This is page numbers 929 - 964 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 communities.

Topics

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to remind the Minister that when the Minister took his position as the Minister of Health and Social Services, roughly a year and a half ago, he committed in this House to do a review for the seniors, and one would think it would be done by now. I'd like to ask the Minister, why is it taking so long to get this review done? Our term is just about up and I haven't seen anything yet.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, there was a review that took about two years to do, and it was very comprehensive. Out of that, there was a seniors' action plan done in consultation with and approved by the NWT Seniors' Association. We just recently published an update and, as part of Seniors' Week last week, we released the update. The seniors' profile is part of that. We've committed in there to try to look at the seniors' programs and we struck an interdepartmental working committee that includes a member from the Seniors' Society. There are, I believe, 28 recommendations. Half of them are complete. So we are working at that. A supplementary health benefits review, which the seniors are part of, is also tied into that but it's a very comprehensive and complex review that's going to take more time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess, Mr. Speaker, we'll have to wait for this review. I don't know what's so complicated when generally it's an accepted fact that there is not enough money for the seniors to get their health expenses covered. I'm hoping I could ask that the Minister would also include, as part of this review, options or ways to shorten and change the waits that the seniors have to see specialists and other doctors. Right now seniors have to wait up to eight months, if there is a specialist coming into the communities. Eight months is a long time for somebody who is 70 or 80 years old. I would like to ask the Minister if he would look at that. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of waiting lists is a concern for all people that use the healthcare system. As the Members well know, we've been adding physicians, doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners. We made a move from fee-for-service to salary, which has had an impact on patients seen or not seen. So we have some review to do there as well. But the issue of waiting lists and shortening those is an issue that's going to require some possible structural changes, and it's probably going to be beyond the life of this Assembly. But it is an issue that we're trying to address on an ongoing basis so that we can get services in a timely fashion. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

June 10th, 2003

Page 947

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. I have been following, with great interest, the local newspaper coverage on addictions. I applaud the proactive approach taken by the RCMP and local community members to address this issue within Yellowknife. The action they are taking is far more productive than the horror stories I have heard on CBC radio about Saskatoon police driving drunk people out of town and leaving them to die.

Mr. Speaker, all this attention and action being taken by the community of Yellowknife to address the issues of addictions highlights the absence of a major player in this area: the territorial government. I would like to ask the Minister, since being elected as Minister of Health and Social Services, what concrete steps has the Minister taken to address additions in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we concluded an addictions strategy. We have built that into the business planning process and the budget that was just completed. There were, I believe, 25 major recommendations that came out of that document. We got funding for the first five recommendations. The priority issues were in fact to deal with the incumbents in the alcohol and drug programs, to look at their pay, which has been historically very, very low with no benefits. We've taken steps to obtain the funding, we're doing the job descriptions, we're going to redefine them as community wellness prevention workers, we're going to give them the benefits, and the majority of them will become board employees. We're going to hire, in addition, some additional mental health counsellors in various communities, and we're hiring some supervisors. We're going to develop a curriculum so there's ongoing training for people that do alcohol and drug mental health work. That was in last year's business plan.

In this year's business plan that is going to be reviewed by committees we'll be looking at trying to implement the remaining recommendations and obtaining funding, if not to do all of them, at least try to get some funding to do the remaining 20 recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister gave me a lot of information here, but he still hasn't told me what concrete steps he has taken to address those addictions. These are just plans and strategies and, as Members of the Legislative Assembly, we've seen all this before. We've seen the different departments giving us plans and strategies and not following up through anything. While this is all going on, what are we doing for the people in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have about $5 million a year that has been targeted for alcohol and drug programs. The information that I have provided this House is very specific, Mr. Speaker. I've travelled across the North, both as MLA and when I used to work for Health and Social Services, and the chronic issue always was the low pay of the existing alcohol and drug workers and the fact that they were often isolated, not tied into the general services provided by Health and Social Services and other agencies in their community, and there were no benefits. It was very difficult to retain the frontline people who are the first point of contact with people who have addictions problems. The lack of a qualified, certified training program that is in place and regular. So, Mr. Speaker, we're taking very concrete steps to address that fundamental first step. There are more needs than there are resources. We've targeted the first five priority ones, and we've targeted some further ones in the upcoming business planning process. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad for his answer, and the $5 million that he's talking about. How much of the $5 million is being spent on strategies, studies and how much of the $5 million is being spent on treating addictions in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 947

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're in the implementation phase of the work. The alcohol and drug strategy that was done was one that has taken some time to put in place. Now we can work on implementation. The money that is there is being put to work in the programs and the work to upgrade the positions, do the training and all the other things I've just mentioned in this House. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has given me some more information, but still has not answered my question. I would like to ask the Minister again how much of the $5 million is being used for additions treatment right now? The addictions treatment. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in one way or another it's all being used for treatment. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Question 312-14(6): Addressing Addictions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 948

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.