Mr. Chairman, I will proceed with the Standing Committee on Finance recommendations now.

The first one has to do with a social services strategy. The previous Assembly approved a motion to fast track the development of a social services strategy, to guide its future program delivery based on extensive public consultation, and to enter into negotiations with communities to devolve authority for the delivery of social service programs.

The government responded by deferring to the process of reshaping northern government and the Special Committee on Health and Social Services. In addition, the department has been without leadership for some time, and has no objectives in the 1992-93 main estimates in this regard.

Given the difficult social issues faced in the Northwest Territories, this gives the committee considerable concern. We do not believe there is the luxury of time for the department to do nothing, while awaiting the results of the community transfer committee, which is only taking an organizational approach, and the Special Committee on Health and Social Services. At this rate, we may go through another couple of Minister, Deputy Ministers, and change in government while suicide, violence and welfare cases escalate instead of improving.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that, the merger of the Department of Health and Social Services take place April 1, 1993, and is reflected accordingly in the 1993-94 main estimates; a Deputy Minister be appointed as soon as possible to provide suitable leadership and direction; a social services strategy, healthy community model, and implementation timetable be developed by October 1993; The Special Committee on Health and Social Services consider providing input and recommendations on the major social issues facing the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our next resolution has to deal with affirmative action. If there is one department more than any other that should be a representative of the people it serves it is the Department of Social Services. The history of non-aboriginal intervention in aboriginal social and cultural issues is one of utter failure.

The committee finds it difficult to believe that a person from the south, however well intentioned, can effectively counsel a native person in a small, remote community, on issues such as child or spousal abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide, and low self-esteem.

However, there is still a majority of the people in the Department of Social Services and Corrections that are not aboriginal, and none of the senior bureaucracy that met with this committee are aboriginal.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee recommends that the Assembly establish a goal of significantly increasing the number of aboriginal people in the Department of Social Services and Correction activity by 1997. Further, the committee recommends that the department review options, and develop an action plan with the 1993-94 main estimates, to accomplish this goal, including: job redefinition to use talents available in the north; development of career pathing; and, advertising and recruiting in the south on an exceptional basis only.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are three areas that the committee felt needed more resources, and not less. They are programs for dealing with child sexual abuse, suicide prevention, and equitable wages for alcohol and drug workers. Members noted that community alcohol and drug workers generally get paid less than government clerical staff and do not feel this is appropriate given the critical nature of their work.

Throughout this report the committee has stressed the need to spend more resources on preventative programs, and building human resources.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Social Services budget more resources in the 1993-94 main estimates for child sexual abuse, suicide prevention programs, and to pay a fair wage to community alcohol and drug workers.

Mr. Chairman, in response to Mr. Lewis, the concern was raised at the committee because, in the main estimates presented to the committee of the whole, you do not get see the individual tasks. The task summary for suicide prevention services showed a decrease in funding that we thought was quite significant this year over what was spent last year in both the main estimates and the revised forecast.

We felt that this was inappropriate, given the fact that suicides in the north tend to be on the rise, and not on the wane. We thought any excuse for cutting back on that area should have to be supported by statistics showing that suicide was on the decrease, and not on the increase.

Basically, the same is true in all areas where we have recommended that this be looked at. There has not, necessarily, been a direct examination of what the cost would be to achieve a satisfactory level. The concern, though, is that perhaps the priorities are not properly expressed in the budget, if areas as important as suicide prevention services are seeing their funds cut.

There may be other areas where it may be more appropriate to find the money from, in order to make sure that this important service is not cut.

Mr. Chairman, for the most part, the Standing Committee on Finance does not have the resources available to it to calculate what exact costs might be. In many cases, we ask the department to give us an estimate of what the increase in costs would be, but it has been our view that it is up to the Minister to take our recommendations as policy recommendations, and try and work within his budget, to find ways to achieve the emphasis that we think should be there, if we are not satisfied that he has demonstrated that in the budget.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our next resolution has to deal with alcohol and drug strategy. The committee was shocked to learn that up to 25 percent of the children in some communities are affected by parental alcohol abuse, including fetal alcohol syndrome.

We can assume that similar statistics may appear in the rest of the Northwest Territories. If ever we were unsure of how to measure our performance as a government, and a society, we now know. Up to 25 percent of our children have special needs and problems which will affect them, and us, for the rest of their lives, and we do not have a strategy to deal with it. What is the long-term cost of doing nothing?

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Social Services develop a strategy to deal with the alcohol and drug abuse epidemic, by October of 1993.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our next resolution has to deal with after care. The committee is concerned that there is no after care programs for people released from jail, and, as a result, the circle of violence continues.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Social Services initiate a program of after care, for people released from jail, as a measure of prevention against additional offenses.