Mr. Speaker, we do have a unique program here in the North, through Aurora College. We do offer various training programs, diploma programs and degree programs. One of them will be the nursing program. We’re very proud of that program. We have graduated as well; as to the placements, we’ve been working with Health and Social Services in that area.

We have been continuously improving that area with Aurora College and with our Department of Education, Culture and Employment. We will continue to do so to improve…. There needs to be improvement in certain programs. I’d like to hear from the Members how we can improve in certain

areas. That’s why we’re here: we want to improve in those areas. Mahsi.

I didn’t quite hear an answer to the question. I

agree the program is a very good

program. The nursing program has graduated a large number of Northerners into nursing positions throughout the Northwest Territories, and most of them have been placed in government jobs.

That doesn’t address the fact that although it’s a good program, enrolment seems to be dropping and graduations seem to be dropping even further. Next year they’re predicting seven graduates out of a starting class of 30.

I guess my question, once again to you, the Minister, is: what is Aurora College going to do, possibly in partnership with Health and Social Services, to encourage Northerners — young Northerners — to apply for the nursing program, and what are we going to do for our students once they’re in there to help them succeed? We need these Northerners. We need these nurses. What can be done to increase enrolment and ensure the graduating class stays large?

Mr. Speaker, there are college programs. Certainly the Department of Education, Culture and Employment continues to work with them on the promotional item. Our staff have been working closely with the community members, the leaders, on how we can attract students to these programs. We do have various students in post-secondary in all fields.

I don’t have the numbers with me on the breakdown. If the enrolment is going down — and I can certainly share with Members that information — I’ll have my department look into that.

Aurora College is an institution we work with as the Department of Culture and Employment. We will continue to promote that program into the communities, into the schools. We have been doing that for a number of years, and we’ll continue to do so. Areas of improvement we’ll certainly highlight as well. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, it’s not simply enrolment that’s the problem. A large number of people do enrol in the program, but many aren’t completing. It’s not that they’re failing out; it’s that they’re not completing. And our graduation rate, as I’ve indicated, is dropping. Next year they’re predicting seven graduates from their starting class. So obviously, something’s going on that’s making it less appealing for the students to complete, or something along those lines.

In addition to promoting, I also think it would be important to dig into the program to find out what is the barrier to completion. Is it money? Is it daycare? What is it that’s causing these individuals to

withdraw from the program prior to completion? Again, once you’ve started it — you’ve invested that time, and you’ve begun your education — it’s very unfortunate to leave early and not finish.

On top of that, we as Northerners need these individuals to succeed, and we need to offer them meaningful employment in the health care system.

So in addition to promoting, what else are you going to do to find some of the solutions to keep these people in school?

Mr. Speaker, we do have other organizations we also work with — the nursing associations and Aurora College. There are other programs that some of the students…. The graduation may be dropping.

We are reviewing those areas. If the nursing program is facing some challenges, then certainly our department needs to look at that, how we can improve in that area.

The Member has raised an issue on the graduation rate dropping and also the students not staying in school. Certainly that would be a concern if that’s the case. But our department needs to do a thorough investigation if that’s a fact. If it is, then my department will follow through with that and see what kinds of options to work with. Mahsi.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

That very question is within the purview of the Refocusing Government Strategic Initiative Committee chaired by Minister Miltenberger. Until then, I don’t believe there is a plan to reinstate the Stanton Territorial Health Board.

I notice that this so-called deficit situation that’s been going on for years, again, dovetails the similar period for which they’ve been without a board. Does this not seem interesting, and what is the Minister doing to take a look at the serious... If it seems to be running without a board, maybe that’s the problem?

The last time the Stanton Territorial Health Authority had a board was in 2003, and there have been four public administrators. The accumulated deficit at Stanton has not really been the way it is until about three years ago. In fact, about three to four years after 2003, when the board was dissolved, there were actually surpluses at Stanton Territorial Hospital.

I don’t follow the math the Minister is doing. Is the board an effective component of running the hospital — yes or no — and if it is, when is this Minister going to act to re-establish the board without someone else telling her to do this?

Mr. Speaker, the Member didn’t ask me whether having a board is an effective way of managing. That was not the question. He was suggesting that not having the board is causing the deficit, and I am simply giving the Member the information that, in fact, this is not true. The authority between the years of 1999–2000 to 2004–2005…. They were in an accumulated surplus situation and then running a very tiny deficit.

Obviously, the future of the health board question is very much the work of the Refocusing Government Committee, because we have two health boards right now without a board. It’s an opportunity for everyone to have a say in the Refocusing Government Strategic Initiative Committee work.

Maybe I’ve gotten it all wrong then. I see how it really actually lays out. It seems quite clear that shortly after the board left is exactly when the surpluses ended. I think I’ve got it really clear now. It seems that once ministerial control got in the way by running a de facto dictatorship over the hospital, that’s when these things started happening; no one’s at the helm running this organization.

I think if we line these things up.... They may not be up and down perfectly clear, but I think, as we can see, the bigger picture is laid out clearly. The fact is that the problem is relevant and very simple. Will the Minister show some initiative and leadership on this problem and solve this problem by establishing a new territorial board?

Mr. Speaker, I have to say I can’t agree with the Member’s premise. I think the Member should be aware that the health-governing legislation — and I could provide him with a copy of that — does state that either a health authority has to have a board…. If there is not a board, then a public administrator is appointed, which is the responsibility of the Minister. The public administrator is like the board. That’s what we have in the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority as well as at the Stanton Territorial Health and Social Services Authority.

I know the Member would like to see things in a very clear way, but I don’t think he has the evidence to suggest the accumulated deficit at Stanton is a result of not having a board. That is way too simple a way of looking at a very complex problem.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll direct my questions again to the Minister of Justice: what is the department’s plan in case the Youth Criminal Justice Act of Canada changes?

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. That’s maybe a hypothetical question. I think I’m going to rule that a hypothetical question. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to programs and services in my riding, especially a mental health position in Fort McPherson. That program has been delivered in that community since 1991. Everything seemed to be going okay until we got a hiccup in the road. I’d like to ask the Minister why it is that the programs are now having to be delivered out of the Inuvik office and what the cost of that is going to be to this government.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, that program in Fort McPherson is a service being delivered by Tl’oondih Healing Society. There’s money allocated for that with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority. That money is there, and we want to continue providing the community with that service. Right now we don’t have anybody who can do that. The authority is working with Tl’oondih Health Society and the leadership of Fort McPherson to come up with a plan. In the meantime, the authority will provide the services

from Inuvik, but that is on a temporary basis until we have a permanent plan in place in Fort McPherson.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, these temporary solutions end up being permanent solutions, where we don’t have any programs and services. The government is going to fly an individual to Fort McPherson, put them up in a hotel for a week, fly them back to Inuvik every other week for the next number of months. That cost, again, is going to be a burden on this government. I’d like to ask the Minister if they have figured out the cost of doing that versus having a permanent position filled in Fort McPherson.

Mr. Speaker, that option is temporary, and it is an option that is not just expensive but inconvenient. It’s not desirable. It’s not something I like to see done, and it’s not something the authority wants. I know, having visited Fort McPherson and having sat and talked to the members of the healing society and having worked with the Member for many years, that this is a program near and dear to the community. The community has fought really hard to keep that within the society, and I am totally willing and able and prepared to work with the Member to come up with a community plan. Whatever we are doing to provide services from Inuvik, where a community wellness worker or mental health addictions worker has to travel to McPherson, is a completely temporary arrangement. It’s something we want to not be doing on a permanent basis if at all possible.

Mr. Speaker, this is a program that’s been there for over 20 years, yet this government seems to have the notion it knows best and the communities don’t. I’d like to ask the Minister: exactly what are we doing to empower communities to change the legislation to allow for alcohol and drug and mental health workers, to make it more flexible for communities? It doesn’t seem to be working, yet the control is still being held at the Inuvik hospital. I’d like to ask: when is this department going to give up its reign to give the communities the empowerment they need to provide programs and services such as mental health and alcohol and drug?

In answering Mr. Beaulieu’s question earlier this week, I did state that I will be coming forward in the next business plan — which is coming up pretty quickly here, as soon as we get out of the budget session — a plan that will relook at re-profiling mental health and addictions workers as well as community wellness workers in the entire plan we have. Right now we’re spending $7 million for about 70 positions to deliver this program. As I’ve seen, in a community like Fort McPherson I think we could do a better job of making these positions not so stovepiped, where everyone has their job descriptions and sometimes are not really

able to help people in need with addictions services or counselling in a very holistic and more of a multi-dimensional way. So I am revising that, and I hope to bring forward a new proposal for the Members of Social Programs to look at and the Assembly as a whole.