I think the NWT prides itself in providing leadership in terms of First Nation issues and leading the way in terms of coming up with key agreements. The unfortunate reality is that if you negotiate and if you don’t agree with governments, governments have the power of withdrawing funding and basically walking away from the table, which leaves the option of First Nations to seek perhaps a remedy through the courts. Other parts of Canada do have systems in place, and I’m encouraged that the Minister has indicated that we want to show the other parts of Canada how to improve the system of working with First Nations.

Would the Premier agree in principle to the idea of having a commission that could be struck up between the First Nations and governments to oversee disputes that go unabated, that are not addressed, and to try to perhaps speed up the unresolved land claims process?

I think we have taken the lead in that area once again. Once devolution is implemented, we will have an intergovernmental council; we will be working with all of the Aboriginal governments that sign on to devolution, working together, and I think that in that way that’s the best way to resolve disputes. For those that haven’t signed on yet, we’re still very optimistic that we’ll hopefully see that happen within the next year or so.

Does the GNWT support the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission extending beyond July 1, 2014? If so, how has that support been expressed to the federal government?

Mr. Nadli, I’ll allow the question if the Premier will take it, but it’s two different topics. If you want to redo your question, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier update us in terms of how it is that this government is working with the federal government in terms of ensuring that work with truth and reconciliation continues? Mahsi.

Same question. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been a very big supporter of the truth and reconciliation process. We think they have been doing an excellent job. If we are asked and if we are prepared to continue to work with them, we will work with them to include the history of residential school in our curriculum, working with Aboriginal governments, and I think that we would be prepared to work with them if we are asked to do so and try to extend the process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions I have today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services in regards to some campaigns. I want to know what is out there for people who are suffering from mental health and addiction disorders that might eventually find where the outcome is suicide.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what partnerships does the government have right now in terms of any kind of helplines that residents of the Northwest Territories can access. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has three helplines for an individual. One is specifically kids help line and then two general helplines. Two of them are 1-800 numbers and one is a helpline for the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, how about in the communities? I know, looking through the department’s website, I was looking for phone numbers, if somebody needs to contact somebody in the community or an isolated community. That’s where we need to get the services into these small communities that are isolated.

Does the Minister have any campaigns or any future work going into the small communities for implementing either an intervention team or a helpline? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services works with the various health and social services authorities across the North. Specifically, right now we are in touch with the Sahtu, Beaufort-Delta and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services in delivering some programs. One is the applied suicide intervention skill training, which we are running in the various programs in the various communities within those regions. We deliver those and we have some funding targeted to that right now. We are spending about $260,000 in that specific program to deliver those programs to help people identify where potential suicide could be a possibility. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, that kind of goes into one of my other questions in terms of funding. This $260,000 for this specific funding, how many communities are going to be able to access that funding for the training specifically for their needs? Can the Minister let me know how many communities this will be applied to or that will be able to utilize that funding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the applied suicide program workshop which has that budget, our plan is to go into three communities in the Beaufort-Delta, hold a couple of workshops here in the city, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope. But in addition to that, we are going to be delivering the Mental Health First Aid Program, which also works in conjunction with this. We want to deliver that program with about $125,000 to deliver that program in Inuvik, McPherson, Norman Wells, Tulita, and then throughout the year we will also be delivering three more of those programs here in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Mental Health Act was first assented in this House in 1985 and there haven’t been any significant amendments to reflect the need that we have in our communities. I know, with the money that the Minister has mentioned, we can’t get into all the communities, so we have to find another way and that is through campaign and awareness.

Can the Minister give me any answers if there are any big suicide-specific campaigns that the department might be coming up with within the next year or in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in January of this coming year, 2014, we are planning to have a train the trainer workshop targeted at suicide intervention and mental health first aid to try to train up some individuals that can go into all of the regions and work with people. Then the trainers will then train individuals in the community, trying to identify the potential suicides in the communities and also work on developing some forms of protocol when there are alarm bells going off on potential for individuals that may be contemplating, or ideology of suicide. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I would like to chat about fracking in the Sahtu. This week the Minister of ITI explained that it was the responsibility of ENR to look at the social and environmental impacts of fracking.

I am wondering: How is our ENR Minister working to ensure that fracking projects such as those being promoted by ITI are sustainable? By sustainable, I mean that we are looking at the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we are looking at the whole issue of fracking. We are looking at how we manage the balance between environment and resource development in the Sahtu. In this case, the issue of fracking is a major piece of technology that’s being used where there are risks, but we are of the opinion that we can manage those risks. One of the things that we are doing and have been working on for some time at the behest of and encouragement of Members is the guidance document that is going to be on its way to committee this week about this government’s position and guidance to industry and to regulators as what we see as critical key best practices that will provide the assurance that, in fact, we are taking the steps to manage the risks involved with fracking. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear this government understands sustainable development is not something you just say without meaning anything. I think that people in our communities understand that too. I am surprised that the Minister has already made conclusions about what is sustainable here. I didn’t think we were that far along in our studying up on this subject.

Could the Minister explain the role that ENR has played in making sure that the fracking education workshops – I believe that was the ITI Minister’s term – that are being held in the Sahtu this week provide information on the potential environmental and social impacts of fracking? That is how we ensure that there are third party environmental and social experts presenting to the residents so that they can learn about the issue as they would like to. Mahsi.

That issue has been raised by the Member already. I believe the Minister of ITI indicated we are prepared to make sure we have the type of workshops that are balanced and reflect not only the possibilities in terms of economic development but the risks we have to manage and the challenges that are associated with that and the obligations we have. As the Minister of ITI said repeatedly, we have to work together to balance. So that work is underway. Thank you.