Debates of Nov. 25th, 2021

This is page numbers 3035 - 3094 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.

The word of the day was know .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister's Statement 182 19(2): Marine Transportation Services and Community Resupply

Procurement

Slave Geological Province Study

Current State of the Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Announcement

Timeliness of Minister's Responses to Community Inquiries

Obstetrics Recruitment

Nursing at Stanton Territorial Hospital

Costs for Testing Unvaccinated Employees

Community Plan for Infrastructure

Nursing Communication

Eulogy for Wesley Grossetete

Vaccination Requirement Policy

Nursing Bonuses

Slave Geological Province Study

Procurement

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

Obstetrics Recruitment

Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

Increasing Jobs in Small Communities

Infrastructure in Communities

Tabled Document 484-19(2): The Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Annual Report 2020-2021

Tabled Document 485-19(2): Plain Language

Summary for Bill 36:

An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act Tabled Document 486-19(2): Plain Language

Summary for Bill 37:

An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act Tabled Document 487-19(2): Plain Language

Summary for Bill 39:

An Act to Amend the Post-secondary Education Act

Bill 40

An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act

Bill 36

An Act to Amend the Territorial Court

Bill 37

An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Bill 38 Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2020-2021

Bill 39

an Act to Amend the Post-Secondary Education Act

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Members Present

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

The House met at 1:31 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

Page 3035

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Infrastructure .

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Minister's Statement 182 19(2): Marine Transportation Services and Community Resupply

Ministers' Statements

Page 3035

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, five years after the Government of the Northwest Territories launched Marine Transportation Services, I am glad to announce the completion of a successful fifth sailing season. Our marine crews delivered a reliable and professional shipping service to the Mackenzie River and Western Arctic coastal destinations working with strict COVID protocols to protect our staff and residents of the NWT.

The first scheduled barges departed Hay River in mid-June, and the last ones reached Paulatuk in late September. A total of 16 trips were scheduled throughout the season, delivering more than 24,000 tons of cargo.

This year MTS extended the Hay River to Lutselk'e route to deliver freight to points throughout the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, including Fort Reliance and Hoarfrost in McLeod Bay. We quickly adjusted our operations as needs arose to better serve residents and businesses of our vast territory.

We are collaborating with the NWT Chamber of Commerce, the NWT Chamber of Mines, and other departments to discuss the possibility of providing this service in future years.

Mr. Speaker, fuel is a large and critical component of the goods delivered throughout the sailing season. MTS has signed a five-year contract to supply and deliver fuel to the North Warning System radar sites throughout Canada's Western Arctic. We successfully delivered fuel to 18 radar sites along the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut coasts to support the Department of National Defense in Canada's Arctic regions.

Nineteen million liters of fuel were also delivered to eight communities in the North Slave, Sahtu, and Beaufort Delta Regions. These communities rely on the deliveries to heat their homes during winter and fuel their vehicles all year-round.

At the season's end MTS quickly pivoted to respond to an urgent request to offload the annual fuel supply destined for the communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, and Tuktoyaktuk. MTS tugs and barges retrieved millions of liters of diesel fuel from an ocean tanker near Tuktoyaktuk and delivered that fuel to storage tanks ashore.

This quick action to support local private-sector fuel distributors mitigated the costs of more expensive transportation alternatives thereby avoiding greater increases to the price of diesel and heating fuel for those communities this winter.

As always, I want to take a moment to thank our MTS staff on the ground and on the water for facing challenging weather conditions, maintaining and repairing the boats, and keeping their crews safe and well fed are just part of the job for the hardworking men and women of MTS.

I had the opportunity to visit the Hay River marine terminal in August to see the impressive work they accomplish. This year, 157 workers were employed by MTS in Hay River, most of them Northwest Territories residents.

Mr. Speaker, this is just an overview of the work MTS accomplished this year. We will continue provide northern employment and economic opportunities while delivering essential goods to remote communities. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 182 19(2): Marine Transportation Services and Community Resupply

Ministers' Statements

Page 3035

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha .

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Procurement

Members' Statements

Page 3035

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just yesterday, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment tabled the June 2021 report for Procurement Review Panel and updated this House about the status of the procurement review. That new information helped to better inform my statement today which is on the Government of the Northwest Territories procurement.

Mr. Speaker, government procurement is a very large of the NWT economy. In fact, according to the report by the Procurement Review Panel, Government of the NWT's procurement spending represents more than 30 percent of its total budget in 2019-2020, and more than 15 percent of the GDP of the NWT.

Government procurement is used to not only help deliver vital goods and services to people but it also indirectly helps create good paying jobs for many businesses across the NWT.

Some businesses are so reliant on government procurement contracts that their success or failure is determined by government procurement practices. In other words, government procurement with make or break certain NWT businesses.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons it is extremely important that the Government of the NWT updates its procurement practices across the board as this report suggests. The ITI Minister agreed too yesterday, that the Government of the Northwest Territories must approach public contracting to accomplish both economic and social objectives of the people of the NWT.

It should no longer be that some businesses in some small communities always get awarded the same contract every year.

In all my years in elected leadership in the business community, I've seen many instances of unfair distribution of procurement contracts across the NWT. Often it's not about what the business has to off but rather who you know.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Procurement

Members' Statements

Page 3035

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

In addition, Mr. Speaker, one recommendation from this report which I strongly agree with, and urge this government to implement, is

section 1(

b) on BIP eligibility. The change would strengthen the ownership requirements for NWT businesses and would reduce the ability for non-NWT businesses to find loopholes in securing contracts.

We also need to change the definition of NWT residence and allow the Government of the Northwest Territories to request supporting documentation to prove NWT residency.

Lastly Mr. Speaker, our government needs to create an Indigenous procurement policy framework which is a commitment the ITI Minister has affirmed in her remarks yesterday. We need to maximize the extent to which Indigenous businesses are contracted with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

People who were born, raised, and who live here full-time need to be prioritized in government procurement. I can go on, Mr. Speaker, but we'll leave it there for now. I will have questions for the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Procurement

Members' Statements

Page 3035

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Slave Geological Province Study

Members' Statements

Page 3035

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. On June 7, 2021 the Tlicho Government wrote to the Federal Minister of Northern Affairs requesting a regional study for the Slave Geological Province pursuant to

part 5.2 of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. That's the legislation that implements provisions of a number of land rights agreements. This is a bold move that I support.

There has never been a regional study before but there has been strategic environmental assessments conducted in northern Canada, most recently the Beaufort Region Strategic Environmental Assessment released in September 2020.

The June 7, 2021 letter from the Tlicho government states "we need an independent assessment of options, impacts, and benefits, before permanent infrastructure is built" and "there is only one chance to get it right." I agree.

I also believe it's important to do this work before any further funding is expended on the proposed Slave Geological Province Corridor. We need to understand the trade-offs and opportunity costs; in other words, identify what a similar expenditure of funds in any other economic sector would generate in terms of employments and benefits and the distribution of those jobs and benefits.

On August 10th, the Federal Minister of Northern Affairs responded by saying that they would like to bring together a group to do some preliminary work to establish the regional study's purpose, proposed scope, and to discuss potential sources of funding.

I was pleased to see that the Tlicho government copied the Kitikmeot Inuit Association signaling its interest in a trans-boundary approach.

Given the precarious state of the Bathurst caribou herd, a joint effort on a regional study with Nunavut interests would seem to be a requirement.

I would also want to make sure that a series of broad future scenarios are developed, including no mineral or infrastructure development, along with analysis of opportunity, costs and alternatives. Participant funding to allow Indigenous governments and civil society to conduct their own research and contribute to this effort should be another cornerstone of GNWT's position.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources on what the GNWT position is on a regional study for the Slave Geological Province, and how this government intends to engage residents and Regular MLAs in putting forward any positions. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Slave Geological Province Study

Members' Statements

Page 3036

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .

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Current State of the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 3036

Lesa Semmler

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I start my Member statement, I'd like to wish a very and happy birthday to -- 91st birthday to a very special Elder in my community, Auntie Margaret Lennie.

Mr. Speaker, the 2020-2021 annual report of the Director of Child and Family Services was tabled. I'm happy to see that the report -- in the report that there was a decrease of a hundred children in permanent care. But, Mr. Speaker, that has taken ten years to bring that number down.

I'm also very happy to congratulate the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation on their announcement yesterday, for their board passed to implement their Inuvialuit Family Way of Living law, which will ensure that Inuvialuit children and youth in care, as well as their families, are supported wherever they live.

Mr. Speaker, in the NWT, we know that Indigenous people make up just over half of the population but our children are overrepresented in Child and Family Services. Our adult jails have an overrepresentation of Indigenous males. Our females are overrepresented as victims of violence.

On the flip side, Indigenous people in the territory are underrepresented in the GNWT employment rates, underrepresented in the graduation rates is just a couple of areas.

Mr. Speaker, I sit here as a Member in this House to make the decisions on how to make the NWT a better place and equitable for all its residents, and I find myself wondering if this will ever happen. It seems that we are constantly in crisis mode. We have declining infrastructure with climate change on our doorstep destroying it faster than ever. We have huge needs in our social area, with no money to really make an impact and an example in our homelessness crisis, our mental health and addiction needs. With our health care deficit growing, there's never enough money to go around. I could go on, Mr.

Speaker, but I won't. As the federal dollars that is used to fund us won't come pouring in. The revenues in our territories are going down, and we sit here asking for more for our communities, not because we're greedy, but it's because what our residents need.

Mr. Speaker, we are two years into our term, and I'm push -- and we're pushing up on the borrowing limit ceiling that was raised by this government.

Mr. Speaker, what direction are we going? Are we climbing, or are we sinking? Mr. Speaker, we keep spending but are we really making a difference, or are we just here to keep the lights on for Canada to tell the world that the North is part of them?

Many of our own government departments are asking for a whole-of-government approach because they know they cannot improve the situation by themselves. It's time for Ottawa to provide us with what we need so we can do more for our residents and not just keep the lights on and the heat low so we don't freeze. I will have questions for the Premier later. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Current State of the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 3036

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes . Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho .

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Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Announcement

Members' Statements

Page 3036

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this House, the Minister of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation announced news of undertaking a review and renewal exercise of the corporation's new vision for the future of housing for the residents of the Northwest Territories. It is encouraging they will work with the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders Housing Working Group.

Mr. Speaker, the announcement goes on to state that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is committed to keeping Northerners informed of any progress. Of particular interest is the statement of a significant engagement and partnership with the federal government to provide unprecedented levels of housing activity to include record numbers of homes to be built in the North.

Mr. Speaker, all this news is particularly encouraging considering the current state of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's predicament.

Mr. Speaker, it is known the Housing Corporation is on course to offload housing units to anyone, including First Nations organizations. I believe there is the magic date of 2038. This is the date the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, also known as CMHC, will discontinue funding for operations and maintenance on all public housing units which includes rental units.

Mr. Speaker, we are already seeing declining CMHC funding on a yearly basis.

Last year, in November 2020, letters were sent to many First Nations organizations by the Housing Minister regarding the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative to create affordable housing for vulnerable populations. The letter stated the tight deadline for the applications of December 31st, 2020. There was a funding pot of $500 million.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. And mahsi, colleagues.

One of the criteria was the acquisition of land for the construction of modular housing. Mr. Speaker, the other provisions of the application process is the applicant is responsible for operations and maintenance funding. Well, the O and M funding will most likely pay for monthly land leases, power usage, water, sewage, garbage, and ongoing maintenance of the units.

Does this sound familiar? Of course it does. It is currently the financial woes of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

I am not certain if the applications were ever scrutinized for compliance with the criteria set out in the letter as there was a rush considering the short timeline to submit applications.

Kudos to all that made the deadline. I am certain they had the best intentions of providing housing to their community members. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Housing Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Announcement

Members' Statements

Page 3036

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho . Members' statements. Member for Nunkaput.

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Timeliness of Minister's Responses to Community Inquiries

Members' Statements

Page 3036

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I want to bring up the leadership of our government. I'm not going to pick on nobody in particular; I just want to let them know that they're in charge of the departments that they represent. The portfolios that they hold, they're the boss.

Mr. Speaker, I did tours, everybody's done tours in our communities. When you go in a community, you're talking to people, you're talking to leadership, you're talking to Elders. You're talking with people with medical issues that are literally crying to you on how could we help them.

A lot of things that are said in those meetings are not followed through and not followed through and that are not, I guess how you could say, given proper assistance to the people.

You got to remember, Mr. Speaker, we live in the small communities. We're the ones that see everything that hurts our people firsthand. And we're ready for it to happen. And for myself, I really think that some of my Ministers need help, help me in regards of, you know, to provide service for my riding of Nunakput, Mr. Speaker. I ask for certain things. I get letters six months later. In regards that's not me getting that letter, it's my leadership in the communities and they're phoning me and saying what's going on.

Mr. Speaker, I really think that -- I really want to let my leadership know across the floor, please, when the communities are sending you something, answer them in proper notice, like give them a couple weeks, not six months.

Other things like that, when we phone. A lot of the Ministers return calls right away and have no problem helping us. But at the end of the day, we forget who we work for. We work for the people - the constituents in our riding that need help and we're their voice.

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Timeliness of Minister's Responses to Community Inquiries

Members' Statements

Page 3037

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput . Members' statements. Member for Great Slave .

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Obstetrics Recruitment

Members' Statements

Page 3037

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, midwives play a crucial role in obstetrics, or OBS, which is why during last winter's sitting regular MLAs requested that Cabinet add $600,000 to the main estimates to expand the midwifery program in the NWT. As a result, the Department of Health and Social Services created four roles in Yellowknife to support OBS nurses. As of ten days ago, only two of the four positions located in Yellowknife had even been posted

whereas Hay River and Fort Smith filled their positions this summer as the funding has been available since June.

On Monday, Members were informed that births would no longer take place at Stanton Hospital and would now be diverted to various locations in Alberta - something we heard the Minister say she only became aware of last Friday.

A midwife is a healthcare professional who cares for mothers and newborns during childbirth. A midwife focuses on the care of women birthing and conditions that need further evaluation. Midwives have the training to recognize variations of standard labor and understand how to deal with deviations that need a referral to a doctor.

Local birthing groups, such as the Northern Birthwork Collective, who presented to the Social Development Committee earlier this year, have already started a fundraiser for those affected by the obstetrics closure. Funds will help with house and pet sitting, with money provided for food as well as to find support workers, such as doulas, in Edmonton.

Suddenly, expectant parents are facing unknown and unanticipated costs at a time when they're likely already taking reduced pay to expand their family in the first place. They will fall behind because government support does not cover these emergency costs.

And Mr. Speaker, this doesn't even touch on the lack of personal supports that suddenly expectant parents find themselves without as they leave their community, something that our small community members know the heartbreak of all too well.

While 120 NWT and Nunavut individuals and families are being evacuated south because of the obstetrics closure, rumors are circulating that further closures at Stanton are imminent. This only puts Northern residents at further risk of medical evacuation during a global pandemic, compromising our health and safety, because of our nursing shortage; a shortage that the Minister should have been well aware of before last Friday considering we've been discussing this for two years now and felt it was important enough to include in the mandate of the 19th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Obstetrics Recruitment

Members' Statements

Page 3037

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Nursing at Stanton Territorial Hospital

Members' Statements

Page 3037

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to identify where we need to go, we need to be honest about where we are. I acknowledge that this can be hard to hear, but high-stress shift work GNWT environments have systemically struggled before with workplace morale, safety, and employee satisfaction, and the GNWT has a responsibility to address this.

Mr. Speaker, past and present NWT nurses shared the following reflections on Stanton obstetrics: Requests for change through meetings, surveys, and workplace assessments go unaddressed. OBS asked for a fourth shift nurse. Management denied this because lower birth rates. Still, nurses feel this does not acknowledge the impacts of global increases to patient acuity and chronic illness that require higher levels of care or the non-nursing duties expected during a shift.

OBS nurses have an extensive certification list compared to nursing specialties and unlike other units do not have designated education days to complete them. Nurses are being denied mandatory courses due to operational requirements and, as a result, some work with expired certifications. All other Stanton nurses have flex days with no patient care responsibilities to complete this work.

In addition to nursing duties like assessing patients, providing NICU care, doing inductions and C-sections, and providing phone advice, these nurses are also expected to stock patient rooms; print parent forms, leaves with medical travel, boarding homes, and pharmacies; do patient charts, admit patients, coordinate dietary needs, and maintain certifications.

I can't believe I just licked my finger, sorry.

Nurses are routinely denied vacation because there is no staff to cover them. They are denied part-time positions until the full-time positions are filled, and this lack of family vi -- sorry, family balance is driving nurses away from frontline shift work. 12-hour shifts mean children aren't awake when a parent goes to work and are already in bed when the parent returns. Nurses are tired, overwhelmed, and feeling unheard.

OBS is in crisis because of, quote, "un-supportive management that feels more concerned about me drinking water at my desk than unsafe working conditions putting patients at risk. We were treated like we were replaceable, so we left, and now no one can replace us."

Mr. Speaker, sometimes we become so focused on the science of operations that we lose sight of the heart. Nurses consistently identified four potential solutions:

Four nurses per shift;

A ward clerk to help with non-nursing duties;

Time to complete certifications; and,

Access to family-friendly work shifts.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Nursing at Stanton Territorial Hospital

Members' Statements

Page 3037

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Costs for Testing Unvaccinated Employees

Members' Statements

Page 3037

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have received numerous emails from constituents who read the CBC

article that came out indicating this government will be covering the full costs for testing and PPE of those accommodated employees who are not vaccinated, or are only partially vaccinated.

Mr. Speaker, I have no issue with this, if it is based on those that require accommodation centered on the two conditions set out in the GNWT's vaccination policy with respect to medical exemptions. Those persons that are not willing to accept the vaccine for reasons beyond the medical exemptions, I understood each would be responsible for the cost of their testing and PPE.

The comments and concerns in the emails received were varied. A few comments stated that we are setting up a two-tiered workforce, which is penalizing those that accepted the vaccine on the recommendation of the CPHO and Canada. Others stated that we are taking away dollars that could be spent on other uses, such as busing for communities, a place where funding would make a difference.

I heard from the NWT Metis Nation today, and they are opposed to covering costs for the unvaccinated as they are encouraging their constituents to take the vaccine.

Mr. Speaker, what is the cost for this? If one assumes an average of $50 per test three times per week, it would work out to $7800 per person per year. If we are assuming approximately 900 employees require the testing and PPE, it would come in at a monthly cost of approximately $585,000 to this government. If the federal government is covering those costs then great, but our residents need to know that.

Mr. Speaker, you can see why those that are vaccinated are upset. This pandemic continues to pit community members against each other. I am sure that those who are not willing to be vaccinated are more than willing to cover the cost of testing and PPE in order to continue working. However, what the focus has to be right now is how do we keep NWT residents safe. We have to look at the tools we have and use them to ensure people are kept safe and can still place food on the table for their families.

That will allow this government to place some needed attention on the economy which will benefit businesses and northern workers. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

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Costs for Testing Unvaccinated Employees

Members' Statements

Page 3037

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Community Plan for Infrastructure

Members' Statements

Page 3037

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, mahsi. Mr. Speaker, [Translation] we know about the renovation and replacement of Chief Jimmy Bruneau School is much needed and also about the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation also know that the plan is in the process now. But now I have to speak on behalf of my people so that they are well aware of it. [Translation Ends]

Investment and community planning around infrastructure and land development. The community needs support to plan and prepare for the construction of a new school and the new housing units announced by the Housing Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, there is concern the school may be developed without the right infrastructure in place. The school is a critical asset in the community. A new subdivision will be needed in the community. The development of a subdivision is needed and the installation of underground water and sewer line as well as clearing of land for housing is a big concern to the community right now.

There is concern that the budget for this project may not be adequate to address these needs. I have questions for MACA and Housing regarding these concerns. Mahsi.

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Community Plan for Infrastructure

Members' Statements

Page 3038

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Nursing Communication

Members' Statements

Page 3038

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find it an unfortunate reality that with every GNWT crisis it takes something exploding before all the facts eventually come out.

I find it very concerning that in media articles, when our nurses are talking about our obstetrics unit, they ask for anonymity for fear of repercussions of their job, Mr. Speaker. And I think this is a systemic problem across all the GNWT.

I find it concerning that we would release any public statement on closing down a unit without first getting approval and talking to the people in that unit. And, Mr. Speaker, it seems that as these things unfold, there's one line of messaging coming from senior management and the Minister's office and then, eventually, there's another line of messaging coming from the people who actually work there.

And, Mr. Speaker, when faced with two different sources, I'm always going to trust the frontline people who actually work in that unit.

Mr. Speaker, when the explanation was given as to why we are closing down this unit, nowhere was it mentioned that in fact for years the nurses there have been demanding more position. They have been saying that they are overworked and not adequately funded in that unit. It took nurses, who now fear repercussion from that same management, to speak out publicly in the media.

Mr. Speaker, I would have thought at that press conference the first thing you would have done is got an OBS nurse to actually speak. I've never seen that happen in this government, Mr. Speaker. Now we're hearing from the midwives that despite direction and funding from this democratically elected body, the health authority has been blocking the hiring of those positions and not living up to the intent of a full midwifery program.

Mr. Speaker, once again, when faced with the reasoning coming out of senior management and coming out of the Minister's office, or the actual midwives who work there, who are once again going around a bureaucratic hierarchical communications policy and risking their jobs, I'm going to trust the people who took the risk to get the truth out. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about what the actual facts are and what we are going to do.

Because if we're going to solve this problem and we're not going to allow this to become a larger systemic problem, of which we know there are many in our health system, we need to make sure all of the facts are out and that people in those jobs feel safe communicating to the public what is actually happening. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Nursing Communication

Members' Statements

Page 3038

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Eulogy for Wesley Grossetete

Members' Statements

Page 3038

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Wesley Jordon Grossetete was a young man filled with many talents. We were blessed with his kind spirit who loved to joke and make everyone around him feel loved, special, and ending every conversation with a smile.

He was born on April 26th, 1985 to loving parents Alex and Ann and was the brother of Camille. He had one niece - Mackenzie. He loved her dearly.

Wesley loved his parents dearly and will always be known to others as "his roommates". Wesley was the second child of Alex and Ann. He shared many fun times with his brother as they grew up in Fort Simpson. Fond memories such as "eating lots of carrots" as Ann mentioned to her son Wesley, so as they got older he could read to her by candlelight.

He always said to his dad in secret code because, man to man, we do not always say 'I love you' so instead he would tell his dad to go to sleep where his words were telling his dad he loved him so much.

Wesley was the person that showed Star Wars to his friends and family. In his teens he would mimic different characters from the original trilogy so when the prequel trilogy came out, he watched those ones and man, he hated Jar Jar Binks, which a lot of people have. Pretty sure everybody hated him.

He always used to make sound effects of things like chopper noises, bullets going by, and of course light sabers.

Wesley loved music. He played the guitar throughout his life and would love to jam from time to time.

Unfortunately, Wesley passed away on August 9th. We cannot think of this as a loss but rather a celebration of his life. We must remember how blessed we were to have known Wesley, for his amazing laugh and the contagious love he had for each and every one of us.

May the love of family and friends surround him and provide guidance on his new journey. He will be sadly missed by all. As the parting words we said to him, say 'hello to all of your friends and family for us'. God bless.

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Eulogy for Wesley Grossetete

Members' Statements

Page 3038

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh . Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community at this time. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South .

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3038

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every time we sit in this House, we start our meetings off with a prayer. Then we sit down and commence to divide people. We are talking about people's lives here, something that must not be lost when we're debating. So I'd ask the Minister, can the Minister confirm if this CBC news

article is correct, and if so, why are we not differentiating at this time and instead providing alternate means of compliance for all employees. Thank you.

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Page 3038

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Minister responsible for Finance .

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3038

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'm sorry my -- the idea of why we're not providing alternative means of compliance for all employees, the simple fact, Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear about the policy.

It is mandatory that all employees by November 30th are being asking to provide proof of compliance of the vaccine. If they have not provided proof of compliance, then the fallback option for them is to submit to regular testing and to PPE as is appropriate to their individual workplace. If they are not willing to comply with that, they will put on leave without pay. And that's the policy. That has been the policy since it was expanded to be all employees.

And Mr. Speaker, just, I do want to say quickly, perhaps some of the confusion that I'm sensing is still out there, this is an idea that started in August, late August, at which time there was no proof of vaccine here in the Northwest Territories yet. That wasn't even on our public radar. We then expanded very quickly from being only an essential services policy to being to -- to apply -- a policy that would apply to all staff. All in the meanwhile, rolling out the policy before even knowing entirely how we'd be able to make it work. It's important because vaccines are important.

We want staff to get their vaccines. We want people to be protected. The policy's going to continue to apply, and it's going to continue to evolve as the pandemic has evolved and as our response has involved.

So I'm glad there's questions coming today. I want staff to understand it, and I want the public that we serve to understand it. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3038

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement that costs are a concern. Some people aren't happy that, you know, there's going to be a cost associated and this government would be picking up -- pick it up.

But I would ask the Minister who will be responsible for the costs of these tests and PPE. Will it be the responsibility for this government or the federal government or a combination thereof. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3038

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This, Mr. Speaker, too was one of the items when we were said we want a policy and we want something in place, I did not know what the costs might be, and to be frank, I still don't because I don't know how many individuals would this necessarily apply to.

Fortunately and knowing that, we did go the federal government. We were able to procure tests that we estimate based on, you know, given what the current vaccination rates for the territories is. We're estimating that we have enough tests to last two months. I'm hoping we'll get good news, that, in fact more of the public service are vaccinated than what we'd be anticipating as a cautionary approach, and if that's so, then those tests will last longer.

If the numbers come in November 30th and it suggests that, in fact, we have a high rate of individuals who are going to need these tests, then we're going to run through those tests more quickly, then there's likely to be changes to the policy sooner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

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Page 3038

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've asked the Minister -- she mentioned two months. How long do we realistically expect this testing to go on. Is it only two months, or are we actually going to be looking at a longer period of time. Thank you.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

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Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have 24,000 tests. So in terms of knowing how long we have the tests that are procured from the federal government, so at no cost to us, it's 24,000 tests. There's still the cost of distributing them, which is not insignificant. So there are those costs there.

As for how long, I don't know how long COVID will last. But I'm certainly committed to ensuring that our staff are kept safe, that their colleagues are kept safe, and that the public we serve are kept safe. So as long as the mandatory vaccine policies exist elsewhere and to other locations, then the public service should expect that they will be under the same policy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3039

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Page 3039

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd ask the Minister, this testing's process that's going to take place, you know, what is it and what impact will it have on workers getting back to work and restarting the economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

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Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. That actually speaks to some of the reasoning and concerns around why, in fact, when the policy was put in place, we were ensuring that there was, unlike -- and I'm quite well-aware that when the federal government came out with their policy eventually, that it is stricter, that there are less -- there's less ability to adapt or mitigate if someone is choosing not to comply, unlike our option for testing and PPE.

We want to strike a balance between not being in a situation as some of the other provinces were where they were being asked to roll their policies back for fear of running out of essential workers or frontline workers. That's not a situation we wanted to be in, didn't want to in a situation where perhaps one small community was facing less significant loss of income coming at critical junctures.

So I'm trying very hard to ensure that we strike the balance between maintaining having a workforce that is able, ready, and willing to attend their workplaces, to do so safely, ideally to do so when vaccinated, but for now, at least, until I know those numbers, until we know what we're dealing with, there is right now in the policy the ability to mitigate if they don't want to have proof of vaccine, and for now, we will be supporting by providing those tests to them and providing their PPE and ensuring that they know how to use those tests. They'll be using it on their own time.

These are the self-administered tests that are being used for the school screening program and then reporting that in to their supervisors.

So as we know where we're at on November the 30th, I will be very immediately to know what we're facing, and we'll be re-evaluating where we're at at that point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 801-19(2): Vaccination Requirement Policy

Oral Questions

Page 3039

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance . As part of this Assembly's priority, a dedicated Health and Social Services recruitment team was established. How is the GNWT measuring the success of this newly implemented team. Thank you.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake . Minister responsible for Finance .

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, we are all operating under the same mandate so I'm well aware that this initially was set up in order to achieve the mandate item of having additional health care workers recruited. And interestingly, there actually had been some positive successes in that regard notwithstanding the discussions around what is happening with the obstetrics unit.

The vacancy rate for the health recruitment positions actually decreased 1.5 percent, an additional 14 positions, but they are not, of course, being filled necessarily in all the same places at all the same rates.

So on one side, I could say that was a success. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we are all very alive to what's happening at Stanton. I also have quite a number of constituents we are there. We are all alive to what's happening.

So what do we do to measure this going forward, Mr. Speaker? Obviously, there has to be a continued effort between the Department of Health and between the Department of Finance to make sure that we measure the success across all the departments that are existing in the Health and Social Services field. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I will acknowledge that the Department of Health was waiting Alberta's doors when Alberta started laying off nurses and that is appreciated.

My second question is what are the recruitment and retention initiatives that the Department of Finance has implemented in the recruitment of new nurses. Thank you.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, the Member's already mentioned one of them, is making sure that there was a wide information available across this country of what sorts of services -- what sort of needs we had here in the territory, being ready to take advantage of opportunities when there are other places, where there may be people looking to come north.

Right now, the work that's happening in the Department of Finance really is on that recruitment side. So there's already detailed marketing that has been done. There has already been significant engagement taking place with Aurora College, ensuring -- and in fact, I'm told that in 2021 every qualified graduate who accepted an offer has in fact been hired and is now in a permanent role in Stanton. So they're working closely across departments.

Mr. Speaker, there's, you know simply put there's been an unfortunate decrease in the number of applicants applying so that is certainly perhaps being reflected in the situation that we are seeing right now this week here in Yellowknife. But, again, it's not for lack of trying. Again, updating all that investigation and getting the information out there and they have to certainly continue to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that's even more powerful than a great photo and a great newspaper or a magazine is the words of mouth of somebody that you trust. And acknowledging this, in 1999 the Government of the Northwest Territories and the UNW implemented a temporary market supplement for nurses to recruit NWT nurses.

As a result, the public service was able to recruit 65 full-time nurses in spite of a national nursing shortage. So will the Minister of Finance provide a ministerial directive to provide a temporary market supplement for nurses. Thank you.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

Oral Questions

Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree more with word of mouth. And right now, we're the second highest paid jurisdiction for nurses in all of Canada. So I do hope that message gets out.

I do realize that other jurisdictions are starting to increase and make available some sorts of signing bonuses or increase in a temporary market measure. And I'm aware of that because we are looking at what options we have both in the Department of Finance and the Department of Health, long before this week had already begun to say what can we do? We know that the health care profession needs more people.

The fact of morale in the public service generally, and in the health care sector specifically, have been certainly front of mind for me now throughout COVID but particularly in the last few months. I have also heard increasing comments about it.

As far as a directive to say that there's going to be a temporary market supplement, Mr. Speaker, that is not something I can do without going back to the union, without discussing that with the union and ensuring that what we do remains on side with the collective agreement, remains on side with our bargaining. And we can certainly do that. So I can certainly commit to having that conversation. I am sure they also want their Members to feel protected and safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 802-19(2): Nursing Bonuses

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Page 3039

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Page 3039

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that. I've not heard of a single union that's negotiated for less money for any of their membership so I'm sure the union would welcome that conversation. I'm wondering if the Minister knows when that conversation might occur. Thank you.

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Page 3039

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, it's so much easier to just stand up and say 'yes'. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, I don't know. Again, I do want to assure not only the Member and the other Members of this House but the public that I know are often listening.

The Minister of Health and I had already started this conversation before what started happening this week in obstetrics. We had already started to look at what can we do. We know that health workers and frontline workers were particularly affected by the lockdown this fall. We know that they were particularly affected by the fact of the outbreaks, and we were looking at what options we had, financially and otherwise. And sometimes it takes a bit of time for an idea to actually be fleshed out to be something that can be implemented, and it certainly takes more time to go through the processes necessary to attach money to it.

So I wish it could have all happened yesterday. It didn't, but the conversations are being had and things are being worked on. I was listening carefully when I heard someone say they had solutions because we certainly want to find them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3039

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

Oral Questions

Page 3040

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources on the proposed regional study for the Slave Geological Province. I'd like to know from the Minister how does this government intend to engage Indigenous governments, the public, and Regular MLAs with regard to its position on such a study. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

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Page 3040

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources .

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Page 3040

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for the question. The decision to conduct a regional study rests with the federal government under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. And we are working with the federal government, potentially, to give it back to us. But, again, that's part of the work that's being done.

The federal government is leading an initiative with the Indigenous governments and others on a possible regional study. The GNWT participates actively in that engagement and is not contemplating our own separate process. The role of the public in these exploratory discussions has not been discussed. As they are external meetings occurring, we are also engaging with Regular MLAs. The GNWT is interested in hearing the views of others on the request and will use this feedback to develop an informed position on this. And I have to say it's the Department of Lands, not the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that has the lead on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

Oral Questions

Page 3040

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'm glad I got the right guy, maybe not to his portfolio but. Look, we got to start this process pronto, because the feds are already doing consultation, so.

But I was pleased to see the Tlicho government copied the Kitikmeot Inuit Association on its request to the federal government for regional study. So can the Minister explain whether our government has taken a position on the geographic scope of such a regional study and the need for a trans-boundary approach. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

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Page 3040

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to inform the House, no, we're not taking a position presently. We need to hear from our Indigenous governments and we also need to hear from the new Nunavut government Cabinet before taking a position. We need to make an informed decision and that means listening to people moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I guess I'm telling him my position so that he can take it up with others.

But we need to understand that tradeoffs and opportunity costs; in other words, what would a similar expenditure of funds in any other economic sector actually generate in terms of employment and benefits and the distribution of those jobs and benefits.

So will the Minister commit to ensuring that when GNWT starts pushing for this regional study that consideration of alternatives and opportunity costs are an essential part of the regional study. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Member giving us his point of view and I can guarantee I'll have more conversations with the Member on this very topic.

Again, I have to reiterate, the GNWT has not taken a position on what topics will be included in the regional study. The regional study is being developed by the federal government with work with our Indigenous governments.

Again, the GNWT is interested in hearing the views of other parties and will use this feedback to develop an informed position on this study. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

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Page 3040

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Page 3040

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President I thank the Minister for that but I just hope that we get informed too late because, by then, decisions will already be made.

But it's become best practice within environmental assessment to ensure that there is participant funding for Indigenous governments and the public to provide a level playing field and better decisions in the public interest.

So can the Minister tell us what the position of this government is with regard to the funding for a regional study on the Slave Geological Province and, more particularly, participant funding. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you. Probably people getting tired of me standing up in the House and saying it's the federal government's responsibility. But under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, it is the federal government. They are the one responsible for it. The GNWT is in the position. The position is that the regional study's conducted. The federal government needs to be responsible for the study and participants moving forward.

We will be working with our Indigenous governments and participants to stress that to the federal government. It is their responsibility until the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act becomes ours, the federal government needs to do what their job is and that is to pay for this study. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 803-19(2): Slave Geological Province Study

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Page 3040

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Oral questions. Member for Thebacha .

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Oral Question 804-19(2): Procurement

Oral Questions

Page 3040

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the June 2021 report of Procurement Review Panel, there are 50 recommendations for the Government of the Northwest Territories to improve procurement. Does the Minister accept this report and its 50 recommendations, and will the Minister commit to implementing all of them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

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Page 3040

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha . Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment .

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Page 3040

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly accept the report and was also very pleased to see the recommendations. There is a lot there that we can work with.

There is a more formal response that is being put together certainly with a lot of input from me directly. I have had more than one meeting with our working group but also with the working group.

And as far as that response comes and which ones get accepted, we want to take that back and continue to have discussions first and foremost with Indigenous governments. There are obligations before we change any procurement to modern treaty holders. We must engage with them before making changes to procurement. But more importantly, we want to engage with them because we want to really do something distinct and unique in a territory that has a 50 percent Indigenous population, Indigenous governments, and an opportunity to be leaders in Canada on how we do that.

So much more to come on this, Mr. Speaker, and while I'm not going to go so far as to say that I am going to accept all 50, I certainly want to convey that I thought there was a lot in there that can be worked with really positively. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us to what extent Indigenous governments have participated in the procurement review, how have discussions with our Indigenous partners been regarding this procurement review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the invitation to participate in the panel process went to all parties across the territory, both Indigenous governments as well as a variety of stake holders from a number of different industries and members of the public. Not all Indigenous governments close to participate in that process, and that came on an assurance from us that there would be other opportunities.

So at this point, I'm happy to update that the modern treaty holders and self-governance table, which of course are the organizations or other governments that we are obliged under the treaties to engage with before changing procurement, they have set up a process right now with our working group that is going to allow them to move through discussions around what procurement might look like.

And quite recently at the Council of Leaders table, there was also similarly further discussions on how they, too, can continue to engage with the officials to have those direct discussions about what they might want to see and how they want to see this unfold.

So it is a vision that I am happy to say that is coming together, that this is not just the GNWT telling Indigenous governments how we are going to do this. It is everyone working together on the process from the beginning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us when the review of procurement will be complete and what the expected outcomes of what that review will be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3040

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am hoping we will start seeing changes within the next few months. The total process might take somewhat longer and I'm hesitant to put a deadline on it because obviously we are still in the process of having discussions with Indigenous governments as well about how to develop this policy moving forward.

But that all said, one of the things that I do believe we will see out of a new procurement policy is that rather than procurement scattered across multiple departments and divisions and multiple different policies all with a different associated Minister, a very strong recommendation that came out of the review, and that I think so far has had positive reception generally, is to put this under one House. Let's have procurement in one place, one accountable Minister, and make some sense of the whole system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3041

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Page 3041

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's remarks yesterday, the Minister affirmed the commitment to create an Indigenous procurement policy framework. Can the Minister tell us when we can expect to see the creation of the Indigenous policy framework. Is there a timeline?

Also in concluding, Mr. Speaker, I also want to ensure that you can do all the different changes in policy and procurement but we also make sure that everybody's on the same page in enforcement of that policy is -- must be there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3041

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do -- there is timelines now set up for those discussions to happen at the modern treaty holders table with our officials as well as the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders. So with timelines for those meetings, I am confident they will move quickly.

There is very much clear awareness that there are some major projects across different regions of the Northwest Territories right now. And if we don't change procurement, we have the procurement we have as it is that no one seems particularly happy with. So there is an urgency for everyone to get this changed.

And I can't agree more. No matter what changes we make we need to be monitoring those changes. Vendor performance management is already being worked on. That's happening at the Comptroller General's office. The have already moved some stages with that and that work doesn't need to stop. We could be monitoring our own contracts even right now. So vendor performance management is already in progress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 804-19(2): Procurement

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Page 3041

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho .

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Oral Question 805-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

Oral Questions

Page 3041

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement was in reference to the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative and the tight timeline for submitting applications.

What was equally alarming is the fact that no announcements were ever made of the initiative. There was total secrecy. As the Housing Corporation is a partner in this venture, my question to the Minister is why were there no public announcements made regarding this initiative. Mahsi.

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Oral Question 805-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

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Page 3041

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the comment as well. When these federal programs are being announced, the Housing Corporation in the territories is given really little to no notice. Once we were able to acquire the information, the Housing Corporation acted very quickly and we wanted to get the word out in the Northwest Territories to encourage the Indigenous groups to put forward applications. And in support of those applications, the Housing Corporation was there to look at SEED money that may be required to assist those applications going forward.

But with those -- with those federal engagements and with those applications coming forward, with that specific funding, the Northwest Territories does not have a say in how those applications are going to be approved or denied. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3041

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, I took the liberty of contacting the northern office of CMHC in Yellowknife. The representative wouldn't provide any information to me and asked that I contact my First Nations office for information. Well the local First Nations office stated they couldn't say anything pending public announcement by CMHC. Can the Minister find out why there is such secrecy for a publicly-funded initiative. Mahsi.

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Page 3041

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for that, for that comment as well. And myself as a Minister, I struggle with that as well. I'm wanting those federal announcements to be made here in the Northwest Territories. I know the Indigenous governments have made significant progress with the support of the Housing Corporation and with the constant advocacy. And that's what I mean by the support and also putting the federal applications going forward, this government did commit $5 million other the next three years. We have been working with the Indigenous governments to making sure those applications are submitted and they are being able to receive the financial funding for them.

And I hear the Member. I will press the federal government on those announcements. And I have also put in a request to the federal ministers -- Minister Fandel and Minister Hussen that I would like to meet with them after the session is done. I would like to go to Ottawa and meet with them face to face. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 805-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

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Page 3041

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, this whole process began before the federal election and once the election was had, the same government was back in power and there was still no announcements so it's almost like what's happening in our community is like, oh we're not supposed to look at it, it's secret like. Considering the Housing Corporation is on task to offload their housing stock on First Nations before 2038, has the corporation provided any communication and meaningful consultation as to the pros and cons of becoming a landlord. Mahsi.

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Oral Question 805-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

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Page 3041

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, I wanted to touch a little bit on the declining of the CMHC funding. You know, it's going to be quite alarming for the Northwest Territories. And initially, we had an agreement with the Northwest Territories Social Housing Agreement with the federal government. At that time we were given 21.2 million. And since the end of 2020 and 2021, we've seen a decline of 7.8 million. And right now, we are housed at 13.4, which is enough to operate and maintain 650 public housing units throughout the Northwest Territories.

This is quite concerning to me as a Housing Minister , and I've asked the department to provide me with some information on how we are going to be looking at that declining of the CMHC funding and how are we going to be working to offset those costs.

Right now, we are constructing multifamily dwellings, looking at 9-plexes, 4-plexes throughout the Northwest Territories and also looking at the energy savings for these houses for long-term utilities and looking at that, I guess those savings costs.

And also getting into market housing units. We have entered into an agreement with the RCMP as well to look at 45 housing market units throughout the Northwest Territories annually over 50 years. With that agreement, we should be receiving 1.8 million over the next 50 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 805-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Renewal Initiative

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Page 3041

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho .

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Page 3041

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister and the Corporation know of the lack of available lands within the communities that actually -- the lands that actually belong to First Nations. Thus the great possibility of paying land leases on top of the many other bills one will be saddled with.

I'm dismayed with what I would term as pulling the wool over the eyes of the First Nations organizations by rushing the initiative in such a very short timeframe to submit an application - from November 18th to the end of December. I don't know if there was real lot of thought given to those from the First Nations perspective because many of them did not submit applications.

I'm just wondering what has the Housing Corporation done to ensure First Nations were screened properly as per the criteria set out before funding was released to the applicants? Mahsi.

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Page 3041

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Like I have said before, Mr. Speaker. Like I have said before, the Housing Corporation in the territory really doesn't have any say on the approval or denial of these applications but we continue to support their efforts.

The Housing Corporation has hired a position to be working with the Indigenous groups to support and encourage those applications coming forward. And I've said that we do have money that's set aside to see those federal applications -- provide the proper consultation and consultants to see those applications approved and forwarded to the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3041

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3041

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health . Why were the midwifery jobs I mentioned in my statement not filled for Stanton? What led to the delay in the positions being posted and when can we expect those positions to be posted and filled? Thank you.

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Page 3041

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3041

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. I'm going to take some time to explain that the scope of practice for midwives is different than it is for obstetric nurses. Sometimes you get midwives who are also obstetric nurses and often they're not.

So midwives have their own scope of practice to attend low risk births in hospital settings but in other settings as well.

And so even had the midwifery positions been available for advertisement and if we had been fortunate enough to fill them at that time, we would still be in the same jam that we are today with the shortage of obstetric nurses. So they are a valuable component of the suite of services that are provided to people giving birth, but they are not interchangeable with other parts. Thank you.

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Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That wasn't my question. My question was why were those positions not posted and filled, but I will follow up with the Minister afterwards.

Is the Minister and Cabinet willing to match any funds raised by the Northern Birthwork Collective and other NGOs to support the 120 families redirected to give birth in Alberta. What else will the department be doing to offset this burden on expectant parents. Thank you.

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Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've spoken in the past about the case management that is underway know with the obstetrics team and the families who are disrupted by the closure of the obstetric services. And when we have a better idea of what the breadth of those needs are, we will be in a better position to understand what additional services that are required that is in addition to the standard medical travel model that we offer. There have been no discussions about private fundraising or matching the Birthworks initiative although I do appreciate that it's happening. Thank you.

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Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll definitely be following up with the department then on that when they have that information.

Mr. Speaker, what hospital ward shutdowns does the Minister anticipate to see at Stanton. What departments are facing similar staffing shortages as OBS and what is being done to prevent this from happening in other wards. Thank you.

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Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thanks, Mr. Speaker. Rather than answering strings of questions, I'm answering just one. At this time, Stanton is not facing any additional closures. Thank you.

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3042

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3042

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you. Well, at least she answered one. Can the department implement and honor retention and hiring bonuses immediately not just for the nurses but also for other health care nursing, such as midwives. Thank you.

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3042

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. My colleague, the Minister of Finance , has already answered this question.

But to briefly recap, there are conversations ongoing now between our two departments that need to involve the union as well to see whether we can create a specific MOU, policy, directive, or mechanism that would address the questions of retention bonuses. Thank you.

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Oral Question 806-19(2): Obstetrics Recruitment

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Page 3042

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3042

Lesa Semmler

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, as I was writing it I started to get really concerned since we're halfway through our term and so I'm hoping my questions for the Premier will brighten up the rest of my day.

So the Northwest Territories has done much work, homework. We've done frameworks. We do annual reports. We work with auditor general, and we have recommendations from them. We're doing surveys all the time. We're currently in a survey.

So my question is can Madam Premier tell us what's being done to help the departments in accessing federal funding so that we can start to help with some of these issues that I brought up in my Member's statement. Thank you.

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3042

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes . Honourable Premier .

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3042

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do just to let the House know the Member was kind enough to share the question just before we sat down and so I've been writing a book. And the first question though is what are we doing to help departments.

The first step within that is that Ministers sit their departments, their deputy ministers and their management team, and define what the initiatives, the mandates are and the needs of the department, and they define what the budget that they will need to do.

As well, while that's going on, we also have contacts close to Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, that we work with to develop federal engagement. Their responsibility is actually, because they're on the ground, to talk with federal Ministers, officials, get the feelers out there, find out what the priorities are going to be, etcetera, for the new government because we need to line up our asks of course.

After that, during the same time, we plan our asks across the departments. We've learned over the years, longer than this Assembly, that you can go into the federal government and have a hundred asks, but there's only so much money that they as well have, just like us. And so it's way more strategic to figure out what our asks are going to be and hit from all sides.

So not all departments might get funded every single year but there's a strategy so that we spread it out.

And then EIA and Finance also looks at all the asks and then we are there to assist the departments as needed, to coordinate the asks, to make sure they stay on the federal engagement, to make sure that our asks are coordinating with the priorities.

And then finally what we do is all the departments, once we define that, every time I meet with the Prime Minister or the Finance Minister , Northern Affairs that I meet with, we consolidate all our asks and I carry those into my opening comments every time when I talk to Ministers. So that basically is how we support departments to make sure their needs are met. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3042

Lesa Semmler

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for that answer. As I mentioned in my Member's statement too, we're always on crisis so we even though we can ask for what's in the mandate and what's the priorities, we seem to be just crisis after crisis after crisis, so. So I think we need a crisis fund too when we go to Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, there has been many calls for a whole-of-government approach, not just by Members in this House. The latest coming from the Director of Child and Family Services in their annual report. Our departments are looking at integrated services because they cannot achieve their policy goals on their own.

So can the Premier tell us if there are areas that are operating under a whole-of-government approach already. And I know the Minister of Finance has stated that they're trying do this but how is it coming from the Premier to the Cabinet to flow down that we need to be working as a government as whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3042

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a little bit more difficult because of our style of government and the leniency of Ministers to be able to define their own goals within governments and the Premier responsible in the Executive Act to discipline but not to define which they shall do, which is good, because we're not a dictatorship, although we get accused of it sometimes.

But what we do is try to work together. One of our work that was started in the last government carried on, and we've been quite proud, is our integrated service delivery which started as a pilot within Justice and has moved into working, trying to get this now to all departments working together so that people don't have to knock on 50 doors.

The other thing we do is we have committees of Cabinet carried over from the last government. We still continue to do that. Ministers right across the board sit on committees regarding the economy, the regarding the environment, and regarding social issues. Those are done. And issues are brought up, and we hash them out all together because we all have a

part in many things. And we also have a deputy minister group that they also sit and regularly meet and talk about how each department has to coordinate together to make sure that our mandates are addressed.

And finally right across the government, we have many working groups that are working across departments. A good example is the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls work that we're doing now, and how it takes all of them.

So we do try to work across department as much as possible. But I'm not going to say it's perfect because there's always challenges when you have ten houses and then that House tries to get together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3042

Lesa Semmler

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for that. You know, as I stated in my Member's statement, when I started to write, it was kind of going in a positive way and then as I started to write, it just seemed to continue to go gees, we're really in a hard place. And some of the answers that the Premier has provided us, I just feel that, you know, we're sitting here in the North and we have years of years of not being able to take care of different crises and we just keep Band-Aided them.

And so my question is that now we have this new government in Ottawa, which is pretty much the same government, what is the strategic plan that the Premier has that she is going to go to Ottawa with and try and get more money for all of these new crises on top of COVID that COVID has really exposed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3042

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'm going to try to condense my novel into a synopsis of the novel.

The first thing is that all of us as Ministers have regular calls with the applicable Ministers at the federal level to try to advocate for our needs.

One of the biggest things that this government has taken that's a little bit -- it's not different, it's just expanded on and is really focusing on partnerships. So we have regular -- I have regular meetings with the three northern Premiers, Northern Premiers Forum, that we all strategize. We recognize some of the issues will be individual but a lot of the asks, Mr. Speaker, are actually across all the North. So we work together on mutual asks which gives us a lot more power.

The other thing we learned with COVID-19 is the necessity to get buy in from other jurisdictions. So this government, when COVID hit us and everybody was saying "help us, help us, we have huge numbers" and the three northern territories sat together and we worked diligently on making all Premiers understand our needs. And it worked, Mr. Speaker. They supported us to get one the first rollouts in the vaccinations. And so that shows the power of having all Premiers on board instead of fighting against each other.

The other thing we did is right after the election, as soon as the Prime Minister was elected, I called him. I gave him a couple days so he could get his place and then I called him, because you've got to hit while it's time. And I asked for a couple of things.

I asked if he could put the North in every single mandate letter for the Ministers, the federal ministers. I don't know if that's been done, but he did agree that the North had to be a focus not only for the northern affairs Ministers but all ministers had to be looking at the North.

I asked him about the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework. I think that has been mentioned. He's going to make some movement on that. I asked him about base funding. We always have the problem if they fund us per capita we can't address that. Our needs are different. Schools, I mean, one school, the population in Ottawa, they might have one school on that block; we have got 33 at minimum plus, in communities. So our needs are greater. And of course flexibility in the asks.

The other thing we do with that is of course I asked for the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework. That's going to say on forever.

We also have -- well, we started with weekly and now they're moving to biweekly calls with the Prime Minister, again advocating for the North, strategically, not asking, don't want to offend our neighbors in the South. As well, the Finance Minister and myself are heading to Ottawa right after this session, no rest for us. We're getting on a plane and jumping on because the budget's coming, so we're going to be talking to the federal ministers about budget asks. That's our priority.

And then all-government, all Ministers are going down in January to hit ministers individually because by then the budget's will be out and they'll know what they have to work with.

The other big thing, and of course we work with our MP and senators as well when we go south. The big thing in this government that's a huge thing, and I'm proud of, is we started a modern treaty and self-government table and we started a Council of Leaders table. And previous governments had said give us the money, we will decide; it's our lands, you know, our jurisdiction.

This government has worked hard with Indigenous governments and said the money has to come to the North, to the NWT, but it doesn't have to come to us. Indigenous governments are looking at self-government. They're looking at -- talking about drawing down programs. It was already announced, one. So we need to get the money here. And if we fight against Indigenous governments competing, we're doing an injustice, Mr. Speaker. So by working together, Indigenous governments and the GNWT, hand in hand, will benefit the residents of the Northwest Territories, and that's what's new in this government. Thank you, I hope that was a brief enough synopsis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Oral Question 807-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Support to Communities

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Page 3043

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Honourable Premier . Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Oral Question 808-19(2): Increasing Jobs in Small Communities

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Page 3043

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to continue some of the discussion on the importance of small communities that we had yesterday in the House. And I think first to -- I got lost in the data from Bureau of Labor Statistics and it's not really clear to me whether jobs are increasing or decreasing in small communities. So that's my first question for the Minister responsible for ECE . Are we actually increasing the number of jobs in small communities.

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Oral Question 808-19(2): Increasing Jobs in Small Communities

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Page 3043

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment .

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Oral Question 808-19(2): Increasing Jobs in Small Communities

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Page 3043

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So 2020 is a bit of an outlier in every single way so let me go back to 2016.

So in 2016, there were 9300 jobs in communities outside of Yellowknife. There was about 4600 in the small communities, so excluding Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik and Fort Smith.

In 2017, we introduced the Small Community Support program, and that's $4.2 million a year the communities can use to develop or support jobs. Fast forward to 2019, there were 5072 jobs in the smallest of communities. So from 4600 to almost 5100. And if you look at all the communities outside of Yellowknife, there was an increase of around 1300 jobs. So, yes, the number of jobs in small communities are increasing. There's obviously a blip in 2020. But we're back on track. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Page 3043

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we're all happy to hear that, and I'm happy to hear that some of the work in the small community employment strategy has been seeing actual jobs and on-the-ground increases. I know we're four out of six years into that strategy of that. Can the Minister just give the House an update of what we can see in the remaining two years of that strategy. Thank you.

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Oral Question 808-19(2): Increasing Jobs in Small Communities

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Page 3043

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I should have mentioned that with that small community funding, employment funding, there were 670 jobs in 2018-2019 that were directly funded. 750 the next year. And then of c