position to report back positively in short order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3609
Kevin O'Reilly
Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister again for that.
The Mactung-Cantung properties are 140 kilometres away from each other by air, 700 kilometres by road. It's unlikely that some buyer's going to take these on as some sort of viable mining operation without significant concessions and subsidies.
Can the minister explain why GNWT's attempting to sell these properties together and whether we will offer further concessions and subsidies? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my last answer, Mr. Speaker, these two properties were jointly owned previously so having them as one unit under one owner is not particularly unusual. They are both highgrade Tungsten properties. Tungsten, of course, is one of the 31 critical minerals and metals on Canada's critical metals list, and under current geopolitical circumstances that may well help make these properties particularly in greater value and incentivize a private owner.
Mr. Speaker, again, we are working with Canada on this; Canada having the ownership of Cantung and us having Mactung. So we're working together to see that the two properties are sold together. And to do so, Mr. Speaker, there's no intention to start offering subsidies. That's not generally been the way that things happen in the Northwest Territories. We do have incentive programs, such as the mining incentive program, and that might help leverage some investment on the Mactung property in particular, which is an exploration property. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake .
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Kevin O'Reilly
Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister again for her response.
The Cantung and Mactung saga is another example of post-devolution mismanagement of our resources. Can the Minister explain what lessons have been learned from our mismanagement of the Cantung and Mactung properties? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
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Page 3610
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure I would accept or agree with the characterization of "mismanagement" on this. I think the story has yet to be finished and is yet to be written. Indeed, as I've said, staff from the Department of ITI are quite active right now in terms of doing their due diligence and hoping for a positive outcome on the sale. In fact, if anything, Mr.
Speaker, this has been an example where although at the time of the sale there was some disagreements perhaps between Canada and the GNWT about how to proceed, we were able to set aside what differences there were, sign an MOU, and are working together to market the properties and share in the costs of doing so and now work together with the Indigenous governments of the region as we proceed to a point where there is hopefully a final and solid proponent who could take over and move this forward.
So again, there's no doubt going to be some lessons to learn but it may well be that they're all positive outcomes in the end, and I'm sure we will be able to -- once I'll be able to share that, have more dialogue in the House about that process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 958-19(2): Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites
Oral Questions
Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi .
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Jane Weyallon Armstrong
Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How many Housing Corporation staff have completed the Living Well Together training that supports cultural awareness and sensitivity among GNWT employees? Thank you.
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
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Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi . Minister responsible for Housing .
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With our staff and our client service staff at the local housing authority and within the corporation itself, it is important that we improve our services as well and looking at the Living Well Together and providing those numbers, I don't have that on hand with me right now. But government employees and specifically for the housing -- the Department of the Housing Corporation, they are supposed to be completing this program and really emphasizing on working in Indigenous communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Jane Weyallon Armstrong
Monfwi
I am concerned, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation staff in this particular case, as I stated in my Member's statement, continue to communicate with my constituents in a way that is not recognized, understood, or acknowledged, when it is the responsibility put back on staff to confirm clients understand the message.
Does the Housing Corporation have guidelines or standards to provide customer service expectation to staff? Thank you.
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for raising such an important question, and it's something that the Housing Corporation has included with our review of our policies and programming as well too. And coming from a small community as well, this is quite important for me because I do understand the language barriers that are real situations at the ground level and also the
interpretation of our contracts and our documents as well too, that they need to be simplified and they need to be properly communicated. This is something I will take back to the Housing Corporation to improve our client service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Jane Weyallon Armstrong
Monfwi
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it's very important for me to making sure that our programs and services are fairly communicated. I just want to inform the Member as well too that we do have the local housing authorities which are -- the percentage of that representation is -- the majority is Indigenous. And looking at how we could better improve those services, communicating and language, I will bring that back to the corporation and I will -- making sure that we do have an emphasis on those communication and those
interpretation of those legal documents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi .
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Jane Weyallon Armstrong
Monfwi
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
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Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
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Question 959-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service
Oral Questions
Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho .
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Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Ronald Bonnetrouge
Deh Cho
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question from March 29th, 2021, in which the Minister stated that they're currently developing their own three-year energy action plan to be released in the spring. The plan would include, you know, cost-effective residential biomass system investments in other NWT communities.
Mr. Speaker, I've grown cobwebs waiting for the report. This is really -- I'm just wondering from the Minister, because they were working on it and currently developing, it said at that time, why nothing was progressed on this file at all? Mahsi.
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Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
Oral Questions
Page 3610
The Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho . Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation .
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Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Member's comments as well too that, you know, the Housing Corporation building and energy efficiency is quite important and we look at those new builds going forward and making sure that the areas where we could see improvement. The energy -- the energy plan is to be -- just a second, I have a -- our energy plan is to be presented to the standing committee in the spring of this year, 2022. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
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Page 3610
Ronald Bonnetrouge
Deh Cho
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at that time we were specifically talking about wood pellet boiler systems for Housing Corporation units in the outlying communities as a possible way for savings through the fuel bills and the bottom line for the budget of the GNWT. And I really hope this energy plan, as I stated before housing is always referencing repairs for efficiencies, like sealing doors and fixing broken windows, but this one here I wanted it to be a wood pellet boiler energy action plan. I'm wondering if the Minister would commit to that. Mahsi.
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Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
Oral Questions
Page 3610
Paulie Chinna
Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Member as well too because he's putting a lot of emphasis on the wood pellet boiler system as well. But like I had said before is that I'm not too sure for the supply, that I need to bring this back to the department. The question was asked earlier this week, and looking at where we would be able to provide this service and also looking at education and training, maintenance of that system as well too.
One of the things that the corporation has looked at was the biomass projects