Debates of March 29th, 2021

This is page numbers 2569 - 2602 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.

The word of the day was community .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Water Stewardship

Investing in Agriculture

Community Housing Support Program

Emerging Wisely

Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Government's Emerging Stronger Plan

Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Recognition of Frontline Workers, Volunteers, Leaders and Elders in Nunakput Region

Retention of Nurses and Health Care Professionals

Reconstruction of Behchoko Access Road

Long-Term Care

Road Construction Economic Benefits

Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Emerging Stronger

Emerging Wisely

Nursing Retention

Long-Term Care Community Consultation

Assisted Living

Written Question 26-19(2): Supporting Community Governments

Return to Written Question 23-19(2): Practice of Using Power-Limiting Devices in the Northwest Territories

Tabled Document 359-19(2): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 597-19(2): A New Day Program

Tabled Document 360-19(2): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 641-19(2): Harvesters Disaster Compensation

Tabled Document 361-19(2): Letter dated February 9, 2021, from YWCA NWT Advocacy Committee to Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Requesting Change in Garnishee

Interpretation Tabled Document 362-19(2): Letter dated March 8, 2021, from Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to YWCA NWT Advocacy Committee regarding Recovery of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and the Income Assistance Program

Tabled Document 363-19(2): Letter dated March 24, 2021 from Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce to Premier regarding Transparent Process For Easing Restrictions Within the Northwest Territories

Tabled Document 364-19(2): Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Annual Report 2018-2020

Extended Adjournment of the House to May 27, 2021

Appointment of Members to the Human Rights Adjudication Panel

Bill 24:

An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act

Bill 25:

An Act to Amend the Education Act

Bill 26: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Bill 27: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Bill 26: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Bill 27: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Concurrence Motion Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Amend Rules of the Legislative Assembly - Right to Use Official Languages

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Amend Rules of the Legislative Assembly on Tabling of Documents in Official Languages

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Simultaneous

Interpretation of Committee Proceedings

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 -

Interpretation in Official Languages at Public Meetings

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Recessing or Adjourning Proceedings in Absence of

Interpretation

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Rights-based Official Languages Policy

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Improvements in the Provision of Official Languages Services

Committee Report 8-19(2) - Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020 - Interpreter and Translator Training and Accreditation

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Bill 20:

An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act

Recorded Vote

Bill 26: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Recorded Vote

Bill 27: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021

Recorded Vote

Orders Of The Day

Members Present

Hon. Diane Archie , Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge , Hon. Paulie Chinna , Ms. Cleveland , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Hon. Julie Green , Mr. Jacobson , Mr. Johnson , Mr. Lafferty , Ms. Martselos , Ms. Nokleby , Mr. Norn , Mr. O'Reilly , Hon. R.J. Simpson , Mr. Rocky Simpson , Hon. Shane Thompson , Hon. Caroline Wawzonek

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

Page 2569

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources .

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Minister's Statement 145-19(2): Water Stewardship

Ministers' Statements

Page 2569

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT Water Stewardship Strategy, guided by the Aboriginal Steering Committee, represents a shared path forward for water stewardship and preservation with NWT residents and water partners. Water partners such as Indigenous, federal, and territorial governments; non-government organizations; research institutions and universities; regulatory boards; communities; and industry work together under the strategy, to ensure our water remains clean and safe for future generations.

The success of the water strategy is based on four main areas that require concentrated efforts: working together, know and plan, use responsibly, and check our own progress.

Examples of key responsibilities under each component include: negotiating and implementing transboundary water management agreements under the "working together" component; implementing research and monitoring throughout the Northwest Territories' lakes and rivers under "know and plan"; reviewing and developing guidelines and regulations to clarify regulatory and environmental assessment processes under "our responsibility"; and regularly reviewing and reporting on implementation of activities in our action plans under "check our progress."

Traditional knowledge is an integral part of the water strategy, providing valuable information and important guidance for all stewardship actions. Specific actions on the importance and inclusion of traditional knowledge are identified in all four components of the water strategy. The next action plan to support the water strategy will cover the period of 2021-2025 and will build on the momentum we have gained over the last decade. This new plan will address current priorities for water stewardship in the Northwest Territories.

As part of the development of the next action plan, we have worked with and engaged our water partners to continue to understand NWT water priorities to ensure northern voices are reflected. We thank all those who have taken time to participate. Upon finalizing the next action plan, we will release a "what we heard" document that will show how this important engagement informed the plan.

Mr. Speaker, we are also making progress on modernizing the existing Yukon-NWT Transboundary Water Management Agreement signed in 2002. We have updated the agreement that commits us to responsibly manage shared waters in the Peel and Mackenzie Delta basins, and we developed a similar new agreement for the Liard River Basin. These new agreements are consistent with the water strategy and the 2015 agreements signed with Alberta and BC. Consultation has occurred, and public engagement ended on March 15. We are now reviewing this feedback to ensure that it is addressed.

Mr. Speaker, beginning last summer, the water levels on the Great Slave Lake reached record highs, as did water levels in many rivers flowing into it. We know Northerners have questions about why this happened, and we are actively working to provide answers. Our government, along with experts from the Governments of Alberta, British Columbia, and Canada, worked together on an analyzing of our major shared waterways, such as the Peace and Athabasca Rivers. We learned that these high water levels were driven by high snow and rainfall across northern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Based on this information, we anticipate Great Slave Lake water levels will not likely return to normal for a while. Current conditions are unprecedented, and what happens over the next few months will depend on several things like the timing and volume of precipitation, the timing and the rate of snow and ice melt in the spring, and the thickness of river and lake ice.

Mr. Speaker, partnerships are what water stewardship is all about. This government is committed to working together to ensure that the waters of the Northwest Territories remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 145-19(2): Water Stewardship

Ministers' Statements

Page 2569

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment .

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Minister's Statement 146-19(2): Investing in Agriculture

Ministers' Statements

Page 2569

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the season for planting may still be a long way off, but February 23 rd was Agriculture Day in Canada. We have much to celebrate and work towards in support of agriculture in the Northwest Territories. I will also speak to the connection between the agriculture industry and efforts to strengthen food security. Despite the snow and still frigid temperatures, right now is, in fact, an important time of planning and investment for food growers and harvesters across our country and in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as we mark Agriculture Day this year, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is preparing to implement the fourth year of the GNWT's Agriculture Strategy, The Business of Food: A Food Production Plan . Since 2017, we have invested in planning, training, capacity building, community partnerships, and regulatory improvements designed to position our commercial agriculture sector to increase its production of fresh, healthy, safe, and more-affordable locally grown food choices.

The industry has indeed grown, and as recently announced, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has responded to requests for increased financial supports for large-scale development on established and growing commercial farm businesses. Three significant investments were made this winter in farms in the Hay River area under the federal Canadian Agriculture Partnership. We continue to take stock of the progress that is being made by farmers and harvesters in order to determine what investments and initiatives are needed to continue the evolution and growth in our territory's emerging agriculture sector.

Mr. Speaker, our government's first agriculture strategy was introduced as a means to advance regional economic development and diversification, but we also recognize that our agriculture sector can do much more than diversify and strengthen our economy. Our government's mandate includes a commitment to increase food security through locally produced, harvested, and affordable food. The growth of our agriculture sector is central to this commitment, and for the past year, the COVID pandemic has brought it to the forefront.

The department has been working with these partner departments to consider how the GNWT can better support food security efforts across the territory. In doing this, the department has compiled an inventory of GNWT food security programming and developed a set of considerations to assist the GNWT in making meaningful progress on food security, and Health and Social Services lead an anti-poverty roundtable meeting focused, as well, on food security. All of these pieces will come together under a single document that we are currently drafting.

Canada's Agriculture Day is an important opportunity to celebrate the growth of this industry over the last few years, including initiatives by producers to adapt their businesses to the pandemic. It is also a chance to highlight the rising interest across the Northwest Territories to think creatively about local food production, such as shown at farmers markets, community greenhouses, and especially our small and vibrant community of commercial growers and food producers. Together, these efforts support the commitment that our government has made to addressing food security. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 146-19(2): Investing in Agriculture

Ministers' Statements

Page 2569

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation .

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Minister's Statement 147-19(2): Community Housing Support Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2570

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, throughout the life of this government, I have travelled to many communities, and it cannot go unnoticed that every community in the Northwest Territories is unique and different and has different needs. Within 33 unique communities in the NWT, flexible programming is needed to ensure community needs are being met. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has a program to support Indigenous governments and community agencies to develop innovative, community-driven housing projects of their own design. The Community Housing Support program works to ensure that local priorities around housing and homelessness can be met with a variety of support options.

Mr. Speaker, flexibility really is key with this program. The Housing Corporation, under this program, offers support through grants and other contributions. Supports may be in the form of policy and program design, material packages, technical expertise, land management, or surplus units when appropriate. At this time the Community Housing Support program is supporting projects in eight communities across the NWT. In Fort Smith, the Housing Corporation has completed a project with the Salt River First Nation that has led to the creation of six new affordable housing units.

In this case, the Housing Corporation provided the materials and the Salt River First Nation provided the land and labour. In both Whati and Jean Marie River, similar projects were completed. Two new units were constructed in each community, with the Housing Corporation providing a contribution for the construction.

Mr. Speaker, in Nahanni Butte and Fort Good Hope, the Community Housing Support program was also used to create community-driven housing repair programs. Through these community-managed repair programs, communities prioritize the residents whose homes they think are most in need of repairs. Funding allows them to inspect houses, create a scope of work, purchase materials, and hire local tradespeople and apprentices to conduct this work. In Colville Lake, the community expressed interest in log homes, so the Housing Corporation is working on a log home demonstration project in the community.

The project proposed the construction of four log homes in Colville Lake, constructed with funding from the Housing Corporation. The community will supply the logs, and we will contribute to the design, land development, and construction.

Mr. Speaker, working in partnership with Indigenous governments and community agencies is a priority of this government. Partnerships like those supported by the Community Housing Support program are critical to making sure the Housing Corporation is working to meet the needs identified by the communities themselves. The community also works to ensure that supporting communities to identify their housing priorities through the establishment of community housing plans. The Community Housing Support program is a key tool and has a role to play in supporting communities to address their housing aspirations.

I am looking forward to seeing the results of these partnerships and what the next innovative, locally driven projects are that grow from this innovative approach. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 147-19(2): Community Housing Support Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2570

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .

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Emerging Wisely

Members' Statements

Page 2570

Steve Norn

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about GNWT's Emerging Wisely Plan today. This document, which was released last spring in May, laid out the government's plan in how to deal with the pandemic response. First off, I want to say what a great job our medical teams have done in mitigating the spread of this virus and a big marsi cho to all our residents who have done their part by following all the current restrictions. At the moment, we have zero active cases, and this is definitely something to be very proud of.

Mr. Speaker, since last spring, a lot has happened. This pandemic is a fluid situation, and there are new developments happening daily. Over the last year, we have made some great strides in terms of vaccination development and delivery. However, we also now have to worry about the variant strains of this disease that emerged around the world.

Mr. Speaker, as of March 26 th , according to the Department of Health and Social Services, the NWT has now administered a total of 23,722 first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Again, great job to the medical teams. That number, we're starting to closely creep up to that herd immunity number. I think one of my colleagues will be speaking pf that today later. The Emerging Wisely document released last year, simply says a vaccine needs to be available to the large portion of our residents. Northerners so far have done their part to battle this disease.

With that, what is our direction moving forward in terms of relaxing restrictions? I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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Emerging Wisely

Members' Statements

Page 2570

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh . Members' statements. Member for Thebacha .

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2570

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On March 11, 2021, the Minister of Health and Social Services made an announcement regarding long-term care bed projections for the NWT. Minister Green explained that the Department of Health had updated its data stream and worked with the Bureau of Statistics to redo the estimate of long-term beds needed for the NWT over the next 14 years. They concluded that the NWT does not require as many new long-term beds as they initially thought in 2015.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of this new estimate, the department also created a new prediction model to determine a new number of long-term care beds required in each NWT region. This new projection model has determined that the demand for the long-term beds in Fort Smith is greater than previous estimates. Therefore, the department has concluded that more long-term beds will now be built for Fort Smith. Fort Smith currently has 26 long-term beds in our communities. However, this new projection by the government will create another 24 new long-term beds for Fort Smith. This is a much-needed boost of infrastructure that will greatly benefit Fort Smith and the South Slave for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I was very happy to hear this news from Minister Green . The people of Fort Smith are also very happy with this decision. In fact, I'd like to share an excerpt from a letter I received yesterday from the president of the Fort Smith Senior Citizens' Society, Ms. Mary Pat Short, who said, "The Fort Smith Senior Citizens' Society wishes to thank Minister Green for her decision to award a 24-bed extended-care facility to Fort Smith. In Fort Smith, we have a large and steadily growing population of seniors.

As each year passes, more of our seniors need the specialized care that an extended-care facility makes possible. The facility will benefit our current and future elders, and on their behalf, the Fort Smith Seniors Society expresses our deepest gratitude." Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2570

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Lastly, the NWT Seniors' Society President, Mr. Don Webb, who is a Fort Smith resident, has told me verbally that he is also very grateful for the new long-term beds coming to Fort Smith. In addition, the entire community of Fort Smith wants to thank Minister Green and the Cabinet for their decision. As the MLA for Thebacha, I, too, wish to thank Minister Green and the Cabinet for implementing the renewal strategy and this decision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2570

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha . Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake .

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Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2570

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start off today by thanking teachers for taking my kids back today. Second, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the health authority as they've done an incredible job vaccinating NWT residents and continues to do so. As we work towards 75 percent vaccination rate, NWT residents are wondering how this change to public health orders here in the Northwest Territories. While some question what this means for self-isolation, many NWT businesses and residents are asking what this means for within territory restrictions.

In a recent letter to the Premier , the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce asked the GNWT to provide transparent criteria and metrics to give businesses the information required to plan their operations over the coming month. Within the NWT, the letter specifically asks about removing capacity restrictions on outdoor gatherings and increasing indoor capacity limits.

Mr. Speaker, businesses need time to rehire and train staff as well as purchase additional inventory to accommodate changes to public health restrictions. Scrambling to adapt means increased operating costs or the inability to adjust in time for seasonal work. NWT businesses have been adaptive, responsive, and responsible and need the government's support through transparent guidelines to continue to put Northerners' safety first while preserving their own ability to stay afloat.

Mr. Speaker, the Chamber also raises concerns about case-by-case business exemptions. This approach does not provide clarity or certainty for businesses, is inefficient and lacks transparency and accountability. I also feel this increases administrative burden for NWT businesses, and creates a system where those with a capacity to advocate for themselves end up with different rules.

The NWT's race for herd immunity and where its finish line truly lies is unclear. While we measure our success as a territory, not all 33 communities will achieve 75 percent vaccination rate at the same time. Given our vaccination success is based on the personal choices of our adult population, some communities may never achieve true herd immunity, and understanding the consequences of this is important to the mental health and economic potential of our territory.

Residents and businesses want to support the GNWT's efforts to keep Northerner's safe. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

---Unanimous consent granted

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Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2571

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Residents and businesses want to support the GNWT's efforts to keep Northerners' safe, but this partnership hinges on open communication that supports both the physical and mental health as well as the economic needs of Northerners. Let's give Northerners the opportunity to emerge wisely by working to identify clearer goal posts, rewards, and economic supports. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2571

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake . Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Members' Statements

Page 2571

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. It's tax time again. That's especially important for recipients of Income Assistance, who are required to file tax returns in order to remain eligible. Case officers keep an eye on what tax refunds their clients might be getting. Refunds are considered "unearned income" and the amount of a refund is deducted from the client's monthly amount of income support, even if part of the refund is used to pay off other tax debts. There is an especially cruel twist to this year, thanks to COVID and the federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB.

When CERB was introduced, many Canadians who weren't really eligible claimed the benefit. Now, many of them are being made to pay it back. To ensure that no one went without income during the pandemic, GNWT did not claw back or reduce Income Assistance from April 1, 2020, to at least December 31, 2020, even if you've got CERB payments.

For those who received CERB but were not eligible, one way the federal government is collecting those debts is by garnisheeing the tax refunds of people who were not eligible. However, ECE is considering the amount of garnishee to be unearned income and deducting it from the monthly eligibility for Income Assistance. In some cases, this reduces the amount of the tax refund itself to zero. Some Income Assistance recipients are receiving no tax refund and then get less monthly Income Assistance because ECE is deducting the amount of the garnishee.

When anti-poverty advocates raised this problem of deducting garnishees from Income Assistance, the Minister of ECE says he is handcuffed by the Income Assistance regulations. He says that tax refunds are counted as income, so even though the refund is reduced or amounts to zero, the person is getting a benefit because the garnishee is paying down their debt. How does this practice encourage responsible financial management?

I have read the regulations, and I think that the Minister has discretion for leniency, especially during this extraordinary pandemic. I will have questions for the Minister on why people should lose part of their measly Income Assistance as a penalty for money they were supposed to be able to keep in the first place. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Members' Statements

Page 2571

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Members' statements. Member for Great Slave .

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Government's Emerging Stronger Plan

Members' Statements

Page 2571

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Responding to COVID-19 has been hugely challenging for our territory and the world. It has changed the way we socialize, work, and live our lives. Northerners have been quick to adapt, and everyone deserves credit for their efforts. As a result of our swift and aggressive response to COVID-19, through the implementation of strict public health measures and border restrictions, the NWT has been the most successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. According to Emerging Wisely, the need to gradually and safely ease our restrictions has always been part of the plan.

As COVID response technology is improving and becoming more available, it is time to develop a strategy to emerge from our bubble. In engineering, we recognize that no project can ever be designed to 100 percent safety as the cost is too high and the design generally impractical. Likewise, when it comes to the NWT and COVID, the cost for 100 percent safety has been our economic and mental health.

Measures have been in place for over a year; travel restrictions, self-isolation protocols, and physical distancing are our reality. The cost of this new reality has been the loss of small business; an increase in substance abuse; and greater incidents of violence and mental health issues. What this is telling us is that we need to strike a better balance between managing the risk of importing the virus from outside of the territory and allowing people to be with their friends and family and businesses to operate.

We should be exploring options such as requiring travellers to produce negative COVID test results upon arrival. This could then be followed by a shorter isolation period, after which a second negative COVID test could be taken to clear the individual. While this may seem risky, it is a calculated risk that we must be willing to take. If we chose to continue to accept a very low risk of COVID infections, we are choosing to accept mental health, addictions, and domestic violence issues.

Residents need access to southern family. Many grandparents have yet to meet their grandchildren. People shouldn't have to make choices between their job and being with a dying parent, or between cancer treatment and the fear of isolation. Stigma, fear, and an adapting healthcare system are causing people to go undiagnosed and untreated for illness.

I recognize that navigating a global pandemic, especially while many jurisdictions are heading into a third wave, is a complex challenge. Therefore, I urge utilizing a science-based approach to easing restrictions with clear criteria, dates, and key milestones so that we can create a balance between the risk of COVID infection while protecting people from social harm and saving the economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Government's Emerging Stronger Plan

Members' Statements

Page 2571

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave . Members' statements. Member for Hay River South .

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2571

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In December of 2015, a final report titled "Northwest Territories Long-Term Care Program Review" was submitted to the Department of Health and Social Services. The report, some 288 pages, based on statistics and relevant data available at the time, identified requirements for long-term care facilities through the Northwest Territories. On March 11 th of this year, the Minister of Health tabled a 17-page document that confirmed a substantial reduction in projected long-term care bed needs identified in the 2015 report, not only for Hay River, but for the NWT as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, 48 beds were identified for Hay River, which included Enterprise and K'atlodeeche First Nation. Both reports appear to have overlooked the communities of Fort Resolution, Fort Providence, and Kakisa, which, combined, represent an additional population of 1,400 people and are in the Hay River catchment area.

Mr. Speaker, upon review of the reports, I have concluded that, through the use of statistical information only, projections can be skewed to meet the department's objectives of the day. Compared to the most current analysis, the 2015 analysis was comprehensive and looked beyond statistics by considering the tangible and intangible uniqueness of the NWT. It looked at a demonstrated higher incidence of chronic diseases, lack of available and appropriate housing, and limited and necessary supporting community-based infrastructure, all of which contribute to higher rates of institutionalization in the NWT as compared to Canada as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, the department, in the most recent analysis of extended care beds, makes the point of having seniors age in place through more effective homecare services. To accomplish this, the Minister of Health stated that the department is committed to improving supports by looking to clients, families, communities, government, and non-government agencies to assist. This sends a message to me that the government is looking for a way to offload responsibilities to an already taxed NGO sector, underfunded communities, and families who may not be in a position to offer 24-hour care. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2571

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Other than recommendations from the NWT Home and Community Care report dated September 26, 2019, I have not seen, in support of its intent to reduce the number of long-term beds for Hay River, a substantive action plan from the department that establishes how it will achieve effective homecare for Hay River or throughout the NWT. As it stands now, there are no additional dollars, infrastructure, or identified staff increases to support that objective.

Mr. Speaker, the argument for reducing the number of beds for Hay River is weak at best. I would recommend that the department stay on track and complete the 48-bed facility in Hay River. If other communities, such as Fort Smith, require additional beds, then let us look at making that happen in the near future, but not at the expense of Hay River and the surrounding communities that we serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Long-term Care Bed Needs in the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 2571

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Members' statements. Member for Nunakput .

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Recognition of Frontline Workers, Volunteers, Leaders and Elders in Nunakput Region

Members' Statements

Page 2572

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, back from our two-week break, I just want to thank some people. Being home for the last two weeks, you see how hard the people are working, our communities, our front-line staff. I really want to thank our schoolteachers because we had a shorter break in Nunakput so that they could go home earlier this year; our RCMP staff and our health centre; and I would like to thank the mayors and councillors, Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation, Paulatuk Community Corporation, Ulukhaktok, and Sachs Harbour.

Also, our elders' committees are working so hard, and our local DEAs, our IRC, for helping with all of the suicide prevention workshops that they are doing in the Beaufort-Delta. I really thank them for that. They really stepped up. I would like to thank our government and the federal government for helping and assisting in getting funding to make things happen while we are in these COVID-19 days. I also want to thank all of our recreation staff that have been keeping our youth busy and occupied at night in our youth centres.

I just want to thank everybody for all of the hard work. It's not going unseen. I really appreciate all of the hard work that they are doing. I really would like to thank our elders because we are losing so many elders, Mr. Speaker. We had another death in our community of Tuktoyaktuk. We lost another really well-respected elder. We had four or five deaths in our community. Keep our community of Nunakput in prayers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Recognition of Frontline Workers, Volunteers, Leaders and Elders in Nunakput Region

Members' Statements

Page 2572

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput . Our thoughts and prayers are with the community and family at this time. Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Retention of Nurses and Health Care Professionals

Members' Statements

Page 2572

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Mr. Speaker, nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, and across Canada, we face a nursing shortage. The market is highly competitive to attract and retain nurses. We in the North have long struggled to fulfill all of our nursing positions. This last year has shown just how important our healthcare workers are. Our pandemic response was informed by our ability to manage the threat, and we took no chances, Mr. Speaker. However, we need to take that bold spirit to attracting and retaining our nurses.

I have had many exhausted nurses reach out to me over the course of this pandemic, offering solutions and looking for change. I believe we need to reintroduce service agreements, offering incentives to continue employment in the North. We rely on locums to a great extent in the North. However, at some point, when it is more attractive to be a southern resident nurse than it is to be a local one, many seize that opportunity and look for more flexible hours and higher pay.

Mr. Speaker, we need to offer better training opportunities for our nurses who want to stay. We need to build on the success of the Aurora College nursing program, one of our best programs that has led to many great local nurses. We need to then allow those nurses to further specialize in different fields. Many of those specialized positions are filled by locums presently, and increased training opportunities would work to solve both of those issues, Mr. Speaker. By doing this, our local nurses, particularly in remote communities, will stay longer. They will have a stronger connection to their communities, and the culture in our healthcare system will build to retain our nurses.

Presently, one of the biggest reasons our nurses leave is workplace culture and burnout. We need to offer more flexible working hours, increase part-time options for nurses, and allow nurses to come back from retirement should they wish. We can't make it a binary of forcing nurses to either burn out or leave. Mr. Speaker, I know this is a priority of this House, and the department knows it, too. We need to make that spirit that we applied to COVID-19 and focus on retaining the nurses that we have to make sure that our healthcare system capacity remains.

I believe that our situation is actually getting worse, Mr. Speaker. We risk a downward spiral where more nurses leave for other markets, making the current nurses work more overtime, causing more to leave. We need to commit to serious action to ending such a spiral. I will have questions for the Minister of Health . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Retention of Nurses and Health Care Professionals

Members' Statements

Page 2572

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Members' statements. Member for Monfwi .

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Reconstruction of Behchoko Access Road

Members' Statements

Page 2572

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Summer is coming up. We know that the road between Rae Junction, that road hasn't been worked on for over 30 years. Last summer, they were working on it on contract. It has been over 30 years that the road hasn't been worked on, so I would like to talk about the road contract. [Translation ends]

Summer is just around the corner, so my statement today is about the reconstruction of Behchoko access road. Mr. Speaker, it has been well over 30 years since the construction of the road from Rae Junction to Rae. Just last summer, a three-year public works project to smooth out and strengthen the 10-kilometre road that gives Behchoko connections to the outside world was finally in progress.

The people of Behchoko were pleased to see the work started last spring and are eager for completion in 2023, but, Mr. Speaker, they are not pleased with the community's share of local jobs and business opportunities. Sadly, road projects seem to be an ongoing issue. Many road construction projects have promised local benefits and failed to deliver.

Mr. Speaker, have we delivered what we agreed upon last summer with the contractor? Summer 2021 is coming up, so I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Masi.

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Reconstruction of Behchoko Access Road

Members' Statements

Page 2572

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi . Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions are for the Minister of Health . The Minister confirmed that new bed projections were based on 10 years of statistical information versus the five that went into the 2015 report. Can the Minister confirm what statistical evidence was considered in developing the NWT's long-term bed requirements? I have a difficult time believing that so much has changed in five years when our population has a minimal change overall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for Hay River South for that question. What has changed is a greater amount of data about actual use has allowed us to quantify the age and stage of the people who are entering long-term care facilities. We have actual information to rely on. In 2015, those were truly projections based on bed ratios for age. What we have now is actual versus projected. That is why those two numbers are different, what was required in 2015 and what was required in 2020. Thank you.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

The NWT has issues such as lack of housing, addictions, effects of residential schools, and others. Compared to the rest of Canada, these issues negatively impact delivery of extended care and homecare support due to our relatively small population. I would ask the Minister: what, if any, consideration was given to the uniqueness of northern health issues during the recent review process for determining long-term bed requirements for Hay River?

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

It is my understanding that, in doing that report, the Bureau of Statistics looked at issues such as the age of people going into long-term care; what their health status was going into long-term care; how much time they spent in long-term care; which community they were from and which community they want into long-term care in, which are sometimes different. They looked, certainly, at the comorbidities, as we say, more than one chronic disease, that drive people into the requirement for higher-level nursing care and thus into long-term care. I feel confident that the health of the population was a primary consideration in looking at the bed needs going forward.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

The reality is that many of our NGOs, families, and support networks are taxed to the breaking point, yet this government wants to try and squeeze a little more out of them. Can the Minister confirm if the department, during its reassessment of long-term bed requirements, talked to those community organizations currently supporting long-term and homecare clients, and to what extent was that conversation?

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

It is my understanding that the consultation on the new bed projections is about to begin next month with, in fact, a trip to Hay River to talk to people there about the findings and to verify those numbers on the ground. We have not done that in advance. The study that was done was done by the Bureau of Statistics. They are not using qualitative information; they are using quantitative information about the size of the population, the health of the population, where they live, and so on and so forth. That is not the kind of document that we would normally expect them to consult on. We just asked them to produce the numbers, and that is what they did.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2572

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't really like to say it, but it appears that the process and conclusions were conceived in Yellowknife by bureaucrats with no or limited input from stakeholders, which it sounds like happened. I am glad to hear, though, that the department will be going out.

I would ask the Minister: once the consultation takes place, we may see a change. We may see that maybe Hay River only needs 24 beds. We may see that Fort Smith only needs 12 beds. We may see that we need 36, 64, I don't know, versus the 48 initially proposed, but whatever the answer, the analysis has to be done right. It has to take into consideration what the community needs, and for Hay River, it would be surrounding communities, of which there are five of them. I would ask the Minister if she would at least commit her department to during the reassessment to really consider Hay River and the area that we do serve and the needs of the people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

I would like to just say a word about the catchment area for Hay River. Kakisa and Fort Providence are within the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority area, and so generally speaking, they are served out of Fort Simpson, which is the headquarters for that authority; Fort Resolution is within the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, so they are served from Yellowknife. The Hay River long-term-care bed projections are based on the Town of Hay River, K'atlodeeche First Nation, and Enterprise.

What we know about the occupation of the beds right now is that, at the extended care facility in Hay River, there are 23 people in there; 17 of them are over 70; there are two who are under 60; there are a number who have a diagnosis of dementia; we have got a number of people on the waiting list; there is a respite bed available, and that the work provided at Woodland Manor is equivalent to 35 full-time positions. We have a lot of information about what is going on now, and we have a rationale for what we are projecting to happen in the future.

The task the department has and I have as the Minister is to verify these numbers and persuade the Member and residents of his community that these numbers are factual and verifiable and reliable and that these are the numbers we are going to go forward with. Thank you.

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Question 678-19(2): Long-Term Care

Oral Questions

Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi .

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. The Rae Access Road upgrade is now under way this last summer and this summer. The people of Behchoko are grateful for this long-awaited improvement on highway safety, but they are not happy with the token number of jobs and business opportunities that the project has created for the community. Mr. Speaker, the project is on Behchoko land and also uses public money, so I have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure . Could the Minister tell this House what the general policy is respecting local economic spin-offs from highway projects such as the Behchoko access road contract? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi . Minister of Infrastructure .

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We don't have a policy per se on some of these tendered contracts. However, specifically for the Rae Access Road, RTL Construction started the work and were expected to finish this fall, of 2021. About 60 percent of that work is completed. The peak season, we had about 28 people who are employed. Of that, 16 were Tlicho citizens, which, again, is 57 percent local involvement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I am more focused on the targeted agreement between RTL and also Tli Cho Construction, Tlicho Government, so can the Minister of Infrastructure tell this House what the actual local employment and business targets are for the Behchoko access road project?

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

Further to the infrastructure cooperation agreement between the GNWT and the Tlicho Government, an agreement has been reached where the Tlicho businesses will supply 25 percent of labour to complete the Rae Access Road construction project.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Since at least two summers, actually 2021, 2022, 2023, three summers, I am more interested in what the targets the Minister has alluded to and also the training apprentices components of local benefits agreement, so where is the training and apprenticeship component of the local benefits agreement within the contract itself?

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

I don't have that level of detail with me in terms of pulling the actual agreement here as quickly as I can find it, so I may have to get back to the Member. I will get back to the Member in terms of more specifics on the contract.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi .

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, the 25 percent target, that would have to be closely monitored. We have experienced in the past, whether it be with Stanton or other mega projects in the past, where it really has not been fulfilled, so I will be keeping an eye on that. Mr. Speaker, my last question is: what I would like to know is if the Minister's department has done enough to verify compliance with the local hiring targets and what enforcement measures they have taken when the targets are not met. Mr. Speaker, we still have a three-year summer project, so this is very important. I would like to know so we can get some answers on that. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

I want to start off by saying it was a struggle to find some of the workers as the diamond mines may attract many of the available workforce and also some other projects, like the Tli Cho Construction. However, I do want to say that RTL, the construction company, was able to maintain over 25 percent of the local labour requirement as per the ICA. Construction will resume in May 2021 and is expected to be completed, the full project, this fall, 2021. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's not a three-year project. It will be done this fall. Thank you.

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Question 679-19(2): Road Construction Economic Benefits

Oral Questions

Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Oral Questions

Page 2573

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , who administers Income Assistance. First, I would like the Minister to confirm that it is this government's position that a garnishee of a tax refund is counted as unearned income and is deducted from Income Assistance payments to that client. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Oral Questions

Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Minister of Education, Culture and Employment .

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

Oral Questions

Page 2573

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Income Assistance Regulations,

Section 4(j), (n), (o.2) state that the following shall be considered unearned income. That includes the GST tax credit, income tax refunds including payments of tax credits, so, yes, that is the correct

interpretation of the legislation. Thank you.

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2573

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

I want to thank the Minister for confirming that. Yes, the Minister said that Income Assistance clients can use their annual "unearned income exemption of up to $1,200 to offset the penalty for the garnishee." While this may be true, most people are required to pay back CERB through tax-refund garnishees, and they probably owe a lot more than $1,200. This exemption was meant to offset the occasional gift from family or friends. Will the Minister be lenient in his

interpretation of the words "tax refund" in the Income Assistance regulations and not claw back garnishees from tax refunds for CERB recipients for money that was never supposed to reduce Income Assistance in the first place?

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2573

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2573

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

I want to thank the Minister for that compassionate response. It's great to point to the federal government and try to get compassion from them. I'm talking to the Minister on the floor here; he needs to demonstrate and lead with some compassion from our government. This perverse practice of deducting garnishees from tax refunds from Income Assistance is going to lead to excessive hardships for many NWT residents who received CERB payments. Can the Minister tell us whether this situation is being tracked and what percentage of total Income Assistance recipients are suffering from this deduction of garnishees from their monthly payments?

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2573

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

I can also point out that a number of people have voluntarily paid back CERB once they realized that they weren't eligible for it. They made repayment arrangements. There're a number of people who are working who aren't on Income Assistance who may have to pay CERB back. The Income Assistance program has continued throughout CERB, and it continues. No changes have been made except for the exemption of CERB, so there has been a very compassionate response.

To the Member's exact question, which I should have answered first because it's alluding me somewhat. Yes, tracking the results. Generally, there is reporting done on a monthly basis with Income Assistance. However, during the pandemic, that was put on hold, and we've asked people to report their income starting in November. We've taken a lenient approach with that, and those numbers are still tricking in. We don't have a total of how many people received CERB and do not know how many people need to pay it back. It's a small percentage of the total number of Income Assistance recipients.

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2573

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2574

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that, and of course, I'm going to be asking him the same question in May/June. That's a quick heads-up. Look, I'm convinced that we will be punishing Income Assistance recipients who were supposed to have no deductions as a result of CERB payments, who now have to pay it back through garnishees to tax refunds. I think that's just a result of a harsh

interpretation of the regulations. Will the Minister exercise some discretion and stop a garnishee on tax refunds as being considered unearned income or change the regulations now to stop this punitive and perverse practice in these extraordinary times? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2574

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

No, we won't be changing the regulations. We won't be stopping this practice there. The CRA, whose program this is, has policies to prevent undue hardship. The Income Assistance Program has policies to exempt these types of funds. There're people who have made payment arrangements with CRA. There're people who have already paid this back. We'd be punishing them for paying the money back when they could have just not paid it back and had it forgiven by Income Assistance. Essentially, what the Member is asking is that the GNWT take over the CERB program and then pay CERB.

That's what we would be doing by basically writing off these amounts. The CERB was a federal program, and the feds are handling it. We are in contact with the federal government. I've had calls with the relevant Ministers, and I told them about our situation here in the territory and that they need to take a compassionate approach. From everything I can see, they have been doing that, and we will continue that advocacy. I'm happy to keep the Member and the Assembly updated with any progress and let everyone know what we hear. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 680-19(2): Income Assistance and Tax Refunds

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Page 2574

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake .

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and my first question for the Minister is: can she confirm the vaccination rates in the Northwest Territories by small community, regional centre, and also Yellowknife? Thank you.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have the full detail that the Member is looking for because the Chief Public Health Officer is still refining the numbers. What I can say is that we've achieved approximately 58 percent uptake on vaccine dose 1, and 36 percent uptake on dose 2. The range of community level uptake is between 40 percent and the high 70s depending on the particular community. We know from trending information that the highest step taken is in the oldest population, and the lowest is in the youngest population.

The residents of the NWT who are between 18 and 34 are well below the 50 percent uptake in most communities. At this point, it's fair to say that there is no region or community in the NWT that's met our target of vaccinating 75 percent of the population. Thank you.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

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Page 2574

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

No. I think that's very valuable information. I think it's also important that we know where work still needs to be done, especially when it comes to public education, and where we can kind of help make sure that our younger brothers and sisters and maybe our children or family members could stand to help us reach that herd immunity. What I'm wondering, Mr.

Speaker, is: since we know that we're working towards 75 percent vaccination rate and we're hoping to reach it before the summer and I am very hopeful that the department of Health is able to get there in order to achieve herd immunity, given that vaccination update has lagged in some communities, will changes to community public health restrictions happen on a community-by-community basis depending on vaccination rates?

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you for that question. It's not clear at this time whether the CPHO would make changes on a community-by-community basis. We do know that, in the month of April, she's going in to review of the whole of the Emerging Wisely Plan to look at ways in which to ease restrictions. Certainly, the vaccine rate will figure into that. The rate that we've all been discussing is 75 percent.

I think that that rate is now in question to some extent, given changing situations such as the variants and how transmissible they are, vaccine uptake, a number of other things that may change the immunity level that we require in communities to say that we are fully vaccinated. Of course, as the Member knows, children are not in this group, and there are a few others who haven't been vaccinated for various reasons. The whole business of how much is enough is really up for debate at this point.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

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Page 2574

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

I think it's valuable to have the conversation about community-by-community lifting and easing of restrictions. For example, if you end up with Ulukhaktok who ends up with 75 percent vaccination rates and they've had great success, say, in their community and they want to get back to doing social activities, they want to ease up on restrictions as far as capacity and gatherings, and if we here in Yellowknife have not reached that level, it would be really unfortunate to have surrounding communities really held back by their opportunity.

Likewise, it would also not benefit Yellowknife to be held to a standard of a community up in the Beaufort-Delta or in Nunakput. Not to put people against one another, but we will have different success at different points in time. I think it's valuable to be able to look at this from a community-by-community basis, and not strictly an NWT-wide basis, as well.

What I'm wondering is: based on where we're going, given that we are in the last three days of session and people are looking for more information, does the Minister have any idea of what types of easing of restrictions or potential changes within our borders we might be able to see within summer months? I know that we are waiting on the Chief Public Health Officer, but there is a lot of planning that goes into summer months for businesses, especially when we have seasonal-type work that occurs in the summer. People need to rehire, they need to retrain, and they need to be able to get their business going.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Let me state, first of all, that my hope is for a very high vaccine uptake so that the whole territory is able to come out of restrictions and resume life as we knew it a year ago. We do not want to pit communities against one another. That is definitely one of the risks that the CPHO will be assessing in deciding what detail to release to the public in terms of vaccination levels, whether it is feasible to release by community or by region.

Some of the variables that the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer will be looking at, as I mentioned before, is whether the vaccine will prevent the transmission of the virus. We know that it will prevent people from getting sicker, but can you still carry the virus, even when you are vaccinated, and pass it on to someone else? It also, of course, depends on the vaccination rate, and it depends on how well the vaccine protects against the variants, which I feel are now on the doorstep, now that we know there are variants in Yukon and Fort Chipewyan. It feels closer to home than ever before.

What the CPHO has said historically is that a high vaccination rate will enable us to remove restrictions internally first. That will be things such as business capacity, summer music festivals, family gatherings, weddings, and so on and so forth. Those would be the activities that are, at first, going to be relaxed, and then the whole situation around the border and self-isolation will be addressed next, depending on what is happening in southern Canada. We want to give businesses as much notice as possible to be prepared to open. I hope that we will be able to do this by the end of April when the CPHO issues her revised Emerging Wisely.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

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Page 2574

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake .

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Some of the northern businesses that we rely on on a regular basis continue to struggle under the existing public health restrictions. If the GNWT cannot commit to changes in public health restrictions once herd immunity is reached or if we still don't reach herd immunity this summer, how does the Department of Health and Social Services intend to support and advocate for the mental health and economic needs of Northerners under continued restrictions in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

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Page 2574

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

I find it hard to answer a huge hypothetical there that crosses many different departments. What I want to say is that I appreciate that people, that residents in the NWT, the Members of this House, want to return to normal gatherings, normal ways of doing business, and normal ways of visiting family that they knew a year ago. I am keen on that, as well. My hope is that the rationale for easing the restrictions internally and externally will be made known to the public by the end of April. Thank you.

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Question 681-19(2): Herd Immunity in the Northwest Territories

Oral Questions

Page 2574

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave .

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

Oral Questions

Page 2574

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the issues with consensus government is that I don't always collaborate with my colleagues. Therefore, my colleague from Kam Lake has asked a few of the same questions, and in her lengthy answers, the Minister has answered them. I am just going to ask to repeat the same concerns that I had as my colleague's. When can businesses expect to receive easy-to-understand information, such as flow charts or if-then scenarios, to allow them to plan for the remainder of 2021, information that contains dates and timelines and key milestones? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2574

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to repeat these answers for the Member for Great Slave . What I want to say is that I don't expect the kind of information that she is asking for because the situation with COVID-19, with the vaccine rate, with the rate of variants, and so on, it is so quickly changing that it would soon be obsolete to do the flow chart that she is asking for and then to be able to make sure that it was implemented in exactly that way. It is just too fluid a situation. We do, however, appreciate the need for that kind of information.

We are more than happy to work with partners in business, the Chamber of Commerce, the mines, and other business entities to ensure that they have all the information that we have and that they, with that information, can make decisions about what it is they are going to do next to get their businesses ready for reopening. Thank you.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

I am really glad to hear the Minister say she is going to work with business because, in business, what we do is called "wargaming." We actually come up with all of the different scenarios in which things might happen, and then we come up with responses to those. It is called a living document. I would suggest that the Minister go and look at that so that we could do some planning with actual times and dates.

Moving on, over the last year since the onset of COVID-19, how much has the GNWT increased our healthcare capacity, such as the purchase of new ventilators or increased staff, other than the COVID Secretariat, in order to work towards lessening the internal restrictions and decreasing mental health impacts? It is one thing to lock us all down, but if you have done nothing to address the situation, we are going to be in this situation in perpetuity.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

I think it is really important to note, first of all, that we are not locked down. The borders are open. Hundreds of people cross the borders every single day. We have approved something like 35,000 self-isolation plans. People are not locked in or out of the NWT, but there are some guidelines in place for them coming and going. Since last year, of course, we have made significant increases in the capacity and resourcing of our healthcare system to be in a position to respond to COVID. Although we did not have a lot of hospital cases, we wanted to be ready for that.

We have allocated over $30 million in the health system, and many of these investments will continue to be in place, COVID or not.

We have improved our capacity to acquire PPE into a stockpile to train staff. We have been able to improve our own testing capacity. Now, rather than sending specimens to the lab in Winnipeg, we are doing those lab tests here in the NWT. We have set up the wastewater surveillance system in quite a number of communities to give us an early warning of COVID signal. We have trained staff to do contact tracing. We have looked at the unintended social consequences of COVID, such as the closure of libraries, which has resulted in a greater need for day shelter supports.

We have increased access to mental health supports. We have a managed alcohol program in Yellowknife. We have additional supports within Child and Family Services that mostly have to do with respite. We have, in fact, produced a lot of extra capacity, and it is certainly our intention to continue to offer that to the residents.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

That's great. I am glad to hear that we have increased capacity. I would argue, though, around the definition of the term "lockdown," only those who can actually afford to go out, come back, pay isolation costs, et cetera. Being able to leave the territory and come back really does come from a place of privilege. Moving on, when can residents expect a reduction to the isolation time requirements as a result of the vaccination program and utilizing rapid testing?

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

I am happy to repeat this point. The first restrictions that will be loosened will be those within our border. Those will concern greater capacity within your home, within your community gatherings, and at business locations. Once that happens, and the other data is in place about vaccine uptake, transmissibility, children being vaccinated, and so on, then the Chief Public Health Officer will look at how to modify and when to modify self-isolation requirements.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave .

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am just going come back to my earlier question: how have we increased healthcare capacity? Have we purchased any new ventilators and such so that we could actually take on more COVID cases if need be? Thank you.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

It's important for the Member to understand that machines don't work without the people to operate them. In this case, you need respiratory technicians to operate ventilators. We have enough supply for the number of emergency beds that we have. We are very fortunate not to have needed that more than a couple of times during this whole outbreak. We are confident that we are securely placed to deal with a COVID outbreak in the event there is one. Thank you.

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Question 682-19(2): Emerging Stronger

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

Oral Questions

Page 2575

Steve Norn

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I'll try to tease out the right information after listening to my colleagues from Kam Lake and Great Slave. I'm happy to hear that the Department of Health and Social Services, CPHO is going to review how we are guiding our restrictions. My first question to the Minister is: is the Department of Health and Social Services still using the Emerging Wisely plan to guide decisions around restrictions? Thank you,

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for that question. Yes, Emerging Wisely is still the guiding document produced in May of last year. We know that there were a number of exemptions requested where items that were supposed to be loosened in phase 3 were loosened in phase 2, the phase that we are in now. What we're talking about is when we get into phase 3, and that is the work that will go on in April. Thank you.

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

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Page 2575

Steve Norn

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Just trying to get going in the right direction here, again listening to my colleagues here. Given everything that we've seen over the last year, does that mean we will have a new, updated Emerging Wisely document with a clear timeline to easing restrictions?

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

My expectation is that the Emerging Wisely plan will be revised, and as the Member for Great Slave suggested, it will be a living document. There are so many variables that go into the CPHO's decision about risk assessment that it needs to be a living document, and it will be a living document. Putting a firm timeline on when we're going into phase 3 is very difficult to do, especially as the country now looks at locking down in other places because of the emergence of variants. Certainly, the idea of looking at phase 3 is to get ourselves ready for fewer restrictions.

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Question 683-19(2): Emerging Wisely

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

Oral Questions

Page 2575

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister stated, new hospitals and machines only work if we have the people, and the people are healthcare workers that we rely on. I know we have faced a number of retention issues; they're nothing new to the North. My question for the Minister of Health and Social Services is: what is the number one reason that nurses are leaving the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Exit surveys are not consistently used, so I am unable to answer that question. Thank you.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

That gets to my next question. If we're not tracking why our nurses are leaving, whether that be due to burnout, not getting paid enough, workplace culture, lack of housing, there can be a long list of reasons why a nurse does not leave. I note that the NWTA for teachers tracks this information diligently and in response to each of those concerns when a teacher decides to go down south. Is this part of the work the Department of Health and Social Services is doing in this area, is to track with exit interviews the reasons nurses leave the Northwest Territories?

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services system has created a human resource development plan. They've done that with the Department of Finance, and it's my understanding that exit surveys will be reviewed as a potential action item in this area so that we can provide the kind of information that the Member is talking about and gain a greater understanding of why nurses do choose to leave.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

I recognize that is probably a suite of these questions I can also ask to the corresponding Minister for the Department of Finance. In the Department of Health and Social Services business plan, this year, we were supposed to have completed new recruitment and retention strategies to guide that work. Has that work been completed? I heard the Minister say the potential of exit surveys. What I am really looking for is a comprehensive strategy I can sit down and nurses can review to see where we are going. Has that work for new recruitment and retention strategies been completed yet?

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

I'm happy to report that this work is on track. We've had a total of 14 marketing and advertising campaigns for the hard-to-fill Health and Social Services positions in the last three months, including nine of these campaigns that are specific to nurses. We've expanded the Health and Social Services professions career guide, which provides information for potential candidates about careers in Health and Social Services in the Northwest Territories. We have education, continuing education initiatives for licenced practical nurses and RNs through the targeted academic support program.

We also support continuing education initiatives for speciality nursing positions through an extended mentorship program. Finally, we have an activity and programming initiative called reach that involves students and youth in the Health and Social Services area to consider careers serving the public in this way.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2575

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North .

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2576

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that work, and I know that some of the specialization work and the training to get people into nursing is some of the best work we're doing in this area. My concern is also specifically on the retention. I know there is new recruitment unit going out, and I know we are offering signing bonuses. We're attracting locums, and we're getting more people to come here. Previously, in a number of different formats, the department has offered retention benefits. These were service agreements.

If you worked one year, you get a bonus at the conclusion of that year or some sort of benefit to stay longer in the position. The collective agreement allows us to do this. Are service agreements something the department is willing to return to using? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2576

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Just to provide some numbers for turnover, this is for March 31, 2020, the turnover rate at the NWT Health and Social Services Authority was 15 percent. For the GNWT as a whole it was 13.2 percent. Our turnover rate at the health authority is on par with the government as a whole. The NTHSSA does not offer retention bonuses at this point. All the compensation and benefits that nurses and health professionals earn are part of the current collective agreement with the UNW. Thank you.

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Question 684-19(2): Nursing Retention

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Page 2576

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

Oral Questions

Page 2576

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just sitting here thinking about the previous answers from the Minister of health on the 48 beds in Hay River. I have a problem that the projections were done, the decision was made with no consultation with the community. In Hay River and in other small communities, it's very important to engage the people who are there if we're going to make decisions. I would ask the Minister if she and her department are willing to keep an open mind when she hears from Hay River residents and concerned organizations, as well, with respect to the need for 48 beds in Hay River, or is the consultation process just a moot point? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that this is a genuine engagement. We do want to verify the numbers with residents of Hay River, and we plan to meet with the town council, the seniors' society, and with the Indigenous organizations. We want to make sure that we haven't overlooked or missed anything that is important to the calculation of these numbers, so I'm going to say this is a genuine way of getting community input into this. I don't know what the end result is, but I also ask the Member to keep an open mind that, in fact, 48 institutional beds may not be the best outcome for the residents of Hay River. Thank you.

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Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

I thank the Minister for that answer, and I will keep an open mind on that as I go around with her and listen to the comments and concerns from people in Hay River. One thing that she had mentioned previously, as well, is the catchment area. I realize Fort Providence, Kakisa, and Fort Resolution are in different regions, but the reality is that Hay River is a regional centre. It's a regional centre to Fort Providence, it's a regional centre to Kakisa and to Fort Resolution, and people come in from those communities for a number of reasons.

Right now, I think we have, in our extended facility, four people from Fort Providence and somebody from Fort Smith, Inuvik, and Fort Simpson, as well. We do get people from those areas, so I think that the department has to look at the reality of beyond the Deh Cho region or the South Slave, or whatever, and see what's real; and the real thing out there is that Hay River is a regional centre for the outlying communities.

I would ask the Minister: will the Minister look at the reality of the Hay River catchment area, and will they consider that Fort Providence, Kakisa, and Fort Resolution are actually in that area? Because Hay River has doctors. I suspect that, if you have an extended-care facility, it's important to have doctors there. That's the question I have for the Minister.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Of those people who currently live at Woodland Manor, none are from Fort Resolution and none are from Kakisa, but four are from Fort Providence. It turns out that you can be in long-term care in the NWT wherever you want to be in long-term care, so while there are people in Woodland Manor who are not from Hay River, such as the person from Inuvik, and from Fort Smith and from Fort Simpson, likewise, there are people from Hay River who are in long-term care facilities in other parts of the NWT. This is a personal choice that they can make based on where their supports and their families are.

Just because you live in Hay River doesn't mean you have to go into long-term care in Hay River. As I say, with respect to the catchment area, the only community that seems to have any residents within the Woodland Manor is Fort Providence, and therefore, four of the 23 are from Fort Providence.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Can the Minister confirm if timely access to a doctor is a consideration when assessing where long-term beds will be located?

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

The long-term care facilities are located or will be located in hubs where there is a greater medical staff presence and also a greater opportunity to recruit and retain nurses, but a physician is not essential. I think about the long-term care centre in Norman Wells. I don't believe Norman Wells has a doctor, but there is long-term care there. I think it's a nice-to-have rather than a must-have.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I'm willing to keep an open mind, I would ask the Minister: what additional resources would be provided to the Hay River Health Authority to make sure that we're providing the homecare services that are required? Are we looking at additional dollars? Are we looking at additional infrastructure? Are we looking at additional funds to help support people who do want to stay in homes? Thank you.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

My vision is that more people will live in their own homes with homecare support than live in long-term care, and in order to achieve that, we need to invest in nurses, personal support workers. We have to evaluate the outcome of the paid community caregiver program and see which resources best fit the needs for people who are trying to age in place. The home and community care study that was tabled about 18 months ago has specific numbers of nurses and personal support workers required to make aging in place work, and there is no budget item for them at this point.

It certainly is my expectation that there will be a budget item and there will be a specific number of staff hired to take care of the people who want to age in place. I would refer the Member to the home and community care study to find the detail, and if he finds that that's lacking, by all means ask again. Thank you.

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Question 685-19(2): Long-Term Care Community Consultation

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Page 2576

The Speaker

Frederick Bl