Debates of Oct. 8th, 2003

This is page numbers 1299 - 1354 of the Hansard for the 14th 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 chairman.

Topics

Members Present

Item 1: Prayer

Update On The NWT Hydro Development Initiative

south Slave

sahtu

GNWT Response To Miramar Con Mine

Better Services To Communities And To Government

NWT Housing Corporation Ministerial Achievements

Supporting Communities

Rcmp Actions To Combat Crime In Downtown Yellowknife

Realizing Benefits From Economic Development Initiatives

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Homeownership And Maintenance Programs For Single Parents

Downturn In NWT High School Graduation Rates

Community Consultations On GNWT Capital Planning Process

Laid-off Con Mine Workers

Addressing Special Needs In NWT Classrooms

Need For A Dementia Facility

Medical Travel Costs

Deh Cho Bridge Project

Significant Events In The Nunakput Constituency

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Community Infrastructure Needs In Rae

Giant Mine Remediation Funding

Housing Programs For Single Parents

NWT Graduation Rates

Addressing Special Needs In NWT Classrooms

Dismissal Of Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board Member

Public Communication Of Medical Travel Policy

Consultation On Proposed Deh Cho Bridge Toll

Maximizing The Benefits Of Resource Development

Temporary Retention Of Miramar Con Mine Employees

Approval For Giant Mine Remediation Project

Written Question 14-14(6): Student Appeal Process At Aurora College

Tabled Document 103-14(6): Northwest Territories Search And Rescue Prevention Strategic Plan

Bill 31: Act To Amend The Official Languages Act, No. 3

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Bill 32, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2002-2003

Bill 22: Waste Recovery And Reduction ActCommittee Report 19-14(6): Report On The Review Of Bill 22, Waste Recovery And Reduction Act, And Bill 25, Municipal Statutes Replacement Act

Bill 24: Midwifery Profession ActCommittee Report 18-14(6): Report On The Review Of Bill 21 Protection Against Family Violence Act, Bill 24, Midwifery Profession Act, And Bill 26, Youth Justice Act

Bill 25: Municipal Statutes Replacement ActCommittee Report 19-14(6): Report On The Review Of Bill 22, Waste Recovery And Reduction Act, And Bill 25, Municipal Statutes Replacement Act

Committee Motion 136-14(6) To Consult And Bring Forward Amendments To The Settlements Act

To Amend Schedule B Of Bill 25

Bill 31: An Act To Amend The Official Languages Act. No. 3

To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Section 4

To Amend Clause 8 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Subsection 12(2)

To Amend Clause 16 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Subsection 25.1(1)

To Amend Clause 16 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Subsection 25.1(2)

To Amend Clause 17 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Subsection 25.5(1)

To Amend Clause 17 Of Bill 31 In Proposed Subsection 25.3(1)

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Bill 21: Protection Against Family Violence Act

Bill 33: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2002-2003

Item 22: Orders Of The Day

Bill 24: Midwifery Profession ActCommittee Report 18-14(6): Report On The Review Of Bill 21 Protection Against Family Violence Act, Bill 24, Midwifery Profession Act, And Bill 26, Youth Justice Act
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it's the frustration of having to be here for the last two weeks and raising issues in my constituency where this government has passed similar legislation to give authority to communities such as mental health and alcohol and drug workers, providing palliative care programs and all these programs that seem to be delivered in regional, large centres. If you are going to pass legislation in this House, the communities that want to have the birth of their children in their home community, they should have the ability to do that? Not have it laid out so that you have have and have-not communities. Some health boards implement programs and other health boards don't. We are either going to have some consistency here or we have programs that are available in all communities in the Northwest Territories from Holman Island to Fort Smith and from Tsiigehtchic to Sachs Harbour. We have to eventually find a system to ensure that capacity in communities means something.

We are passing legislation that is going to benefit a few. How much money is going to be in place to implement this over the next five years?

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, one of the issues related to midwifery is the volume of births and we have statistics from across the Northwest Territories. You need an average of about 40 births a year to allow a midwife to do her practice and maintain her credentials. The statistics we have is that the average birth per year in the Beaufort-Delta is about 131 births. We anticipate that we are going to have to move towards having a capacity to carry three midwives. Mr. Chairman, the authorities are going to work with the communities and they are going to have to develop a service, a system of service delivery in this area to deal not only with the birthing but the prenatal and post-natal care. The reality is we have to look at those particulars and I would be happy to share this with the Members if they would like. It just lays out the numbers and what we think is necessary to support this particular service. Thank you.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, if the Minister could, I think he should make that available to all communities in the Northwest Territories so they can realize how many programs we have out there and what programs are accessible and what criteria is being used to implement these programs. You keep talking about the authorities. I feel that authority should be made up of community representatives, trustees of a health board and simply have a handful of people appointed, handpicked. Are you talking about the authorities which are elected authorities or handpicked authorities?

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am referring to the existing health and social services authorities that are now in existence and we are engaged in this exercise of providing services for health and social services across the Northwest Territories.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you. Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I asked that question also in the previous comment about the information that you said you have in front of you, if you can provide that to communities and make them aware of the numbers and the number positions that are needed to implement such a program in the different regions in the Territories. Then the communities can realize there's an opportunity to train or have someone develop that program in the communities. I have communities that are almost 1,000 people, yet we are just operating with the basics. I think it would be nice if we could have a full slate of nurses that are there 365 days a year without having to worry about closing down your health centre because you can't find enough nurses or basically having to do away with alcohol and drug programs because you have a technical glitch with the system in some community. So the information that you have in front of you, will you offer all programs that are available to communities and make them aware of who is getting what so that we know what' being offered out there?

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this information will be shared with communities, once the bill is approved in the House, as we move to implementation April 1st. There are policies and standards that will be developed, as well as this information will be put together in a package and I will commit to ensure that working with our health and social services systems that that information gets out to the communities.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. General comments. Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Just my closing comments. I would just like to congratulate the Minister again with accomplishing something in his term as Minister in which he had a goal, like I said, to bring this forward. He brought it forth as a private Member and now as a Minister and he definitely did his job getting this personal legislation. So, again, I would like to thank him.

Clause By Clause

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Are we ready for clause by clause?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Clause By Clause

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Bill 24, clause 1.

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Part 1, practice of registered midwives, clause 2.

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Clause 3.

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Clause 4.

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair Paul Delorey

Clause 5.

Debates of Oct. 8th, 2003

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