Mr. Chairman, I can commit to making that available by tomorrow. We have been in the process of going through monthly updates with all boards in all areas of care giving and we can undertake to provide that summary.
Debates of Feb. 24th, 1998
This is page numbers 1041 - 1091 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 5th 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 chairperson.
Topics
Committee Motion 22-13(5): To Identify The Amount Of Federal Funding For Western NWT Aboriginal Health Care
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Ramsden
Committee Motion 22-13(5): To Identify The Amount Of Federal Funding For Western NWT Aboriginal Health Care
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Ramsden. In consideration of how long we have been sitting here, I am going to take a five minute break, and then we can come back and deal with Mr. Krutko's motion.
--Break
Committee Motion 22-13(5): To Identify The Amount Of Federal Funding For Western NWT Aboriginal Health Care
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
The Chair Vince Steen
The committee will come back to order. I will recognize the Member from Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko. Would you please read out your motion, Mr. Krutko?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Minister of Health and Social Services work toward establishing a child advocacy in the Northwest Territories before division. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. I do not recognize a quorum. I will ring the bell. I recognize a quorum. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
We are on Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 1998-99, Health and Social Services. Activity summary, children's programs, operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, $9.691 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you. Mr. Chairman, could the Minister tell me who, within the department, is presently in charge of child welfare matters, or basically, who does inquiries into allegations of abuse or physical abuse of children? Is there someone within the department that presently does that? If so, who, and how many people are working within that development?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the primary function is carried out at the community level by social workers. There is a superintendent of child welfare that is at the headquarters level, but primarily, if I understand the Member's question, for allocations of child abuse and the investigation preliminary work is done at the community level right where the occurrence takes place. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Say there is an investigation called. Who is the one that basically does the inquiries? Is it headquarters that can call this or is it somebody from the regional office who directs the person in the community to carry out this investigation?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
I will ask Mr. Ramsden to go through the steps, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Ramsden
Mr. Chairman, as the Minister indicated, the expectation is the primary and first response comes from the community. There is support staff, senior staff at a regional level who will either step in to create some distance between the worker and the community or to assist in the investigation and support, particularly for the children. The department's role, in terms of the office of the superintendent of child welfare will do one of at least two things. If there is concern that the response from board staff has not been appropriate, then the superintendent of child welfare has a responsibility to inquire themselves. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1084
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At what time do they call in the Department of Justice, or the RCMP, into an investigation? Is that before they do their preliminary work or is that done as soon as an incident comes forth or an allegation is made?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
Ramsden
Mr. Chairman, to get into specific steps I would have to go to the protocol that has been established between the Department of Justice, the RCMP, education and the Department of Health. There is an obligation to report allegations of abuse. My sense of that is there is an involvement very, very early on in the process, to at least flag Justice and the police to the matter. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Has the department seen a real increase or decrease in the number of incidents where they had to call for such an investigation in the last couple of years?
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
Ramsden
Mr. Chairman, certainly it is not an issue that I could at this point, characterize as being on the rise and we would want to consult our statistics before I gave it a definitive answer in that regard. I am not aware, from my access to the information, that it is a matter which is significantly on the rise. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-13(5): To Establish A Child Advocate In The NWT Before Division
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1085
