This is page numbers 73 - 93 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 1st 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 review.

Topics

Further Return To Question O82-12(1): Need To Review Department Of Social Services
Question O82-12(1): Need To Review Department Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Well let us not take this personally. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the former Minister for her indulgence to be able to go over the department in the form that I would like. I would like to review these programs, as I said. At the time I was on the other side of the House I was fair to the Minister; I always gave her the benefit of the doubt, and I ask that same thing. I realize that there has been a very substantial review of the whole government, including the departments I am responsible for, Mr. Speaker, and I would like that same opportunity, to be able to appraise all of the programs and the services that we deliver and match these with the recommendations or the views of the "Strength At Two Levels" report. I would like that opportunity as well, to undertake that over a period of time.

Further Return To Question O82-12(1): Need To Review Department Of Social Services
Question O82-12(1): Need To Review Department Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Social Services. On Tuesday, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Social Services, when I asked if he was willing to table the report of the riot at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre -- Christmas is just around the corner, Mr. Speaker, and January 1st is less than a month away so I am a bit concerned about what might happen in the event that a riot does take place again. My concern right now is that we do not have a tabled report. I would like to know the reasons why the riot took place in the first place. There had to be some dissatisfaction, there have to be some issues that the inmates were concerned about that the government refused to address, which led to the riot at YCC. I do not know what the reasons are, so I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he would be willing to table this dry-reading document that he feels is not important, but it is important to me, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Return To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess it is true that words come back to haunt you sometimes, but when I did say that the report was dry, it was probably in the context that I have had a lot of reading to do over the last couple of weeks. One of these bits of reading happened to be that report, and I did review the report, but because I did think that since the previous Minister had tabled the executive summary that would have summarized sufficiently to satisfy the public's interest in what had happened, I did not go into it in detail. Subsequent to that, I am going over the report in more detail. I have a lot of people to consult yet, as my predecessor did, and I will discuss this report in depth with my officials and with the RCMP. I will then make a decision as to whether or not this report will be tabled, but I can tell you right now that it will not be tabled before the anniversary of the riot.

Return To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Supplementary To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not the situation that led to the riot has been resolved, and with Christmas and New Year coming that we will not run into the same situation which would have lead to that riot. Are the inmates satisfied with the way things are going with regard to whatever their demands are?

Supplementary To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Further Return To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 82

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In response to the last part, I do not know whether or not we can ever get inmates in an institution satisfied. I recently received a letter from an inmate on an issue that Mr. Lewis had raised yesterday expressing concern at the fact that they had to use a razor more than once. It is things like that that cause some dissatisfaction. But I am not sure that the same conditions prevail this year as did last year. There is a certain amount of tension that arises through being institutionalized during a normally festive season. But that goes with the territory and I am confident that the same conditions are not there this year that were there last year. I am confident that we will not see a reoccurrence of the situation last year.

Further Return To Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Question O83-12(1): Request For Report Re Disturbance At Yellowknife Correctional Centre
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will address my question to the same Minister but on a different issue. During the fiscal year 1990-91 the Department of Social Services distributed approximately $21.6 million in social assistance expenditures to residents of the NWT. This is pretty straight forward stuff. However, what is not straight forward is that a small percentage of this money went to individuals living in southern Canada. According to his department there were 156 persons spread out across Canada, from British Columbia to New Brunswick, who collected social assistance payments from this government during the last fiscal year. Is the Department of Social Services still supporting people in southern Canada with social assistance money?

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for bringing this matter to my attention. I am not aware of any program that we have to support persons outside the NWT borders under the present programs that we operate. There may be exceptional circumstances which allow for some consideration to be made, again as I said, under exceptional circumstances, and I will endeavour to find out where these 156 individuals are and under what conditions they are receiving any assistance. So I would like to take this question as notice and get back to the Member, perhaps in a letter, because I assume that the House will not be sitting beyond next week and it may take some time to get this information.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

The question is taken as notice. Mr. Koe.

Fred Koe Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Social Services. In response to the honourable Member for Thebacha, I thought I heard you say that you intend to meet all the staff of the department before formulating some plans for review of the department. Is it your intention to meet all the staff before getting on with the job of delivering services to all the residents of the NWT?

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Return To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

I realize that I may have been very broad in what I said there, but I do have an intention of meeting as many of the staff as possible to review concerns. That is not to say I am going to only consult with staff. I already met most of the headquarters people and I do enjoy that very much, because I am a social worker by profession. I do enjoy very much, whenever I travel, to visit the area offices and talk with the people who are out in the field delivering the programs. But not only will I be talking to people from my department, but as often as possible, I will also consult with the ordinary Members and constituencies, on issues that may impact on any kind of recommendations, and the directions that the department will go in in the future.

Return To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Koe, supplementary.

Supplementary To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mr. Speaker, do you also intend to meet all the clients of the department?

Supplementary To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Further Return To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

I think the questioning is getting a little out of hand. I do not think I intend to meet everybody in the world...

---Laughter

But I very much enjoy meeting people, and I think the Member is being mischievous. But I do enjoy meeting staff, and I am saying I think sometimes you can get a good picture by visiting the communities and visiting the area office. Yes, I suppose I will get to meet, from time to time, clients. But it is not to say that I am intervening -- people like to talk to me because I am a personable person. So I will meet as many people as I can, and if they are interested in talking to me about my departments and my work and my views, well, if I have the time, I certainly will be proud to do that.

Further Return To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mr. Speaker, a recent distinguished paper had an editorial praising the new Minister and in that editorial it talked about the Minister visiting clients and looking into their fridges and freezers to see what they had available to eat. This is why I ask the question. Do you intend to go to all clients, check their fridges and freezers to see what they have to eat?

---Laughter

Supplementary To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Social Services.

Further Return To Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Question O85-12(1): Minister Meeting Staff And Clients Of Social Services
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 83

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

If invited.

---Laughter

I am not responsible for editorials in distinguished newspapers, Mr. Speaker.