This is page numbers 303 - 319 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th 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 corporation.

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the librarians only found out about who else was in their class code just on a recent basis, could the Minister tell us if there is a mechanism by which they can appeal this situation, or to be classed as an occupational group?

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the placement of librarians in that particular class code could be appealed. The first step, as I understand it, would be to write to their supervisors asking for a review of their location and then there would have to be some consultation done with the unions because the class codes are not set arbitrarily by government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's direction on that. I believe the librarians have been in touch with their union, but I wonder if the government on its part will also initiate some discussion with the union on this end?

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, Mr. Speaker, in my previous answer, the proper process is for the librarians to write to their supervisor which would then start the ball rolling on the government side. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does that mean that the government will take up the issue, then, with the union if they contact their supervisors? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, that would start the process. There are a number of steps that would have to be undertaken before any change was made if it was found that a change was indeed justified. The first step is for the workers to appeal their classification codes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Question 107-13(7): Pay Equity For Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 306

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It is in regard to a motion that I passed in this House asking for support for the Tl'oondih Healing Society and also I had a commitment from the previous Premier to work along with myself and the people of the Tl'oondih Healing Society and the Minister of Health and Social Services. Yet, Mr. Speaker, one of the mandates of this society was to work along with people, especially families, to assist them in healing and dealing with the

day-to-day problems in our communities, especially alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, suicides. Yet, Mr. Speaker, it is not clear to me exactly what direction this government is going when it comes to assisting people who are in need of help, who are trying to quit drinking, or trying to find a way to deal with the violence in the family. Also the problem that we find our youth and the children in, in a lot of our communities.

One of the commitments made in the Budget Address is to help aboriginal organizations meet their political aspirations and support other parties to recognize. This society was established through the Gwich'in land claim agreement, it was established as an organization within the Gwich'in Tribal Council. I would like to know from the Minister exactly what is his department doing to ensure that we have some organization or some system in place to assist the regions dealing with the alcohol and drug problems, and also what assistance is this government giving to make sure we have some involvement in what happens in that area in the regions?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department has continued to work with the regions, the boards, to ensure, for example, that alcohol and drug services are available to the residents of the territory, and we are continuing to monitor and ensure that programs are available to all the residents throughout the territory. In the area with the Tl'oondih healing society, there has been work done in the past with the Member and the previous Minister in trying to come up with a solution. At this point in time, we have not moved further than what was already discussed and put forward at those discussions, but I would like to assure the Member that my work with the department is to ensure we have facilities and programs available to all residents of the territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the Minister saying they have worked along with the Tl'oondih Healing Society, I would like to make the Minister aware that we have not received much help from the regional health board in the Inuvik region, especially trying to receive funding and trying to make sure there are programs available for assistance from this society. I would like to ask the Minister, what is his department doing to ensure that the motion that was passed in this House is being carried out?

Supplementary To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As stated earlier, with the health boards, we have passed on a lot of the power and ability to do work for this government on to them. We still monitor and maintain the process and the standards that are out there. I would have to check with the department as to what work has gone on in reference to the motion that was passed in this Assembly. As I said earlier, there was a meeting held with the Member, I believe, and members from that organization with the previous Minister and some items were laid out. Requests for more information were made. I am not sure where it has moved from that point. I will get back to the department and find out what we have done in the meantime. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the different alcohol and drug organizations that are in place, I believe most of the organizations are based in the Yellowknife area. I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing to ensure the regions and the outlining areas of Yellowknife also have an opportunity to deliver these programs and services rather than just basically centralizing this program. I would like to know, is there a strategy in place that the government is doing to ensure that the regions and groups such as the Tl'oondih Healing Society will have an opportunity to operate in the future without seeing all the programs delivered out of Yellowknife?

Supplementary To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to assure the Member that the department is in no way intending to centralize the services that are out there. There have been some concerns raised lately as to an aspect of one of the drug and alcohol treatment facilities that operate in the territories. There has been ongoing work to try and see what we can do as a department to reprofile to some degree what we are doing right now. As I stated yesterday, the ministerial forum that we are developing will look at how we deliver health services and drugs and alcohol is one of those in there, to ensure that all residents will continue to receive support from this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Question 108-13(7): Support For Tl'oondih Healing Society
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 307

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he can get me the information, in regard to seeing exactly how much money has been allocated to Tl'oondih Healing Society in the last three years? If he can have that information available to me as soon as possible.