Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a very important issue and I thank the Member for raising it. It is very important that we, as the government of the Northwest Territories, ensure the same level of programs and services that are delivered, will continually be delivered, no matter which way the negotiating table goes on self-government issues. For example, I will use the Dogrib table. It is very important that the people in the Dogrib region get the same levels of services they have today. The same quality of services and programs. That is to their interests, to our interests. I cannot give you today a time-frame of how long that will take to achieve, but I will commit to you today that our government will be there, willing to work with the Dogrib people as well as the federal government to get a finalization to that land claims process they are in and that self-government process they are in. We will be committed to working with them and we will also be committed to ensuring the same level of services is delivered in that region today, as well as the days yet to come. Thank you.
Debates of Sept. 23rd, 1998
This is page numbers 155 - 185 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 6th 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 education.
Topics
Further Return To Question 91-13(6): Vision Of Western Governance
Question 91-13(6): Vision Of Western Governance
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Further Return To Question 91-13(6): Vision Of Western Governance
Question 91-13(6): Vision Of Western Governance
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Central, Mr. Ootes.
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health, Mr. Ng. It is in relationship to the statement I made earlier today. I understand there was a meeting of the federal, provincial and territorial Health Ministers in Regina last week. The subject was discussed on tobacco and substance abuse as well but major concentration on tobacco abuse. Could the Minister give us an explanation of what transpired at that meeting and what the concentration was on? Thank you.
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
The honourable Minister, Mr. Ng.
Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was an agenda item on that federal/provincial/territorial Ministers of Health meeting in Regina. BC basically updated all other jurisdictions on their tobacco prevention and education initiatives because they are quite aggressively pursuing some of the tobacco companies and awareness campaign against tobacco, particularly aimed at children. All jurisdictions were quite impressed quite frankly with what was provided by the ministry from BC and applauded them for their efforts. We gave directions to all of our senior officials, from all jurisdictions to work together to develop in conjunction with what BC was doing, a more aggressive plan, in trying to implement tobacco reduction measures and to bring that back to the Ministers of Health. Thank you.
Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 166
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if in addition to this national strategy obviously which I think is highly needed and certainly the federal government has to take a tremendous responsibility in this whole area as well, but we have to be concerned about our people in the territories, naturally and since we do have a particular statistical indication that there are problems here in the north. Could the Minister tell us if he is already initiating some sort of program to address this whole concern of smoking abuse? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as all Members are aware, it is a particularly higher than national average problem in the Northwest Territories and does cost our system significantly. We are in the process in our 1999 Business Plan again, on one of the strategic directions, particularly in the area of health promotion, is one specific priority area is tobacco harm reduction and cessation programs. We plan to actively pursue a territorial strategy in that respect. Hopefully it can tie in with some of the national initiatives that are being pursued as well, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that Paututit has been provided $500,000 to develop a campaign for Nunavut aimed at young people to quit smoking. I wonder if the Minister is familiar with this. I believe it is federal money that is provided, in that particular case. Could the Minister tell us if he is familiar with this particular program and if so, if there is a mechanism by which we can also get money for a similar program here in the west? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes I am aware of that program through Paututit, the Inuit Women's Association. Particularly it is from Health and Welfare Canada, as it relates to aboriginal programming. I think how some of the communities in the west can access that is obviously if they have not already and I will have to check into that, is through the NWT Women's Council which would run similar types of programs throughout the territories. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you. We have been concentrating on the issue of smoking abuse. Naturally, we have a critical problem in another area as well, and that is substance abuse of alcohol. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if he will also address that particular area? I know we need to focus on particular issues, but it seems to me that both smoking and alcohol are critical, critical problems here in the Northwest Territories. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if he is able to address the alcohol abuse problem as well? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we certainly do recognize the substance abuse problems as well, but they are more indicative of other problems and symptoms of some of the problems that individuals have. We plan on addressing that in more of a global, mental health type of a situation in providing some resourcing there and in the area of child and youth reform in trying to provide additional supports in that area for people in the territories. Mr. Speaker, thank you.
Further Return To Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Question 92-13(6): Update On Health Ministers Meeting
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions, Mr. O'Brien.
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Health. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I drew attention to the death of two young children in my riding. Mr. Speaker, in one case, the attending nurse who was looking after one of the children, had only six months experience before being hired in my home community of Arviat. My question to the Minister is, is there a policy on hiring diploma nurses from the south? In other words, is there a formula where you would have an x-number of RNs as opposed to x-number of diploma nurses? Thank you.
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ng, Minister of Health.
Return To Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the NWT Registered Nurses Association has the licensing authority for nurses and provided that they are licensed with that accredited organization, then they could work in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Return To Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. O'Brien.
Supplementary To Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 167
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister saying that his department has no control over the number of diploma
nurses hired from the south and that it is in the hands of the nursing association here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 168
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. I will allow the Minister to answer the question now, but there is a request from a Member of the House to deal with an important matter. After the Minister has responded, we will take a 30-minute break. Once we resume, I will allow the honourable Member for Kivallivik to continue with his supplementaries. Mr. Minister.
Further Return To Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Question 93-13(6): Keewatin Health Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 168
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The health boards have the responsibility for hiring their personnel. The point I am trying to make is if personnel, if their nurses in the situation have to be accredited by the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT, if they have that accreditation then they can work and practice in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.