Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think those numbers are excellent numbers when you look at some of the other statistics we have as a government. My concern comes in the area of positions that are turned over. Within a small community, you can have a position that turns over and seems to stay away from hiring on long-term northerners, whether they are aboriginal or not. While the Minister is looking at this, will he inform me if there is any difference in the GNWT's policy and the Power Corporation's policy? Thank you.
Debates of March 4th, 1997
Topics
Supplementary To Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Supplementary To Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have taken the Member's concerns very seriously and have directed the Power Corporation to provide me with the appropriate information to respond to the Member. I will be happy to provide the information he has requested in a timely manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Question 444-13(4): Concerns With Affirmative Action Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It is in relation to a motion that was passed, Committee Motion 6-13(3) regarding core funding to the Tl'oondih Healing Society, which was carried. My question to the Minister is the motion clearly states for the Minister and Executive Council to immediately enter into negotiations with the Tl'oondih Healing Society to provide core funding to the society at the same level provided to other institutions providing that service. Also, there have been petitions passed in this House and a lot of debate on this particular issue. I would like to ask the Minister what has been done in relation to these motions and these petitions?
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Health and Social Service, Mr. Ng.
Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the honourable Member knows, staff have sat down with the staff of the Tl'oondih Healing Society to try to work out some arrangements. It has not resulted in any agreement to provide any core funding for the Tl'oondih Healing Society, as I have indicated in this House on numerous occasions in answering the honourable Members in this area. We are moving the funding for residential treatment centres out to the regions and giving the regions and the communities more direct input into how those dollars are allocated and, in that same vein, how those dollars would flow to some of the residential treatment programs that we have in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To ensure that the long-term liability of the Tl'oondih Healing Society continues, what kind of assurances can the Minister give to ensure that there will be a Tl'oondih Healing Society down the road in the next three to five years?
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cannot give any assurances on the future operations of the Tl'oondih Healing Society. For that matter, in respect to some of our residential treatment centres that this government finances, we have had to withdraw some funding to one of our residential treatment centres because of the fact that there is a vacancy in the occupancy levels of those facilities, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to the comments by the Minister, could he tell me exactly directly or indirectly will they have access to funds for alcohol and drug programs for the Inuvik region?
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would say that, yes, they would have access to funds through the regional health and social services boards that we will be financing for residential treatment programs, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The whole idea of funding a particular program is that this is the only family healing program in Canada at the present time which is structured to deal with families and not just individuals. Because this is a unique program in the Northwest Territories, would the Minister make an attempt to ensure there is some mechanism there that when you are dealing with family issues in regards to social services that they do consider that there is a program in the north to look at those particular things. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would take it that the regional boards would take that into consideration. They would take into consideration not just the individual's needs, but that of his or her family as well in trying to design any treatment program that would be appropriate for their needs, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 445-13(4): Core Funding To Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.
Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Item 6: Oral Questions
March 3rd, 1997
Page 1074
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement this morning, I spoke of the father from Arviat seeking to accompany his wife for the birth of their child. Mr. Speaker, I am further reminded of another situation where just recently an elder was medevaced to Winnipeg with no family escort. The elder did not speak English and I am sure that the Minister can realize how difficult and traumatic this could be to one of our seniors travelling a long distance via airplane without any family members with him. Would the Minister consider amending the non-medical escort policy to allow for non-medical escorts for elders only in the Keewatin communities? Thank you.
Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.
Return To Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It must be Health and Social Services day. Mr. Speaker, no, I am not prepared to do that arbitrarily. We recognize that, particularly in the area of medical travel, we are under fiscal pressures because of the fact that we have historically had increased demands on medical travel for treatment. What we have done, as all Members know is, given the accountability and the authority to regional boards to set their own policies recognizing -- and I am glad that the honourable Member in his statement acknowledged that the Keewatin board recognize the sensitivity of the one example of somebody that needed to have an exception to the medical travel policy to allow him to be with his spouse. That is why we have made the decision to give boards that autonomy, so they can recognize those exceptions that might need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis, Mr. Speaker. But it would not be fair to have a blanket coverage of all escorts because of the fact that we do not have the financial resources to meet all the needs, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Return To Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.
Supplementary To Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Question 446-13(4): Non-medical Escorts For Elders
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions were geared towards elders only, primarily elders that did not speak English. I would further ask if the Minister has any idea what the additional cost would be to make an exception to the policy that would enable elders to be accompanied by a family member during medical travel? Thank you.