Thank you. Total operations and maintenance, Mr. Ootes.
Debates of May 21st, 1996
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. During the review by the Infrastructure committee, we discussed the revenues of the liquor system to the general revenues of the government. The discussion centred around directing money to alcohol education. Could the Minister tell us what
programs are now available for drug, alcohol and substance abuse education?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, primarily through the alcohol and drug programs at the community level.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
That was one of the desires of the committee I was on; that funds be directed at the community level to tackle drug and alcohol problems. What kind of money is being provided at the community level?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there is $160,000 at headquarters; $336,000 in the Yellowknife area; $709,000 in the Fort Smith area; $344,000 in the Fort Simpson area; $908,000 in the Inuvik region; $656,000 in the Baffin; $416,000 in the Keewatin; and, $410,000 in the Kitikmeot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Community programs and services, total operations and maintenance, $143.988 million. Agreed? Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Just to follow up on those figures, I calculate that out to be in the neighbourhood of around $3.2 million to $3.6 million. The revenues that the territorial government raises from the sale of alcohol is in the neighbourhood of about $15 million. Perhaps it will be reduced to about $12 million. Does the Minister have in mind that perhaps in future years more money can be devoted to alcohol education and these particular programs, specifically to be directed at the community level where obviously there is a lot of need; here in Yellowknife as well as throughout the North? I would like to hear the Minister's comments on my question whether more money can be devoted and diverted to that particular program.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Over time, we are trying to make the alcohol and drug programs at the community level a bit more reflective and effective at the local level by some communities taking more of an initiative and taking on some of the programming through the current groups that are in existence in communities. I can't speak with respect to the revenue-generation through the sale of alcohol products because that money is in a different department and it goes back to the general consolidated revenue fund of the government, which finances all departments within the GNWT, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 511
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With regard to programs and services in the area of alcohol and drugs, there are communities trying new initiatives. Myself and Mr. Minister have gone over the question of the Tl'oondih
Healing Society, which is the only program in Canada that deals with the whole family. There are a large number of instances where children are taken away from their families and put into care facilities over the Territories and in southern Canada. There is a large cost to incarcerating people due to drug and alcohol problems. We have to try to entice new ideas out there. The alcohol and drug programs have been around for several years, but we need to find new initiatives and consider spending resources on them. Is the department looking at new initiatives such as the Tl'oondih program?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the honourable Member knows, the department has been more than flexible in providing funding in the past year to assist the Tl'oondih operation, as I have stated in prior occasions to this House. We continue to try to work with the operators there in trying to identify new possible funding sources. As I mentioned earlier, one of the things we are in the process of freeing up is the extended health benefits funding so that if an alcohol and drug specialist refers a client to the Tl'oondih healing camp, we would pay for their costs now.
We have allowed non-insured health benefits qualified individuals to be treated again at the Tl'oondih healing camp. As we move towards more of a per them for all alcohol, drug and treatment facilities, moving away from core funding these facilities and there is more of an opportunity for clients to go to Tl'oondih-type of operation, they will become available. By doing that, the program at Tl'oondih would benefit from this less-restrictive funding arrangement, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Before I recognize Mr. Krutko, I would like to direct your attention momentarily, on behalf of Tommy Enuaraq and Levi Barnabas, to Mrs. Elisapee Enuaraq, Janet and Mrs. Susan Barnabas in the public gallery.
--- Applause
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Welcome to the House. My other question to the Minister is with regard to health benefits. You say the Metis aren't covered under the existing programs with regard to non-insured health benefits, but you are saying they will be covered under the health benefit program. As the Metis health benefit stands, they are only covered to a certain percentage. I believe it is 65 per cent. So will you pay for 100 per cent of the cost?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under extended health benefits funding program, any individual who would be referred to Tl'oondih, the entire cost would be covered by the department, regardless of whether they are non-aboriginal or Metis. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Roland. Mr. Steen and then Mr. Henry.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, my question to the Minister is centred around the community of Holman Island. I am not sure which health board it falls under.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Holman falls under the jurisdiction of the Kitikmeot Regional Health Board, as it stands now. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.