This is page numbers 233 - 265 of the Hansard for the 15th 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 going.

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Supplementary To Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister can correct me if I am wrong, but I am assuming that the reason why there was a requirement for northern contractors was so that there is northern content in this contract. The fact is we have no way of knowing, other than this very clear case, that there were not any other names added to put weight behind this contract. How could the Minister assure us that there were no other names included in there to give weight to this northern contract in a not transparent way? It puts a doubt to the entire process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the deputy minister, when the issue was raised with her, did in fact ask Shepell-fgi to ascertain that the names that they had in their proposal were properly listed. Shepell came back and, at that point, said, we have mistakenly included one name, and apologized for that and asked us to remove it from the proposal. At this point, we are advised that there was one name, but that is the only one that we are aware of. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Question 97-15(6): Contract For GNWT Employee Assistance Plan
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier in my Member's statement today, I talked about the issuance of a driver's licence. In a larger community, it is pretty simple to go into the office and write their exam and road test, but the example I gave is in Paulatuk where a few residents have to fly to Inuvik just to write and get their road test to get their driver's licence so that they can find employment, especially with the hamlets. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation on whether these people that travel to Inuvik at their own expense for accommodation, for the airfare and for meals, to see if the department can reimburse these individuals once I give him the names. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The short answer is no for the honourable Member, Mr. Speaker. But I can commit to follow up with the community to see if we can alleviate those concerns about the best way to issue driver's licences and getting driver's tests done in that community. One of the ways of doing it, of course, is to set up a schedule to go into the community as long as everybody is aware when the driver examiner is coming. I know that some licences expire, but there is a grace period. But with enough planning, we should be able to address some of those concerns, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that, but I still think, Mr. Speaker, that these people looking for employment in the local hamlet of Paulatuk, in order for them to find work, like I said earlier, they have to travel to Inuvik to get that done. Had the department been able to send someone to Paulatuk, they wouldn't have to pay the cost of flying to Inuvik, so I understand when the Minister said no, but can he at least look at...If I can give the names to the Minister at this point in time, will he at least contact these individuals and see what kind of reimbursement they can get for their travel expenses? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do not have any program for reimbursing people to get their driver's licences re-issued but, once again, Mr. Speaker, we are willing to look at the community of Paulatuk to go in there and discuss their needs with them. We do not, of course, have an issuing system in all of our communities in the North, but we are planning to provide support to the outlying communities and to deal with systems that the driver examiner and our department, what is the best way we can alleviate the concerns in the communities and getting people driver's licences so they can get to work. Mahsi.

Further Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 246

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

May 15th, 2007

Page 246

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to follow up with the Minister. Can the Minister direct his department in Inuvik at least to try to make a scheduled service to these communities, not only Paulatuk but to Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, part of our plan is to support all outlying communities that do not have access to the issuing agents and driver's examiners. We are undertaking studies of a portable system which a driver examiner can bring into these smaller remote communities, as well as setting up a detailed or a consistent schedule to visit the communities will be part of the solution. Mahsi.

Further Return To Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Question 98-15(6): Driver's Licensing Services In Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been in the discussion with Ken Hudson, the Metis president from Fort Smith, also a very avid and capable hunter. He has been attempting to take advantage of the federal amnesty to register weapons, which ends today. He has been telling me that the 1-800 number is clogged with calls. You can't get through. When you go on the Internet, there are enough forms to choke a mule. The concern, Mr. Speaker, is I know this is a federal program, but my question to the Minister of Justice is, is there any way that representation could be made to the federal government? Mr. Hudson is of the opinion that he is not the only one, that he thinks a considerable number of aboriginal gun owners aren't going to be able to register their guns. They are not going to make amnesty. I just wanted to ask the Minister if there was any way he could make the case that there is going to be a bunch of people left out through no fault really of their own? Thank you.

Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wasn't aware that there was a concern with the crush of number of people trying to get in and register their firearms. What I will do and propose to do is, the minute we are finished here in the House, I will call Stockwell Day's office, the Minister responsible for Public Safety, make the case, let him know that we are having difficulty here and appeal to him to either find some way to extend this or put more resources into accommodating the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Return To Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Question 99-15(6): Federal Gun Registry
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask some questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland. It relates to mental health services and the demands that we are encountering here in the NWT. I was wondering if the Minister could give us a snapshot of the current level or the current demand for mental health services and our capacity to help people to deal with these, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have a specific caseload that all of our workers have in the communities across the Northwest Territories at this point, but, from the department's perspective, we have invested quite a substantial amount of money over the last few years in trying to strengthen this area of mental health and addictions. For example, in 2007, as I had stated yesterday in a number of questions, 77 positions were added and funding of about $6.6 million through health and social services authorities to strengthen this area. That went towards community wellness workers as well as 24 mental health and addictions counsellors and eight clinical supervisors. Thank you.

Return To Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Question 100-15(6): Mental Health Services Capacity
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 247

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is interesting. I kind of contrast that investment with the decision by the Department of Human Resources to actually reduce investment in counselling services in mental health support to our own employees. Because of the decision by the Department of Human Resources to choose a southern-based contractor for our Employee Assistance Program, does it concern the Minister that we are subsequently going to be losing resident professionals who could be part of the mental health regime here in the NWT, Mr. Speaker?