Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present the fourth interim report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth interim report of the special committee. Since tabling our third report early last December, we have continued our regional consultations and research initiatives. In late January, we met with people in communities and the constituencies of Nahendeh, Deh Cho and Hay River. We also continued work on our front line workers survey and launched two other research projects. One examines the links between housing conditions and health. The other explores the experiences of communities with taking control of health and social services.
During this period, we have had a number of changes in committee membership. Richard Nerysoo and Ludy Pudluk resigned from our ranks, and Ernie Bernhardt is also no longer a committee Member. John Ningark, who had already participated in our Keewatin consultation, and Dennis Patterson have joined the committee.
In early January, Members joined the Standing Committee on Public Accounts as they reviewed the Auditor General's Comprehensive Audit on the Department of Health. This ensured that we were aware of the discussions on the health delivery system issues raised in that document. That same week, we followed up on our commitment to learn from the experiences of our northern neighbours. We spent a very useful day with Ms. Gaye Hanson, the deputy minister of the Yukon Department of Health and Social Services. During our meeting with her, we heard about some of the Yukon's experiences with community transfer, departmental amalgamation and other topics of mutual interest.
Mr. Speaker, this report provides an overview of our current research initiatives and summarizes those issues people told us about during our most recent regional consultations. Some of these issues reinforce recommendations that we have made in earlier reports. Some particularly compelling ones are reflected in recommendations in this report.
Research Projects
Front Line Worker Survey
Housing And Health Study
Another study we have under way is a study on housing and health. The Science Institute of the NWT is administering our study on health issues related to housing. We will use data on housing conditions and crowding gathered in last year's housing survey carried out by the NWT Housing Corporation. This data will then be compared to various health indicators tracked by the Department of Health and others. Our goal is to clarify the links between people's housing and the health and social problems that they experience.
The study will be carried out by Dr. Kue Young of the northern health research unit. Dr. Young recently carried out a literature review on the relationship between housing, community infrastructure, and health on Indian reserves across southern Canada. He was also involved in a recent major health study in the Keewatin region.
The NWT Housing Corporation recognizes the value of this study and is paying half the costs. The committee appreciates this contribution.
Community Control Project
The third research project that we have undertaken examines the topic of community control. We think that it is important to learn from the mistakes and successes of other northern and aboriginal communities who have taken local control of social or health services. We want to be able to share their experiences with interested people in communities here. This project will look at what has been written about community control and present those factors the people have found important to the success of such shifts of control.
We will be releasing the results of these research projects over the coming months as they are completed.
Amalgamation
Mr. Speaker, in our discussions with the deputy minister from the Yukon, we heard clearly that it does not necessarily follow that amalgamation of the Departments of Health and Social Services will lead to more integrated programs. She pointed to the fact that although her department had been amalgamated for about ten years, the Health and Social Service divisions had maintained their solitudes until recently.
"The amount of activity that occurred between the two sides of the department was negligible. People did not talk to each other in the design of policy or the design of programs or services....Even in the policy unit, we had people that were assigned to health projects and those assigned to social services projects that did not talk to each other."
Mr. Speaker, while their are arguments for integrating certain programs to increase efficiency, the Yukon experience does not support the view that amalgamation will necessarily lead to cooperation. The integration of specific programs or consolidation of program responsibilities in one department may be more effective ways of improving the delivery of health and social services.
Regional Consultation
Mr. Speaker, during the last week in January committee Members listened to the concerns and ideas of people in Fort Simpson, Kakisa, Fort Providence, Hay River and on the Hay River Reserve. We started the week with a drum dance on Sunday night in Fort Simpson. From what we heard informally that night we knew there was great interest in the community about health and social issues.
On Monday we participated in a regional workshop where a variety of people shared their thoughts on a theme of mental health and healing. Later in the day we met with members of the local chapter of the registered nurses association.
Tuesday was filled with a variety of individual meetings with groups and individuals. We had lunch with the elders living in the Stanley Isiah senior citizens' home and met in the afternoon with grade 11 students at Thomas Simpson school. That night we held our first public meeting of the week. Over 45 people attended the meeting in the cultural centre. Thirteen presenters talked about a wide range of local health and social issues.
On Wednesday morning we left Fort Simpson. Deputy chairman, Fred Koe and Dennis Patterson flew to Fort Providence. Myself and Jeannie Marie-Jewell went on to Hay River and were joined there by John Ningark.
Upon arriving at Fort Providence, Mr. Koe and Mr. Patterson were driven to Kakisa to share a bannock and stew lunch with the chief and members of the band council. After hearing their concerns, Members returned to Fort Providence to meet with local elders. That night, we held our second public meeting of the week with over 40 people attending. Nine speakers told us about their concerns.
Thursday in Fort Providence, Members met with local service providers and, later with students and adult learners at Deh Gah elementary school. That afternoon, they capitalized on the opportunity to hear from a large group of social services workers who were in town for a regional meeting.
Meanwhile, in Hay River, Members met Wednesday with two groups of local youth and a gathering of elders at Riverview Lodge. Thursday they held meetings with adult learners, service providers, and the community working group on health services. That night, we held our third public meeting at the community centre. There were 40 people in attendance with ten participants sharing their views on local issues and concerns. On Friday, meetings were held with staff at Social Services, home care and at the Hay River treatment centre.
Mr. Speaker, I would now like to ask the deputy chair to continue with the report.