This is page numbers 69 - 100 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 4th 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

Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 78

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, dialysis is a requirement when you have been diagnosed with that need and it tends to be there for the rest of your life unless you get a kidney transplant. That's somewhat different than the assessment and treatment services that TTC provides or Bosco provides through TTC, which are assessment and up to two years of possible treatment in a residential setting.

Madam Speaker, you can also look at the numbers in the North in a number of ways. Between 30 to 40 percent or 60 to 70 percent of those accessing the program were from communities outside of Yellowknife. What we have is an opportunity here to move a program to a community that has the capacity to do the job. I have indicated in this House the rationale why last week and that rationale still stands. Thank you.

Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 78

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 78

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Madam Speaker, in relation to the comments about the ability of Hay River to provide the services, I am getting some very strong messages, very solid information, that indicates there would be a real ripple effect, not only for the Territorial Treatment Centre, but a number of other related services in my community in Yellowknife. So I want to ask the Minister again to justify why this decision has been made. According to media reports, the requests aren't before this House yet, but some $3 million will be sought to pay for these changes. Why are we being asked to accept this proposal now, this plan, this decision? Why are we being asked to accept this decision now when there really isn't a solid plan in place that would explain how we are going to deal with the consequences? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 78

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 78

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as I indicated in this House, a decision has been made to relocate TTC to Hay River. It's going to be a process that is going to take some time. There are some renovations to be done. We will come forward in the business planning process with the details

of the move. I have also committed in the next day or two to provide this House, the chair of the Social Programs committee and her colleagues, with information that got us to this point. That is the process and this is going to take some time. The business plan is where we intend to come forward with the transitional steps we are working on at present. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Madam Speaker, one of the things I will be looking for to test the Minister's rationale and his explanation can be found in a policy document, Health and Social Services establishment policy, which was last revised in May of 1999. This policy lists seven principles, Madam Speaker, the seventh of which says, "All activities of the health and social services system should support an approach that places the needs of people first." Will the Minister be able to bring us a rationale that is going to support this principle, this people-first principle? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we always put people first, and this program delivered by Bosco Homes is going to be relocated to Hay River to provide the same service. We will have the same expertise that we currently have with Bosco Homes, the folks they can tie into with their broad network outside of the Northwest Territories. So there is no diminishment, in my opinion, in the program quality. We would definitely not jeopardize any northerner, any child, in care for any reason. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Madam Speaker, the first principle, huge principle, of this Assembly, not just the Department of Health and Social Services or any department, all of our attention should be focussed on people first. In this particular situation, Madam Speaker, I am not convinced that we are going to be honouring this principle. Will the Minister rescind this decision until a business plan is placed before us and the people of this community to prove that indeed we are going to be making this move and still honour the principles and the mandate that we have to supply this service? Will the Minister back off on this plan? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

An Hon. Member

Back off!

Supplementary To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my ears are still filled with the echoes of the debate in the last session of this House on a similar circumstance that was put forward by the Member for Hay River South on a circumstance that is somewhat related to this in terms of their community and the impact on their community. Unfortunately, the reality is that in this case, not unfortunately, but the reality is in this case, Madam Speaker, we are tasked to carry out a certain project and a move and we are doing that, and we will come forward in the business plan to lay out the detail. We will be proceeding under that direction. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Question 41-15(4): Relocation Of The Territorial Treatment Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of MACA in regard to the chipseal program in the Sahtu. I understand they are doing a report and review. What can the Minister tell the people in the Sahtu, specifically the citizens of Fort Good Hope, in terms of what type of support they will achieve this year on their chipsealing program because of the enormous amount of dust that is flying through people's windows, and what type of program the people will see in terms of the chipsealing program? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Madam Speaker, the Member had asked about the chipsealing program I believe in the last day of session, and I had indicated that this year our focus is on Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson. We're also doing some of the early work or have done some already in the community of Fort Good Hope. We're doing some of the drainage studies and some of the work to the base that's required. I would point out though that the chipsealing program is only for the main street. It does not allow us to pave the whole community. The dust problem in the small communities was always historically dealt with through application of calcium. The dollars are still in the community governments' budgets. It is up to the communities to do so. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has no intention of going into each community and doing dust suppressant. We have a main street chipsealing program that will be allocated through a number of years to the different communities as per our schedule. Good Hope is one of the communities, but it won't be for a couple of years yet to when we get to the point of actually laying the chipseal. So until that happens, the community is expected to use the money that is allocated in their budget to do some type of dust suppressant in the community. Thank you.

Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 79

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

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

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for the update. In Fort Good Hope and the other communities of Deline and Colville Lake, a lot of people live along the main street and there are more vehicles than ever using the roads in the small communities. The chipsealing program is for the main street only, and that's where my bone of contention is in terms of having this program in the small communities. The dust control suppression money doesn't last very long because it deteriorates after several rainy days and it goes away and the dust comes back because the formula does not hold the dust down. So again, Madam Speaker, in terms of the chipsealing program, Fort Good Hope was slated and somehow it got moved back a couple of years. I know they were doing work there last year. People were looking forward to the chipsealing program. So what more can the department do to help the communities, especially the people who live close to the main roads, and curtail the dust in the communities this summer? It is going to be a hot and dry season. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. That was a very long preamble to a supplementary question. I would suggest that was actually a Member's statement, but, Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Member is correct; the main street chipsealing program was reduced this year as our program had to cut the funding. So we had to reduce some of our activities in the different communities. Fort Good Hope is deferred by one year because of our budget restrictions. We've planned to have the community targeted as soon as Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson are done. Having said that, we are also completing a study that we had a contractor do for us to look at the different conditions in the communities to see if there are any other options or solutions out there. The study is now complete. We are in the process of reviewing it. It will come forward with some recommendations and we would be pleased to share that information with the members of the different committees. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

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

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the four months, May up to August, is 120 days that the community of Fort Good Hope has to go through the dust season. Would the Minister commit to helping the community get more money or asking his Cabinet to get more money so that more effective use of dust control can be used in the community in the interim, because it has been deferred for the one year? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 80

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.