Oral Questions, Cost Of Living — 21 October 2010 (16th Assembly, 5th Session, pp. 5191–5226)
2010-10-21, 16th Assembly 5th Session, pp. 5191–5226
Northwest Territories — Debates (Hansard)
Debates of Oct. 21st, 2010
This is page numbers 5191 - 5226 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th 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 child .
Topics
Oral Questions
Members Present
Prayer
Minister’s Statement 59-16(5): Local Food Production
Minister’s Statement 60-16(5): Community Justice Review
Minister’s Statement 61-16(5): Waste Reduction Week
Minister’s Statement 62-16(5): Minister Absent From The House
International Stuttering Awareness Day
Condolences To The Family Of Reverend Ellen Bruce
Norman Wells Potato Harvest
Winter Road To Lutselk’e
International Stuttering Awareness Day
Foster Family Week
Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Small Business Week
On-Line Petitions
Committee Report 3-16(5): Report On The Review Of The Child And Family Services Act: Building Stronger Families
Make Prevention And Family Support A Core Component Of Child And Family Services’ Operational
Take The Least Intrusive And Most Effective Measures To Deliver Child And Family Services
Provide Quality Interventions And Services In Response To Child And Family Welfare Concerns
Create Positive Outcomes For Children, Families And Communities
Motion To Receive Committee Report 3-16(5) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Winter Road To Lutselk’e
Local Food Production
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)
Tabled Document 88-16(5): Photographs Of Norman Wells Potato Harvest
Extended Adjournment Of The House To October 25, 2010
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day
The House met at 1:41 p.m.
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---Prayer
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Prayer
Prayer
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. I welcome our guests in the gallery today. I take a moment to recognize a very special guest in the gallery, my lovely wife, Davida, is here visiting us today.
Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Mr. Bob McLeod .
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Minister’s Statement 59-16(5): Local Food Production
Ministers’ Statements
Bob McLeod
Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the past, northern residents have relied on community gardens to provide nutritious locally grown produce. Thanks to dedicated community gardeners, this practice is being revived. During our short but intense growing season this summer, Northwest Territories community gardeners harvested a bumper crop of produce ranging from potatoes and carrots to spinach and lettuce.
Mr. Speaker, reducing the cost of living is one of the five strategic initiatives of the 16th Legislative
Assembly. One way to accomplish this is to increase the amount of food that is produced and available at the local level.
Gardens have been established in many Northwest Territories communities through the support of the Small Scale Foods Program under the Canada-Northwest Territories Growing Forward Agreement and the hard work of residents throughout the Territory. This is a key step in providing affordable, healthy food for Northwest Territories residents.
While it’s called the Small Scale Foods Program, there’s nothing small about the benefits this program is producing in our Territory. It is reducing the cost of living. It is also diversifying local economies and putting healthy, locally grown food on the table.
Mr. Speaker, there are many more opportunities for the Northwest Territories to increase local food production. The Government of the Northwest
Territories is working with communities to develop our capacity to harvest our own local resources.
We are aiming higher and we are looking to maximize the benefits of local food production for Northwest Territories residents.
In fact, with strategic investments of $700,000 being made this fiscal year, we can expand not only the production of food to include meat and fish, but also develop the ability to process food for markets throughout the Northwest Territories.
This work will have its challenges, but they are not insurmountable and our work can be successful.
By making these investments, we can have bigger impact at the local level, reducing the cost of living, creating jobs and developing more self-sufficient, vibrant communities. There is no reason why we can’t have food produced in the Northwest Territories sold in every grocery store, hotel and restaurant in the Northwest Territories.
Through initiatives like the Small Scale Foods Program, the Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to a diversified economy, reducing the cost of living and supporting local residents in making healthy local choices.
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Minister’s Statement 59-16(5): Local Food Production
Ministers’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice , Mr. Lafferty .
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Minister’s Statement 60-16(5): Community Justice Review
Ministers’ Statements
Monfwi
Jackson Lafferty
Minister of Justice
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to inform Members that results of the Community Justice Review will be available later this fall.
Our Community Justice Program has been in place for the last 15 years and it’s been one of the most successful in the country. For the past several years, almost all of our communities have entered into partnerships with our department to deliver local justice programs. They are committed to find ways to address their local justice issues with responses and solutions that they develop on their own. It’s a healthy and sustainable volunteer system of alternative justice.
Not all the committees are at the same level. Some are very successful. They keep kids and adults out of court, operate crime prevention programs, and
get the whole community involved. Others are just starting to explore options on the best way to address local justice issues. We did this review because we wanted to find out what does and does not work. We want to do a better job of supporting all of our people and strengthening their role in prevention.
This review started in 2009. We did eight site visits and asked people from all over the Northwest Territories for their ideas. What’s working? What’s not working? What could be strengthened with our extra help? What do they see in other places that might work at home?
We heard that communities want consistent training and financial support to address their staffing issues. Some of our committees have constant turnover of their coordinators. That can make it tough to get and maintain a restorative justice program. They want standardized procedures and practices so that everyone is doing the same thing. They want enhanced communications so that they can learn from each other. They want more partnerships with the RCMP, local government and agencies. We think we can help with these things.
This is just the beginning. We are developing an action plan and will come to the Standing Committee on Social Programs with a proposal. We agree that we can do more through increasing connections with the RCMP and victim services. Community justice is a range of services, not just one thing. It supports local needs and reflects local priorities. I look forward to discussing this with the committee.
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Minister’s Statement 60-16(5): Community Justice Review
Ministers’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources , Mr. Miltenberger .
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Minister’s Statement 61-16(5): Waste Reduction Week
Ministers’ Statements
Michael Miltenberger
Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, October 18th to 24th is Waste Reduction Week in
Canada. This week is an opportunity to provide residents with information about the environmental ramifications of wasteful practices and to encourage all of us to reduce, reuse and recycle.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has organized a number of activities to celebrate Waste Reduction Week. Random acts of greenness include a clothing swap, a cell phone and rechargeable battery recycling opportunity, a litterless lunch workshop and potluck, daily waste reduction tips, and ideas on how to reduce, reuse and recycle.
The GNWT is committed to conserving our natural resources and protecting our environment. Waste reduction and recovery are a key component of this commitment.
In the hierarchy of waste management, the gold medal goes to reducing the amount of waste that we produce. Reduction is the most important action in waste management. The silver medal is for reusing and the bronze medal is awarded for recycling.
The department is finalizing plans to implement phase II of the Single-Use Retail Bag Program on February 1, 2011. Phase II will extend the 25 cent environmental fee on single-use retail bags to all retail stores in the Northwest Territories. Each household will receive two highly compact reusable bags through the mail this weekend as part of this program implementation. Revenue generated from the Single-Use Retail Bag Program will go into the Environment Fund and will be used to fund the expansion of waste reduction and recovery activities in the NWT.
As Members are aware, this program is intended to reduce litter on the land. By limiting and ultimately eliminating our consumption of single-use retail bags, we are achieving the gold standard of waste reduction and management.
The Northwest Territories Liquor Commission is also introducing its own reusable bag program next month. Liquor stores will be offering reusable bags made of recyclable materials at an affordable price. The bags will feature northern scenes that will change as supplies are reordered. The existing paper bags will continue to be offered for a few months to allow customers time to transition to the new reusable bags.
Over the past five years, ENR has implemented a number of waste reduction and recovery programs. These include the Beverage Container Program, which was recently expanded to include milk containers, the Waste Paper Products Initiative and phase I of the Single-Use Retail Bag Program. The department will also be researching electronic waste programs this winter.
Mr. Speaker, Waste Reduction Week is an opportunity for all of us to remember the importance of reducing our consumption and protecting the environment for future generations. I invite all NWT residents to reduce, reuse and recycle this week and every week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Minister’s Statement 61-16(5): Waste Reduction Week
Ministers’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger . The honourable Premier , Mr. Roland .
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Minister’s Statement 62-16(5): Minister Absent From The House
Ministers’ Statements
Floyd Roland
Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Robert C. McLeod will be absent from the House today to attend to a personal family matter.
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Minister’s Statement 62-16(5): Minister Absent From The House
Ministers’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Roland . Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake , Mr. Ramsay .
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International Stuttering Awareness Day
Members’ Statements
David Ramsay
Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize International Stuttering Awareness Day, which takes place tomorrow. In supporting this awareness, I’d also like to recognize a former constituent, Ms. Karen Hollett, who is with us in the gallery today, who recently published a book about a young girl who stutters. A heart-warming story, Hooray for Aiden, was written by Ms. Hollett, who knows firsthand how challenging life can be for a young person who stutters. It is an excellent book that shows how a young grade 2 student named Aiden overcomes her fear of speaking in class and about how people who stutter can be anything they want to be.
Mr. Speaker, stuttering affects 5 percent of young children during the years they’re learning to speak. Often this disability has negative consequences on a person’s self-confidence and self-acceptance. But there are effective treatments for both children and adults. Typically, the earlier a child gets help, the better the outcome. There are many resources out there, Mr. Speaker, for parents, educators and school counsellors who work with children or adults who stutter. The Canadian Stuttering Association has an excellent website at stutter.ca, and Ms. Hollett has a great website at hooraypublishing.com.
Stuttering, Mr. Speaker, is a disability that doesn’t get talked about very much, but it can have a devastating effect on school children who are teased by their peers. Hooray for Aiden is a book that belongs in all school libraries across our Territory. As a teaching tool it will inspire a child who stutters or perhaps has another disability, and will educate children who don’t.
Mr. Speaker, I highly recommend the book and encourage all Members to read it and to share it with young people in their communities, and that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment look at putting a copy of Hooray for Aiden in each and every school across our Territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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International Stuttering Awareness Day
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .
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Condolences To The Family Of Reverend Ellen Bruce
Members’ Statements
David Krutko
Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to send my condolences to the Bruce family of Old Crow on the passing of their mother, their grandmother and,
more importantly, a very important figure in the Gwich’in region.
Mr. Speaker, the Gwich’in people from across the Northwest Territories will be gathering today in Old Crow for the passing of Reverend Ellen Bruce. Ellen was the first northern aboriginal woman to be ordained in the Anglican Church and also was a member of the Order of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Reverend Bruce is well known for her work with the church, but more importantly, working with the Gwich’in people and retaining the Gwich’in culture and language. She also was very easy and approachable to share her wisdom and her knowledge with everyone who knew her.
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity this summer to spend time in Aklavik with Ellen, her daughter Bella, and Freddy Greenland in Aklavik, where she’d spent a lot of time over the last couple of years visiting family, relatives, and mostly her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, Ms. Bruce will pass as one of those unique people that we meet in our lifetimes, who basically made you feel welcome every time you meet her, but more importantly, knowing that her beliefs in God, and more importantly, the importance of working together and retaining our culture and taking care of our fellowmen.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I would like to pass my condolences up to the people in Aklavik, for Old Crow and, more importantly, the Bruce family and for all the people who take their time to remember Ellen Bruce in her passing. Thank you.
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Condolences To The Family Of Reverend Ellen Bruce
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Krutko . The honourable Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .
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Norman Wells Potato Harvest
Members’ Statements
Norman Yakeleya
Sahtu
Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. My statement is about blood, sweat and good teamwork.
Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu is the most remarkable place. The largest lake, Bear Lake, in Canada, is the first ice hockey game in Canada, the CANOL Trail, and now due to the true grit and determination of a couple of northern farmers, Norman Wells has become the potato capital of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, it began with some discouraging results: a poor crop of small potatoes last year. Mr. Speaker, that didn’t stop Doug Whiteman, owner of Green Enterprises. With some advice from PEI potato farmers, and somehow from his friend Brian Likochas, he had a great harvest this year.
Mr. Whiteman and Mr. Likochas mixed cattle manure into a soil and improved their harvesting techniques. Their reward was more than 9,000 pounds of potatoes. These are big potatoes, Mr.
Speaker, averaging about a pound each. They are 100 percent organic grown red potatoes. They are tasty and they can compete with the prices in the Northern Store.
People from Norman Wells are buying these northern spuds. People from Tulita and Fort Good Hope have been taking them home by boatloads. I think there is a song coming with that, Mr. Speaker; however, I will wait.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Whiteman received financial aid from the Government of the Northwest Territories through Industry, Tourism and Investment that helped to purchase a tractor and an industrial Rototiller. Mr. Speaker, with the success of this good news, Mr. Whiteman also has 70 turkeys --and, no, we are not the turkey capital of the Northwest Territories --
---Laughter
...and chickens. He had a good year growing carrots too. I hope his success will encourage others in the Sahtu and people in the Northwest Territories to start producing vegetables for their families and to have a cash crop. Perhaps others will get into the self-sufficiency attitude, and this way, Mr. Speaker, communities will become less reliant on imported produce, and produce more and become more self-reliant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Norman Wells Potato Harvest
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe , Mr. Beaulieu .
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Winter Road To Lutselk’e
Members’ Statements
Tom Beaulieu
Tu Nedhe
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be talking about Lutselk’e and their desire to have a winter road to the community from Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, here in the NWT we have many communities that are isolated with no road access in and out of their community. These communities know all too well the challenges of living in their isolated communities. Lutselk’e is one such community. However, Mr. Speaker, unlike many isolated communities, Lutselk’e does not have the benefit of a winter road.
While residents in other communities can drive in and out of their community anytime they wish to in the winter road season, Lutselk’e residents must continue to pay as much as $400 each time they leave the community and come to Yellowknife. Sometimes that is just the beginning of their journey, Mr. Speaker.
To put it another way, when it comes to Christmas shopping, a family of four coming from Lutselk’e will pay close to $1,600 just to get here and back. That doesn’t include meals and accommodation, so at the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, there is not much
left for shopping. It is just one of many examples of the disadvantages of having no winter road access.
Mr. Speaker, I know the government did consider the idea of a winter road to Lutselk’e before and deemed it too costly when compared to the status quo of using barges. Mr. Speaker, just because the government thinks it is not feasible, that shouldn’t be the end of the idea. What about the needs of the people and communities? With that kind of thinking and to be really cost efficient, everybody could be living in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, the government must revisit the matter at this time and exercise due diligence and fully engage the people of Lutselk’e to make this work.
For example, Mr. Speaker, they will tell you that there is some uncertainty with the barge this summer. We all know the water levels have dropped to record lows and if the water levels continue to drop over the coming summer, it will force the issue. To avoid the issue, we need to start working on this now.
Mr. Speaker, some winter roads in the NWT are as long as 300 kilometres. With a 125-kilometre road into Thor Lake on a regular basis, it would only take another 115 kilometres to reach Lutselk’e.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
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Winter Road To Lutselk’e
Members’ Statements
Tom Beaulieu
Tu Nedhe
So, Mr. Speaker, it is within reach, and with the cooperation of industry I believe we can finally get a winter road to Lutselk’e.
Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Winter Road To Lutselk’e
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro
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International Stuttering Awareness Day
Members’ Statements
Wendy Bisaro
Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members already know now, tomorrow, October 22nd , is International Stuttering Awareness Day, and
I’m going to use my statement today to talk about stuttering.
Statistics show that in the NWT alone approximately 500 children and adults could be affected by stuttering, but it’s a little known, little acknowledged condition, Mr. Speaker. We don’t often speak about it. Stuttering is a condition which we as a society are uncomfortable with. It’s a disability that’s kept in the shadows, one that nobody talks about.
For differing reasons, people with a stuttering disability tend to avoid being out in the public. They
cut themselves off from the world to avoid speaking. But when humans remove themselves from society, it has devastating consequences for both the individual and for societies. That’s because we as human beings are social creatures, Mr. Speaker. We learn through socializing and personal interaction, and that means talking to each other. We preserve our history through oral stories, the spoken word passed down from generation to generation. Thankfully society has come a long way in our acceptance of people with disabilities. We now include them in our regular school classes. We welcome the diversity they bring to our communities and our workplaces.
Stuttering, however, is a disability that children still report being teased and bullied about and children can outgrow stuttering, but many do not. It’s a condition which can be helped, it can be modified, it can even be cured, and any child who stutters should be assessed by a speech language pathologist. The earlier a child gets help, the better he or she is.
So what can we do to accommodate stutterers? We can accept them as valued members of our society, just as they are. We can encourage them when conversing by making eye contact and not looking away. We can encourage them by not finishing their sentence, just be patient and give them time to say what they have to say.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to also honour Ms. Karen Hollett, who is here with us today. Karen recently published her first book Hooray for Aiden. She is the author and the publisher of the book and, again, it’s about a young girl who stutters. The book itself has received rave reviews from North American and British stuttering associations. Congratulations on your achievement, Karen, well done.
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International Stuttering Awareness Day
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .
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Foster Family Week
Members’ Statements
Jane Groenewegen
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that this is Foster Family Awareness Week and I would like to use my Member’s statement today to recognize foster families in the Northwest Territories.
Ideally every child would be raised in their own home by their own parent or parents in a safe, secure and nurturing environment, but, Mr. Speaker, we know that circumstances in life do not always allow that to happen. In those situations, Mr. Speaker, it’s very important that we have parents and families that will come forward and take children into their home and treat them and raise them as if they are their own. Mr. Speaker, without
this resource, we as a government would be very hard pressed to provide a solution or a suitable alternative to these homes that these children are able to be placed in.
Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand the rewards and challenges of fostering and I would like to, today, extend a heartfelt thank you to the homes, to the parents, to the families who open their hearts to children who need temporary families, whether it be for a short time or a long time, and for this really working together as partners with us as a government to ensure these children are taken care of. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Foster Family Week
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . The honourable Member for Great Slave , Mr. Abernethy .
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Foster Family Week
Members’ Statements
Glen Abernethy
Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is Foster Family Week and I’d like to follow my colleague’s direction and thank the foster families of the Northwest Territories.
Foster families provide children with love and support all year, every year. This is truly a gift to the children and to the future of our Territory.
We heard the compassion and dedication behind this gift from many of the foster parents during the Social Programs committee’s review of the Child and Family Services Act. Some foster parents take children into their homes for short stays, but some for much longer. Some foster parents are part of the children’s extended family. They are filling a great need in the Northwest Territories and new foster families are always in demand from a range of cultural backgrounds.
In Yellowknife there are more than 3 percent of children in foster care. That’s a shocking number when you think about it. That’s the 2009 figure from our local health and social services authority. In the Northwest Territories there are more than 600 children in care, including more than 200 in permanent custody. Not all are in foster care, but most are. This shows great needs and great problems that we face in all of our communities.
We are, indeed, lucky to have so many families who open their homes and their hearts to the children in need. We are lucky to have foster parents who help the kids with their schoolwork and get them involved in sports, take them hunting and show them healthy love and respect.
From all accounts, fostering is both rewarding and challenging, and I would like to once again take this opportunity to thank the many foster parents in the Northwest Territories for their continued dedication and support of our children.
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Foster Family Week
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . The honourable Member for Nunakput , Mr. Jacobson .
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Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Members’ Statements
Jackie Jacobson
Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I did a Member’s statement on the power disruption in Ulukhaktok and how people worked together to get through the problem. I heard on the radio last week, in Inuvik the power surge caused damage to people’s equipment, such as TVs, stereos, computers and other equipment.
There are probably not very many long-term Northerners who have not had equipment damaged in power surges, but you can only imagine my surprise when I heard the Power Corporation was paying compensation to the Inuvik residents for these damages. No one has ever made the offer to the residents of Ulukhaktok or Paulatuk or any other constituency I represent before. I need to learn how to get signed up for this program.
The radio announcer said the Power Corporation was apologizing for the surge and the damages that it caused and the Power Corporation will pay for the damages it has caused. I don’t think I’ve ever heard those words come from the Power Corporation before. In fact, advertisements in the paper told me that the Power Corporation would be making compensation for damages. I guess there’s a first time for everything.
I wonder if the residents in the communities could become eligible for this kind of program. I see many damaged TVs, computers and printers in the communities that I represent and handled many complaints against the Power Corporation, but nothing was ever resolved. I never knew that the residents in the Nunakput communities could get compensation.
I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time.
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Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .
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Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Members’ Statements
Kevin A. Menicoche
Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, I phoned the community of Wrigley recently and told them the ferry services to Wrigley are very important to them. This is what I’m going to be talking about today. [Translation ends]
…closure of the Ndulee ferry. Tentatively, the Department of Transportation is looking at Monday, October 25th . The community has requested until
October 31, 2010. The closure will have a big
impact on the residents because they do not have a full-time store. They’re also awaiting shipment for their small concession store of staple items that they have need for. They’re also awaiting equipment for their business arm, and residents get faced with exceptional air charter costs because of the new rule of not allowing residents to land at a temporary airstrip on the highway.
The early closure will have the most impact on those with low income, pensioners and those on social assistance. They get their monthly stipend at the end of this month.
On behalf of the residents of the community of Wrigley, I request the Minister of Transportation request his department to seriously consider the request of the community.
In Minister Bob McLeod ’s statement he confirms that reducing the cost of living is one of our five strategic initiatives of our government. We pride ourselves each time we do that. This small request for a one-week extension to the Ndulee ferry operation is consistent with our goal and at a very small cost.
Last year at this time the residents of Wrigley faced many challenges financially from an early closure. This time, will the Minister of Transportation ensure that the story is different and do anything he can in his power to hear the needs of the community of Wrigley?
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Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . The honourable Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .
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Small Business Week
Members’ Statements
Bob Bromley
Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s also Small Business Week and I want to join in saluting these local engines of our economies and communities.
As Members know from my many statements, small business is what it’s all about for a healthy and enduring economic future. Small businesses pour their benefits throughout our communities. They build the local tax base and grace our streets as a focus for not only our business but our social lives. Small businesses keep our dollars in the community to be spent again and multiply the benefits of local purchasing. Small businesses mean local jobs, providing opportunity, and allowing people to stay in their communities among their families and friends.
Small businesspeople are community-active people. They share their energy through volunteerism, contribution to local sports, cultural events and charities. Small businesses are contagious, providing customers and business partners for the growth of new firms to expand our economies.
As large projects come and go, small businesses provide the service base for the Northwest Territories workers we want living here at home and working on our major developments, not flying to their homes and provinces...
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Small Business Week
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Mr. Bromley , your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
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Small Business Week
Members’ Statements
Bob Bromley
Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
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Small Business Week
Members’ Statements
Bob Bromley
Weledeh
I don’t mind saying that the small business community in my riding is amongst the most vibrant in Canada, certainly in Yellowknife. Our nutritious and renewable fisheries products come to the dockside in Weledeh for everyone to enjoy. Weaver and Devore is an historical business centrepiece of the city, the oldest continually operating business in Yellowknife. The traditions of bush pilots live on in the float bases that are the transportation mainstay and a tourism charm.
Deton’Cho, the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, is establishing its place as a significant player in well-capitalized enterprises. Lutra Associates encompasses the meaning of progressive socio-economic policy development.
I could go on and on. They are all run by local people paying their taxes in the NWT and building our human and community capacity through their efforts.
We owe a lot to our small business entrepreneurs. Please join with me in congratulating them on their achievements and vital contributions, and thank you for your consideration in allowing me to conclude my statement.
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Small Business Week
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Bromley . My apologies for that. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre , Mr. Hawkins .
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On-Line Petitions
Members’ Statements
Robert Hawkins
Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to highlight on-line petitions in my Member’s statement.
I am very pleased that the Legislative Assembly will soon be accepting on-line petitions here. It’s a new form of democracy being created right before our eyes, and I intend to promote this option to all the residents of Yellowknife Centre as well as throughout the North to all our northern constituents. I certainly hope Northerners will consider using this site to submit their petitions and make sure their voice is heard in this Assembly.
I was in favour of this direction from the start of our deliberations and I think that on-line petitions are a great way to ensure that there’s broad participation on democratic issues that affect the North.
Take issues like supplementary health benefits. It’s polarized Northerners from tip to tip to tip of our northern territory. This way we can ensure we hear their voice collectively, in one petition.
In 2000 the Scottish Parliament became the first Legislature to accept on-line petitions and formally launched its system in 2004. As I understand it, many European Legislatures now offer the ability to submit on-line petitions. The National Assembly of Quebec has recently established an on-line petition service for its residents. And our very own, the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, will become the second Legislature in Canada and, as I understand it, in North America, to have this feature.
Mr. Speaker, this Assembly has taken a huge step forward in delivering democracy to its constituents and I have to assure you that even if it has low uptake, the fact is we are providing access to our constituents, which is one of the purposes of why we’re here.
So I hope that this on-line service will mean that more MLAs will receive more petitions from their concerned constituents, rather than having their voice of silence because they’re not sure what to do. It seems to me the likelihood is that there will be more frequent petitions come forward and hopefully this government will hear concerns of the people by the people.
All in all, I think on-line petitions are a great way to increase communication in that outreach to our constituents. I want to thank the Members of this Assembly for their support of this initiative, especially the Members of the Rules and Procedures committee.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Speaker, as you soon will be launching this new initiative formally here as an opportunity for Northerners to make sure they are fully in touch with their Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Members.
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On-Line Petitions
Members’ Statements
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe , Mr. Beaulieu .
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Committee Report 3-16(5): Report On The Review Of The Child And Family Services Act: Building Stronger Families
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tom Beaulieu
Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to read the report, the Child and Family Services Act review.
Overview - The Way Forward
The grim legacy of residential schools continues under the current child and family services system.
From Fort Liard to Ulukhaktok, members of the Standing Committee on Social Programs heard these sentiments hundreds of times. Families lose their children instead of getting help to cope; children are sent away to distant foster parents instead of to the homes of extended family. Alcohol and other addictions ravage families and communities but there are few practical avenues for treatment, and little or no local support for those who do strive to break free.
The stories are all too real. Families across the Northwest Territories have suffered incredible tragedy and heartbreak in the past 80 years. First, severe flu epidemics took a terrible toll. Then, as families struggled to rebuild and recover, their children were taken away and sent to residential schools, often hundreds of kilometres away, with no way to get there but dog team. Communities emptied of young children were left to mourn; the children grew up without parents, missing the love and knowledge they deserved. This devastating practice went on for decades. The effects, spanning four generations, are still being felt today.
Testimony from our communities is supported by the shocking fact that more than 90 percent of child welfare cases involve aboriginal children. The causes are rooted in a long history of discrimination, assimilation, trauma and cultural loss in residential schools, social inequality and poverty, poor housing, and the lack of focus on prevention and support for families in need by child welfare services.
Community input is also consistent with the
evidence of professionals in the field, which shows that many parents involved in child welfare cases are victims themselves. A comprehensive 2003 study found that in 88 percent of cases, the female caregiver suffered from a physical, emotional, cognitive or behavioural issue, and was the victim of domestic abuse 73 percent of the time. In 38 percent of cases, the female caregiver disclosed that she was herself maltreated as a child, as did 23 percent of the men. The male parent in child welfare cases is a perpetrator of domestic violence in 41 percent of cases. Alcohol and drug abuse are prevalent among both parents.
But that is not the end of the story. In its review of the Child and Family Services Act, the committee heard that changes must be made both to the legislation and to the way it is delivered. Many objectives of the act are simply not being met. However, Members also heard that there is hope, that the communities want to take responsibility for their children, that a new relationship can be built with the Department of Health and Social Services. It is in this spirit that the committee offers its recommendations for change. In fact, committee members believe change is already underway. In the interest of building stronger families, the
Minister of Health and Social Services assigned child and family services’ staff to tour the communities with us to hear directly from the people.
The committee came away from the tour with great confidence in local leadership and the communities’ ability to play a key role in improving the child welfare system.
We were given a great deal of excellent advice, and there is more of it in the pages that follow. Here are the essential recommendations, from which the rest flow:
Recommendation 1
Focus on prevention and early intervention, helping families stay together and heal; including expansion of the Healthy Families Program into every community.
Recommendation 2
Take the least intrusive measures possible to deliver child welfare services, with increased emphasis on collaborative processes to solve family problems.
Recommendation 3
Set up and fund child and family services committees in every community, as set out in the act, providing resources to communities taking more responsibility for child welfare.
Recommendation 4
Provide alcohol and drug treatment, readily accessible and convenient to all communities.
Recommendation 5
Extend child and family services to youth aged 16 to 19, with provisions to assist young adults to age 23.
Recommendation 6
Improve the administration of child and family services by updating procedures, with particular emphasis on increasing extended family placements, custom adoptions and community-based solutions.
Recommendation 7
Develop a comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy that includes coordinating the work and policies of the departments of Health and Social Services; Education, Culture and Employment; Justice; and the NWT Housing Corporation in areas related to child welfare, such as social assistance, legal aid and housing.
Recommendation 8
Develop a strategic plan at the Department of Health and Social Services, incorporating the recommendations of this report, starting with a response to this report within 120 days.
Mr. Speaker, prevention and early intervention have traditionally been given low priority by the Department of Health and Social Services, but some positive steps have been taken in recent years to support families needing help. The Healthy Families Program is available to families, beginning with pregnancy and extending to children up to age five. The program features home visits to promote positive parenting, healthy childhood growth, and parent-child bonding as well as referrals to other community services. This is an excellent example of the direction child and family services should take.
Unfortunately, the Healthy Families Program is only running in four large communities. The program is under-resourced and must be expanded and available in all communities.
Only the community of Fort McPherson has ever had a local child and family services committee, although provisions for them were made in the act in 1998. By setting up these committees, the department can rebuild its relationship with the communities, put local knowledge to good use, and shift its focus to prevention and early intervention with troubled families. Extended families will be more likely to be involved in solutions to family problems; some communities will likely work to restore the traditional role of elders. To be effective, child and family services committees must be properly funded and supported.
Current practice has focused much of child and family services’ work on families embroiled in crisis, and on the legal steps necessary when children enter custody of some kind. Far too often, apprehension becomes a permanent “solution,” removing the child from his or her family and community. More than a third of the 600 children receiving child welfare services in the Northwest Territories are in permanent custody. Adjusted for our population, we place more children in out-of-home care than any jurisdiction in Canada. This can, and must, change. Less intrusive measures can keep more families together and keep more children in their home communities.
Time and again, the committee was told that child neglect and maltreatment are rooted in alcohol and drug abuse. When children are removed from a family, it is common for the Plan of Care Agreement to require parents to complete an alcohol or drug treatment program. It is almost a guarantee of failure. Treatment often involves significant waiting times for centres that are far from home, and those who do succeed find little organized support for continued sobriety once they return home. In addition, the disparity of service and support is too great between large and small communities. This too must change.
It is well known that the years of young adulthood can be among the most challenging of our lives. Young people in the child welfare system, from age
16 to 19, are disadvantaged in our current system, to the point that their human rights are compromised. The gap in services for this age group was first raised in 1977 and remains to this day. In this instance, the act must be changed to require the director of child and family services to offer the same services to young adults as children receive, and further, to extend the director’s parental responsibility for permanent wards to age 23.
There are other barriers affecting children and families, falling under the departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Justice, and the NWT Housing Corporation. Many of these barriers can be reduced with coordinated action guided by a comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy. It is important that social assistance augments child and family services’ work; that families facing court hearings have good access to legal aid; that a family temporarily losing custody of children has a home to live in when they are reunited.
An alarming proportion of child welfare cases arise among tenants of public housing, telling us that we need to look at the circumstances and supports available to families in public housing. The committee heard about problems in all these areas and they must be solved.
The hard truth is that many problems with our child welfare system are decades old, and we have not done enough to address them or their causes. A review by the Child Welfare League of Canada in 2000 is still instructive today: too little was being done to help families, through prevention and early intervention; families were forgotten after children were removed; staff caseloads were too high; there were problems with recruitment and training; and there was a lack of aboriginal staff, especially in management.
That said, without the amazing dedication and good-heartedness of many individual social workers and foster parents, our system would be far worse. These people regularly go beyond the call of duty, and find ways to help children and families. This group of people will be invaluable in improving child welfare in the future. In a small system like ours, even a handful of people can make a huge difference.
Mr. Speaker, most of the changes we advise can be made or started immediately. That is the recommendation of the committee. We also recognize that some of our most important recommendations will require investment. The committee believes very strongly that the future of NWT children and families warrants this investment. Services to protect and build strong families will benefit our children and our communities. As legislators, we must set priorities to see this through. That is what our constituents want and expect.
We thank everyone who assisted us in this review. Thank you to all those who attended the community hearings, who shared their stories and experiences, to those who made written submissions, to the department of child and family services staff who worked with us, and to all those who enabled our work. It is now our aim, and our duty, to begin making the changes required to build stronger families and communities. The people of the NWT deserve nothing less.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker, and now Mr. Bromley will continue reading our report. Thank you.
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Committee Report 3-16(5): Report On The Review Of The Child And Family Services Act: Building Stronger Families
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .
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Committee Report 3-16(5): Report On The Review Of The Child And Family Services Act: Building Stronger Families
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Bob Bromley
Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Make Prevention And Family Support A Core Component Of Child And Family Services’ Operational
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Bob Bromley
Weledeh
Overview
The persistent high rates of child maltreatment in the NWT are a cause of great concern. The reactionary, crisis-response mode that child and family services operates in has not, and is not, solving child welfare problems, nor will it be able to in the future without serious changes.
Maltreatment is damaging children’s health and development, with dire consequences to our society. Maltreated children are more likely than others to suffer from physical, psychological and social problems that continue well after maltreatment has ended; for most, into adulthood. Victims of maltreatment often enter the child welfare system, which is very costly in itself.
If we consider all the costs of case management, administration, services to families and children, foster care, adoption services, hospitalization, mental health care and law enforcement that stem directly from maltreatment, the expense is alarmingly high. The cost to children and their families, in human terms, is beyond calculation. In that light, child and family services must make proactive prevention and family support a core component of its Child Welfare and Protection Strategy.
The Child and Family Services Act not only allows the director to provide prevention services to children and families, but emphasizes this approach. Although there are currently a few prevention programs supported by child and family services, such as the Healthy Families Program, these programs are starved for resources and lack capacity to take on more clients. The unfortunate reality is that crisis cases eat up the lion’s share of child welfare resources. This crisis-response mode is not sustainable.
Alcohol and drug-related child neglect, followed closely by domestic violence, is the number one
cause of children being referred to child and family services. The majority of the parents involved live in poverty and struggle with mental health issues. To address those issues, it is important that government develop a stronger and more effective social safety net as part of its Anti-Poverty Strategy, considering child welfare programs in the process. There is a great need for better coordination of government services.
Although prevention of child maltreatment requires a government-wide approach, child and family services plays the key role. During the committee’s visits to the communities, members heard how many parents, especially young parents, would benefit from counselling and support groups. We need to vastly improve pre- and post-natal care and parenting skills, offer respite services and child care, plus in-home supports and home visitation programs. Investing in these prevention programs early will reduce the demand for protection services in the near future.
Prevention Services and Supports
1. Amend the act to:
a) mandate prevention and early intervention;
include a presumption of prevention and early intervention in the principles of the act;
b) include the presumption of working with
and providing support to the whole family to address protection concerns and develop policy and standards to support this change;
c) mandate community-based services that
must be provided by the director in all communities;
d) oblige the director of child and family
services to consider first local, then regional, and finally territorial treatment options for cases requiring alcohol and drug treatment or rehabilitation;
e) require the director to provide adequate
timely support to parents requiring alcohol or drug treatment or rehabilitation so that they are able to complete terms in the Plan of Care Agreement within a reasonable time frame.
2. Develop a comprehensive strategy to provide
resources and capacity for prevention and early intervention programming.
3. Work with departments and organizations such
as Education, Culture and Employment; NWT Housing Corporation; Justice; Health and Social Services; and the RCMP, to improve coordination of services and supports, at both the policy and delivery levels.
4. Ensure funding for prevention and early
intervention programming in every community,
and present a budget for it to the Legislative Assembly in the 2011-12 budget session.
5. Expand prevention services at the local level
by delegating responsibility and providing support to community agencies.
6. Expand the Healthy Families Program to all
communities with high priority.
7. Develop policy to allow the director to provide
financial support to families in emergency situations.
8. Encourage self-referrals and early intervention
by providing more voluntary services.
9. Develop policy that encourages the use of
supervision agreements and plan of care agreements before apprehension.
10. Provide in-home supports and services as a
means of keeping children safe in their homes.
11. Develop public education and community-
based parenting programs.
Develop services for collaborative crisis planning with families at risk of developing protection concerns, with particular focus on families with infants and youth (because these factors coincide with a high level of stress in the household).
13. Develop more resources for alcohol and drug
treatment and rehabilitation in each region and support local program alternatives.
14. Develop a policy regarding victims of domestic
violence that includes:
a) providing services and supports that allow
them to keep their children safely in their custody;
b) advocating for victims and supporting
them in criminal proceedings against the perpetrator;
c) providing temporary shelter and support to
allow victims and their children to leave their homes where abuse is taking place.
15. Provide grants and resources to community
organizations to provide community-based services and supports, including shelters, food banks, counselling resources, treatment programs, healing camps, on-the-land, et cetera.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass the baton to my colleague Ms. Bisaro to continue with the recommendations. Thank you.
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Make Prevention And Family Support A Core Component Of Child And Family Services’ Operational
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Bromley . The honourable Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .
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Make Prevention And Family Support A Core Component Of Child And Family Services’ Operational
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Wendy Bisaro
Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Take The Least Intrusive And Most Effective Measures To Deliver Child And Family Services
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Wendy Bisaro
Frame Lake
Overview
The legacy of the residential school system and the historically poor relationship between the communities and the department responsible for child protection continue to colour people’s present-day experience with child and family services. Their relationship is marred by lack of confidence and trust in the staff, the policy and procedures, and the administration of the Department of Health and Social Services.
In every community visited by the Social Programs committee during the review, there was unanimous agreement that child and family services’ interventions are too intrusive and damage children, their families and their communities. One reason for using intrusive measures such as apprehension, the committee found, was that when communication breaks down between families and child protection workers, the workers feel powerless and are inadequately trained to use alternative solutions to protect children.
The most effective way to reduce the number of children being taken into care, and to ensure that only those who absolutely must be taken from their parents’ custody are removed, is to use collaborative processes that focus on communication and alternative approaches to dispute resolution.
In order for parents and families to participate and communicate effectively with child and family services, it is necessary to use the least intrusive measures possible, develop advocacy tools to ensure that parents' rights are protected and allow them to participate more equitably, and engage the community in building the foundation for a new relationship with the department that is meant to serve them.
Least Intrusive Measures
16. Amend the act to:
a) add consideration for the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples to the Principles of the Act;
b) include the presumption of least intrusive
measures with special focus on prevention, early intervention and mediation;
c) include the presumption of working with
the whole family;
d) include the presumption of keeping
families together and reunifying separated children and families to the extent possible;
e) to allow the establishment of an early
intervention team for self-referred cases and cases where a referral was investigated and the child is not currently
in need of protection, but where protection concern exists. The early intervention team should be made up of:
i. the child protection worker,
ii. immediate and extended family
members,
iii. a member of the child’s band council
administration, and
iv. any professionals with sufficient
interest in the child.
17. Change the threshold for apprehension to
include:
a) a child should not be apprehended if the
protection concern would be alleviated by providing financial support or other social services to the family;
b) confirmation that the child protection
worker has considered and/or attempted to provide services which were ineffective in alleviating the protection concern.
18 Develop policy and practice that is culturally
appropriate for the NWT, with special emphasis on consideration for aboriginal culture, extended family support systems and a community-based approach.
Collaborative Process
19. Amend the act to include a presumption of
using collaborative processes, mediation and dispute resolution, from early intervention and throughout the protection process.
20. Integrate collaborative methods into policy and
standards, including dispute resolution, participatory planning and other tools to improve communication.
21. Include in the policy and procedures a meeting
with parents and families for the purpose of outlining all of the options available to them in the child protection process.
22. Language used in the act, in policy and in
practice, should be non-adversarial and contribute to a collaborative process, and building understanding and better communication.
23. A formal conflict resolution policy should be
developed by the Department of Health and Social Services that includes the use of dispute resolution techniques and third-party mediators, negotiators or arbitrators.
24. Use dispute resolution to allow placement or
return of the child to non-custodial parents, relatives and extended families as a means of avoiding apprehension.
Advocacy and Legal Process
25. Amend the act to:
a) revise
Section 85(1) and 85(2), to allow
the participation of advocates in all meetings between the child and/or parents, and staff of child and family services, court proceedings and case reviews. An advocate may include:
i. a legal professional or lawyer,
ii. a member of the extended family or a
friend,
iii. a member of the parents’ band
council administration,
iv. a member of an organization active in
the individual’s community, or
v. a professional with sufficient interest
in the individual.
b) Include that if the child is an aboriginal
child and belongs to a band council, notice should be served to the band council prior to both the apprehension hearing and the protection hearing;
c) make the affidavit available, with the
consent of the parents, to the band council of an aboriginal child, if a representative of the band council administration requests it;
d) formalize the child and parents’ rights to
legal counsel at all stages of the child protection process;
e) require full disclosure of the director’s files
for the purpose of the court process;
revise
Section 8(4) to provide meaningful access to legal recourse for victims of false reports, and consider other consequences for knowingly making a false report.
26. Establish a mechanism to ensure that every
child’s voice is heard, and that the child understands what is happening to them at every level of the child welfare system.
27. Develop a program for training child and family
services committees in such areas as human rights, the child protection process, and advocacy.
28. Encourage band administrations to participate
and advocate at all levels of the process and include them in training activities.
Work with the Department of Justice to address gaps in services provided by Legal Aid, by:
a) making lawyers more accessible early in
the child protection process;
b) providing resources for assessments and
expert witnesses;
c) extending the billable case management
time lawyers are allowed to work with clients.
30. Start dialogue with lawyers, courts and the
Department of Justice to:
integrate dispute resolution and collaborative processes into court processes;
b) build awareness of child welfare issues
and best practices.
Community Engagement
Develop a client service approach at the department and authority levels, supported in policy and procedure, as well as client service training for staff.
32. Enhance child and family services’ relationship
with the public by conducting more public education, training and workshops in communities, for both the public and staff.
33. Rewrite the act in plain language, with special
effort to avoid use of adversarial language and concepts.
34. Develop plain language policy and procedure
documents for public information; such as guides, “how to” resources, a website, and pamphlets for parents, families and children involved with the child protection system.
35. Develop policy and guidelines describing who
and under what circumstances information from case files may be shared.
Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would like to ask my colleague Mr. Abernethy to continue reading the recommendations. Thank you.
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Take The Least Intrusive And Most Effective Measures To Deliver Child And Family Services
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Member for Great Slave , Mr. Abernethy .
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Take The Least Intrusive And Most Effective Measures To Deliver Child And Family Services
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Glen Abernethy
Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Provide Quality Interventions And Services In Response To Child And Family Welfare Concerns
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Glen Abernethy
Great Slave
Overview
It became evident during the review that the department and its authorities face several major administrative challenges, including human resource management, supervision and oversight, monitoring and evaluation, data collection, technical support, and policy development. New approaches and strategies are required.
Case management and social work practice are also challenging the department, authorities and individual workers, reinforcing the need for regulation of social work practice, capacity building, and the development of new policies and procedures.
One of the primary functions of the department is to provide services that lessen the suffering and hardship of children, families and communities. The committee's findings show that poor program management and failed implementation of the act contribute to the challenges and hardships of residents of the North. To address this, the department must be able to provide, as a minimum, adequate services to children and youth in care and, ideally, services that help these individuals to thrive.
One key finding of the review is that youth are under-served by the Department of Health and Social Services, and other departments, and are falling into poverty, homelessness, violence and crime. This gap must be addressed, as unequal government services and supports for youth is a violation of their basic human rights.
To reduce child maltreatment and abuse across the territory, quality interventions and support services are required in every community. In the long term, quality interventions at an early stage will replace the volume of crisis-response interventions, which will eventually reduce both the human and financial costs of child protection.
Child and Family Services Administration
36. Amend the act to:
a) require the Legislative Assembly or a
committee of the Legislative Assembly designated or established by it to review the provisions and delivery of the Child and Family Services Act at the next session following each successive fifth anniversary of the tabling of this review in the Legislative Assembly;
b) require the director to develop a
monitoring and evaluation framework, reviewed and updated on a regular basis;
c) ensure regular reviews and updating of
policy and standards.
Required policy updates include:
i. apprehension
guidelines;
ii. guidelines for collaborative processes,
collaborative planning and dispute resolution;
iii. requiring the supervisors to approve
interventions;
iv. policy and guidelines for using least
intrusive measures;
v. guidelines for using supervision
agreements, voluntary services agreements and plan of care agreements as part of early intervention;
vi. guidelines on privacy and information
sharing that clearly indicate when, what and how to allow access to case information;
vii. guidelines for the provision of services
and supports for prevention and early intervention, after apprehension and after the child has been returned to the care of the parent(s);
viii. policy and procedures that minimize
the number of moves experienced by children in care.
37. Develop policy and guidelines that prevent
inappropriate and potentially harmful placements.
38. Develop a human resource strategy that
includes:
a) reducing
caseloads;
b) hiring more child protection workers and
social workers, with special focus on aboriginal recruitment;
c) using more lay workers where possible;
d) retention
planning;
e) providing regular and ongoing training and
support to child protection workers and social workers;
using legal clerks to assist staff with court documents.
39. Make updating the policy and standards
manual a priority by assigning staff to lead and manage the project, and complete it within a reasonable time frame.
40. Improve supervision and oversight by requiring
regular meetings, supervisory approval of interventions, and increasing visibility of supervisors.
41. Develop policy and standards for monitoring
and evaluation activities.
Replace the Child and Family Information System (CFIS) with a computer program that is up to date, user-friendly, and able to assist the department in improving case management, monitoring and evaluation, data collection, and planning.
Social Services Practice
43. Amend the act to mandate cultural training for
social workers and child protection workers.
44. Finalize the social work regulation process;
once complete, all designated child protection workers must be certified social workers.
45. Training for child protection workers should be
expanded, regular, and ongoing, and should include:
a) building practical understanding of the act
and familiarization with the policies, procedures and regulations;
b) training on human rights, the law, legal
processes and court documentation;
c) focus on understanding the options and
processes available under the act;
d) how to refer clients for prevention and
support services;
e) practical training in communication,
collaborative process and dispute resolution;
cross-cultural training relevant to the NWT;
g) case management and lease intrusive
measures;
h) training on the implementation of the
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPP) and how to share information within the limits of both ATIPP and the Child and Family Services Act.
46, Improve case management by developing
policy that includes:
a) regular meetings with clients, case review
and progress monitoring;
b) regular visits to children in care;
c) providing early intervention and prevention
services and supports for clients.
47. Ensure that expertise in mediation and dispute
resolution is available to both the department, and at the community level.
48. Create a “Best Interests Assessment” for use
by child protection workers during intervention planning to ensure that interventions are done in the best interests of the child.
49. Instead of the child protection worker, another
HSS staff person with training in collaborative processes and dispute resolution should have the responsibility of informing parents about the child protection process, their rights and responsibilities, and generally to provide assistance to parents and families.
Placement Services
50. Amend the act to:
a) allow the judge overseeing a protection
hearing to consider returning a child to a non-custodial parent or an extended family member who has regular care or contact with the child;
b) allow short-term extended family foster
placements with an expedited community screening process;
c) allow assisted fostering by extended
family, and develop policy to carry it out;
d) include the consideration of custom
adoption as a placement option and develop policy to implement it;
e) allow
assisted
adoptions;
f) include that the court can consider
placement and make a non-binding recommendation to the director;
g) require the child protection worker to
consider consulting the child’s extended family on placement arrangements and options.
51. Develop a database that flags case files when
children become eligible for adoption.
52. Enhance the foster family placement and
recruitment program to include:
a) a focus on aboriginal recruitment;
b) a more appropriate vetting process;
c) greater placement flexibility;
d) greater financial, social and other supports
for foster families;
e) emphasis on local placement.
53. Create more short-term non-foster placement
options, allowing flexibility for community input.
54. Develop therapeutic placement services that
include regular counselling and supervision, proper assessments and treatment of disabilities and special needs, and provide the special care that children in care generally require and deserve.
55. In policy, allow foster families to maintain
contact with children and, where possible, place children with the same foster families they have been placed with previously.
56. Develop policy and practice to keep siblings
together in placements to the greatest extent possible.
57. Develop policy and procedures to provide
financial, respite, training, and other services and supports to foster families.
Protection Services for Youth
58. Amend the act to:
a) require the director to offer the same
services to youth as to children;
b) define youth as a person from age 16
through 18, who may opt out of services and supports offered by the director, and opt back into services at a later time;
c) extend the director’s parental responsibility
for permanent wards to the age of 23 years;
d) require the director to provide services and
supports to children and youth
transitioning out of care and develop supporting policy.
59. Develop policy and standards that include
following up on children and youth after they have left the care of the director.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to pass the reading on to my colleague, Mr. Krutko . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Provide Quality Interventions And Services In Response To Child And Family Welfare Concerns
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .
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Provide Quality Interventions And Services In Response To Child And Family Welfare Concerns
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
David Krutko
Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Create Positive Outcomes For Children, Families And Communities
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
David Krutko
Mackenzie Delta
Overview
Positive outcomes will result from combining quality social services and interventions with activities that encourage community participation, ownership and empowerment. As an important step in developing better relations with the community, the department and its authorities must work with communities on all levels: project planning, implementation and evaluation. Empowering the communities to take responsibility for their own child protection and family services and supports would go a long way towards effectively managing cases of maltreatment and abuse in a culturally and contextually relevant way.
One of the key ways to empower a community is by developing community agreements, establishing local child and family services committees, and delegating authority. These provisions currently exist in the act, but major challenges prevent their implementation. These include the department's fear of risk and liability, gaps in community capacity, resource constraints, lack of public information and awareness in the communities, and lack of initiative at the department and authority levels to engage communities effectively.
Community Empowerment
60. Amend the act to:
a) require the director to actively pursue the
delegation of responsibilities to aboriginal and community organizations, as defined in the regulations;
b) require the Minister to enter into a
community agreement in each community, even if the agreement simply states that the community does not wish to acquire responsibilities from the department of child and family services.
61. Develop capacity for monitoring and oversight
at the department and authority levels that would be required with delegation of authority to community organizations.
62. Develop policy and standards for delegating
responsibilities and services to community organizations.
63. The department should develop a plan and
policy guidelines in preparation for devolution by working with the authorities and communities, including both aboriginal and non-aboriginal Northerners in the planning process.
64. Support and encourage interagency meetings
and coordination of services at the community level.
Community Agreements and Child and Family Services Committees
65. Amend the act to:
a) require the director to provide funds,
including a salary for a committee coordinator position and per diems for members, training and support to child and family services committees;
b) allow flexibility of mandate and function for
the child and family services committees so that communities can create a model appropriate to their culture and situation;
c) allow and encourage child and family and
services committee members to participate in all child protection processes and develop the supporting policy.
66. Assign one or more staff members to pursue
and administer the development of community agreements, community standards, and child and family services committees; provide public education and capacity building services to communities.
67. Community agreements should be designed to
develop understanding and consensus on contextually appropriate
definitions of neglect, harm and abuse.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, I’ll pass the reading onto Mr. Beaulieu .
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Create Positive Outcomes For Children, Families And Communities
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Krutko . The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe , Mr. Beaulieu .
Overview
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Create Positive Outcomes For Children, Families And Communities
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tom Beaulieu
Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The committee recognizes the health and welfare of families are influenced by a great many factors, many of which fall under the control of other divisions of the Department of Health and Social Services, or other GNWT departments altogether. Much can be achieved by taking a unified approach to improving services that often have a profound influence on child welfare.
68. The Department of Justice must increase its
support for legal aid, and ensure access to
legal aid for children and families involved with child and family services.
69. The NWT Housing Corporation must:
a) develop and implement policies to ensure
that child and family services’ clients are not prevented from reuniting their families due to loss of adequate housing under the control of NWTHC or local housing authorities;
b) ensure that its housing stock is fully
utilized, particularly in communities with shortages of public housing;
c) ensure flexibility in dealing with child and
family services clients.
70. The Department of Education, Culture and
Employment must review its income support and assistance programs, and ensure that:
a) support is sufficient for a family to live on;
b) support is delivered rapidly and efficiently,
as called for in current policy;
c) applications and enrolment are simple and
efficient;
d) renewals and updates of financial and
personal information are required in a reasonable time frame.
71. The Department of Health and Social Services
must expand its addictions treatment programs to include alcohol treatment convenient to every region, and a basic level of treatment and support in every community.
72. The Government of the Northwest Territories
must develop and implement a comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy, involving all appropriate departments, that includes full consideration of child welfare issues.
73. The Department of Health and Social Services
must develop a strategic plan incorporating the recommendations of this report, starting with a response to it within 120 days.
Mr. Speaker, that concludes the overview and recommendations contained in the report on the Review of the Child Family Services Act – Building Stronger Families.
On behalf of the committee, I wish to thank everyone who helped us in our review of the act and its implementation. I thank all those who shared their stories with us, the communities that spoke of their struggles with these issues and experts and professionals that provided invaluable information and contacts.
We would also like to thank the Minister and the department for their assistance over the last year. The Standing Committee on Social Programs views the presentation of this report to the House as just a
first step and we look forward to working with the Minister to implement these recommendations.
People spoke very strongly, Mr. Speaker. We cannot forget that. It’s long past time to deliver on years of promises to the people of the Northwest Territories. Together we can build stronger families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Motion To Receive Committee Report 3-16(5) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tom Beaulieu
Tu Nedhe
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave , that Committee Report 3-16(5) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Motion To Receive Committee Report 3-16(5) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order.
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Motion To Receive Committee Report 3-16(5) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Some Hon. Members
Question.
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Motion To Receive Committee Report 3-16(5) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Question has been called.
---Carried
Committee Report 3-16(5) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi , Mr. Lafferty .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Jackson Lafferty
Monfwi
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize in the gallery today two professors of social work from Alta, Norway. Jan Erik Hendrikson and Nina Hermanson are here with us today. These individuals work with the indigenous Saami people in Norway and are travelling to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut hoping to meet aboriginal groups and leaders to gain further understanding of the social services. They are accompanied by Dawn McInnes, manager of NWT victims’ services with the Department of Justice. Welcome. Mahsi.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . The honourable Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Wendy Bisaro
Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to recognize two constituents, a newly published author, Ms. Karen Hollett, and Bettylou Mcllmoyle, who is up behind me somewhere. Thank you.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South , Mr. Bob McLeod .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Bob McLeod
Yellowknife South
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Mr. Ian Burkheimer, who is the director of Partnerships with the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and accompanying him is Linda Ecklund, senior economist with ITI. Of course, I
have to recognize my constituent from Yellowknife South, Dawn McInnes.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake , Mr. Ramsay .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
David Ramsay
Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize all the visitors that we have in the gallery today and especially Ms. Karen Hollett, who I spoke of earlier for all the advocacy work she does on disability awareness. Thank you, Karen, and good luck with your book. Thank you.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . The honourable Member for Thebacha , Mr. Miltenberger .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Michael Miltenberger
Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize Ms. Betty Villebrun, president of the Northwest Territories Metis Nation; Ken Hudson, president of the Fort Smith Metis Local; and Paul Harrington, president of the Hay River Metis Local. Welcome and thank you for coming to the Assembly. I don’t often get a chance to recognize folks. Thank you.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger . The honourable Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Jane Groenewegen
Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize my constituent, Mrs. Davida Delorey, the closest thing to the first lady of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . I’d also like to recognize a constituent of mine, Mr. Paul Harrington in the gallery. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.
With that, colleagues, I’m going to call a short break for a press conference in the gallery and invite all our guests to join us in the Great Hall to mix with the committee. Thank you, colleagues.
---SHORT RECESS
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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
We will return to orders of the day. Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Kevin A. Menicoche
Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement regarding the concern of the residents of Wrigley and the impending closure of the Ndulee ferry. As I indicated, my constituents are very concerned. Last year at this time when the ferry
closed early, residents were faced with extreme additional costs. This time the residents are asking for an extension to the end of this month, October 31st , only because they have low-income people,
pensioners, people on social assistance that want to get out during that time to stock up on groceries for the two to two and a half months the crossing will be closed.
I would like to ask if the Minister of Transportation would give this year’s consideration and what is the plan for the Ndulee ferry at this point?
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation , Mr. Michael McLeod .
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Michael McLeod
Deh Cho
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve listened very carefully to the Member’s statement, like I always do. I have to point out a couple of things that the Member raised.
First of all, he mentioned that there are new laws restricting the landing of airplanes on the highway. That’s not a new law. That’s something that’s existed for quite some time now.
I’m not sure what gives the Member any indication that we’re pulling out the ferry. There has been no notice that we’ll be pulling out the ferry. The ferry will operate conditions permitting.
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Kevin A. Menicoche
Nahendeh
I did receive the memo from the Minister that I wrote last week. They did use the date of October 25th , that’s Monday, as a potential
date. Residents are concerned because they did get the same message from the Department of Transportation regional office in Fort Simpson. I just want to advise again that the residents have advised me that conditions are good and they don’t see the need for closing October 25th . I would once
again, on their behalf, ask the Minister to do everything in his power to see that we can run the ferry until October 31st .
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Michael McLeod
Deh Cho
I’m glad the letter referenced the letter that we sent him, because I thought he didn’t get it. In the letter we indicated that the probability would be that the 25th was the
date that weather would force us to close by. Weather conditions are what are going to dictate the operation of the ferry.
The ferry historically has run from anytime, or closed anytime from the 19th of October right to
November 1st and we’re going to make every effort
to keep running. Of course, the weather will dictate how long we can run. Ice conditions, of course, are going to be what’s going to factor in this and decide for us when we have to shut down.
I know that some members of the community of Wrigley and in the area are getting a little excited because there is some work going on at the slipways. That’s all preparation work for when the ferry is due to get pulled out. I wouldn’t translate
that as indication that we’re pulling out the ferry anytime right soon.
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Kevin A. Menicoche
Nahendeh
What type of plan is in place if shutdown is imminent, and how much warning can the community get? I know that sometimes they give 48-hour notice when they shut down in 24 hours. I’d like to ask the department to try to guard against that and try to give the community as much notice as possible. October 31st , if we can get it to
that date it will be an extreme benefit to the residents of the community.
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
Michael McLeod
Deh Cho
Of course, the longer we can run it, the more benefit it will be to the travelling public that utilizes that ferry. We expect that we’re going to have a warm spell here in the next couple of days and that will probably help us with the weather conditions. We still think the 25th is
going to be a date that we will probably be challenged with the weather and ice. We will follow normal protocol for notifying the community and the general public. Normally we advertise that there will be periodic closure well in advance, then we start giving the 48- and 24-hour notices that we will be pulling the ferry out. So everybody is aware, we’ll make sure that the Member responsible for this riding is notified along with the community leaders.
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Question 239-16(5): Delaying Closure Of Wrigley Ferry Service
Oral Questions
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nunakput , Mr. Jacobson .
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Jackie Jacobson
Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the power outages in Inuvik and the implementation of purchasing different microwaves, TVs and that for the community. Can the Minister tell me about the compensation policy at the Power Corporation that provided residents of Inuvik with payments for these damages?
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation , Mr. Roland .
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Floyd Roland
Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Power Corporation does have a claims policy in place that is available to every community as different things affect outages or problems. There have been many claims put in from different customers across the North. The reason that Inuvik is one that has been publicized is because it hit a large part of the community as a result of the outage and an overvoltage situation that fried many of the power bars and so on. In fact, when I was up in Inuvik it occurred and I happened to be in my office when my office one went out as well.
Because it hit such a large part of the community and it wasn’t isolated to one subdivision or another, it was a large part of the community, that’s the only
reason it has gone as public as it has. I will get a copy of the claims process and provide that to all Members.
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Jackie Jacobson
Nunakput
Can the Minister tell me that the residents of other communities all across the Territory, such as Paulatuk... I mean, we had the same issues over the last few years and once they did try to claim, they went so fast and persistent in giving the same service into the communities. Can the Minister tell me the residents of communities that are able to participate in this program?
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Floyd Roland
Inuvik Boot Lake
The residents of the Territories are eligible for this program if there is a claim or something that has occurred that caused the equipment failure in their residences or businesses. There is a process of evaluating those, and approvals that are in place, but I’ll get that policy and provide that to Members.
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Jackie Jacobson
Nunakput
Can the Minister provide some background on the compensation policy? When it was started, how many times it’s been used, what’s the cost? How much money is it going to cost the Power Corporation to provide all the purchasing of all this stuff in Inuvik?
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Floyd Roland
Inuvik Boot Lake
As I said, I’ll provide that claim process as well as get the update on the impact of the outage and the resulting overvoltage situation. I will provide that. The corporation holds an insurance package that allows for this to be dealt with in that manner as well.
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Roland . Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson .
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Jackie Jacobson
Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me, when something like this happens in small communities and the Power Corporation in Inuvik, what’s the outreach that the Power Corporation Inuvik office is doing to help community members?
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
Floyd Roland
Inuvik Boot Lake
Again, I will provide that and it will all be spelled out in the policy what the members are able to claim for. The process that they go through when making a claim will be spelled out, we’ll get that information.
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Question 240-16(5): Power Corporation Compensation Policy For Power Surges
Oral Questions
The Speaker
Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Roland . The honourable Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .
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Question 241-16(5): Draft Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Oral Questions
Wendy Bisaro
Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions today I would like to address to the Premier . I have yet to weigh in to express an opinion on the devolution agreement-in-principle, which has been an issue for the last week or so. In general, I want to say that I agree with the agreement-in-principle, with the components, the
elements that are in there. I think we probably should move forward on this.
I listened with great interest to the CBC Morning Show this morning as a former Premier made some comments on the agreement-in-principle. His comments triggered a few questions in my mind and I’d like to look to the Premier for some clarification.
The first comment was that we should not agree to a cap of 5 percent as indicated in the agreement-in-principle, but we should look to a cap that is equal to our transfer payments from the federal government. I’d like to ask the Premier , off the bat, if he could comment on whether or not, what his opinion is on our waiting for an agreement to get a cap that’s equal to our transfer payments.