This is page numbers 2283 – 2332 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 college.

Topics

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, corrections has psychologists at the North Slave Correctional Centre as well as

the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre who provide mental health services to our inmates. The North Slave Correctional Centre psychologist is currently on maternity leave and is being covered by a contracted psychologist. We don’t have any psychiatrists within our facilities, but psychiatrists are available at Stanton Regional Hospital and corrections has links to those services through referrals, just like any other NWT resident.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

It’s good to hear that they do have the services at our corrections facilities. My next question is, in terms of Justice, do peace officers in the Northwest Territories have a good understanding and education of the Mental Health Act, and also understand what their duties are, and under the Mental Health Act and legislation what they’re entitled to do should they encounter somebody with a mental health disorder? Is there a program that ensures they are educated on the Mental Health Act when they do come to the Northwest Territories?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

RCMP are familiar with their role under the Mental Health Act. It’s actually part of their training. On specifics, the types of training that they go through and how we ensure that they have that, I’ll get more information for the Member and committee on that. I did fail to indicate one psychologist position that we have at the North Slave Young Offenders Facility. We have a staff counsellor position or individual there who is in the process of obtaining her licence as a psychologist, under supervision of a licenced psychiatrist at Stanton. So we’re working on one more.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Item 8, written questions. Mr. Moses.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

1. (a) Under Section 6(a) and (b) of the NWT

Mental Health Act, how many voluntary patients have there been throughout the Northwest Territories hospitals and health centres from the 2009-2010 fiscal year to the present?

(b) Of those voluntary patients, how many were admitted into the hospital and how many were denied admittance during the same time period?

(c) Of those voluntary patients denied admittance, how many were reasoned due to lack of beds and/or space during the same time period?

2. (a) Under Section 8(1), what are the specific

numbers in which a medical practitioner has had

to make an order for detention for a psychiatric assessment from the 2009-2010 fiscal year to the present?

(b) Under Section 8(3), how many reports has the Minister’s office received since the 2009-2010 fiscal year to the present?

3. (a) Under Section 15(1), what are the specific

numbers in which a medical practitioner had to apply to admit an involuntary patient from the 2009-2010 fiscal year to present?

(b) Under Section 16(1) and (2), how many applications has the Minister examined, and how many applications were approved, and how many were refused during the same time period?

(c) Under Section 17, how many times has the Minister had to approve an extension of time for applications from the –

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Moses, I have just been informed that when you have written questions, you’re only allowed four supps and I think you’re about eight now. If you want to do a second one, you can, but as of right now you’re allowed only four.

---Ruled Out of Order

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. New written questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services:

1. Under Section 17 of the Mental Health Act, from

fiscal year 2009-2010 to the present, how many times has the Minister approved an extension of time for involuntary patient period of detection applications?

2. Under Section 18 of the Mental Health Act, from

fiscal year 2009-2010 to the present, how many certificates of involuntary admission have been completed in NWT hospitals and health centres?

3. Under Section 18.1(1), from fiscal year 2009-

2010 to the present, how many patients have had to be transferred outside of the NWT?

4. Under Section 19.2(1), from fiscal year 2009-

2010 to the present, how many times has substitute consent been given on behalf of a voluntary or involuntary patient under Sections 19.2(1)(a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g)?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

For fiscal year 2012-2013, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment re-profiled $1 million from the Inclusive Schooling budget to Early Childhood Development initiatives.

Immediately following year end for fiscal year 2012-2013 March 31, 2013, I ask that the Minister provide a list of actual expenditures for that same $1 million.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House

Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 4-17(4) asked by Mr. Dolynny on February 11, 2013, to the Honourable Tom Beaulieu, Minister of Health and Social Services, regarding NWT health care cards.

According to the Bureau of Statistics, the estimated population of the Northwest Territories at December 31, 2012, was 43,349. The number of active NWT health care cards as of February 25, 3013, is 42,239.

The Department of Health and Social Services incorporates two types of health care audits:

1. a health care card renewal that happens every

three years; and

2. periodic review of client files throughout the

year.

A health care card renewal is currently underway for the 2013 calendar year. As a part of this renewal, approximately 38,000 residents will be required to complete and submit a NWT health care card renewal form. If clients send in their renewal form more than four months after their health care coverage expires, they are required to provide proof of residency in the form of one of the following:

• rent receipts, lease agreement or letter from a

private landlord, or confirmation from a financial institution that the resident has a mortgage for local residential property;

• utility, power, oil, property tax and/or phone bills;

or

• confirmation from Canada Revenue Agency that

the resident filed a NWT income tax return.

Periodic reviews also ask clients to provide confirmation that they are residents of the NWT. These reviews are usually a result of a client receiving continuous medical services outside the NWT.

The department completed 124 health care card periodic reviews in 2012 and is currently gathering the information on the results of these audits. We will keep the Members up to date on our findings.

Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House

I have a Return to Written Question 5-17(4) asked by Mr. Yakeleya on February 11, 2013, to the Honourable Tom Beaulieu, Minister of Health and Social Services, regarding alcohol-related health conditions.

The actual costs to the Department of Health and Social Services of alcohol-related health conditions cannot be determined with a sufficient degree of certainty. While some health conditions can be linked to alcohol-related causes, those same health conditions may be due to other non-alcohol-related causes. Therefore, every individual case must be assessed to determine whether alcohol was a factor or not. However, there is no practical or feasible way of doing this. Similarly, alcohol-related conditions are not reportable under the Disease Registries Act, and as a result there is no mechanism for consistently collecting this type of information.

In spite of this, the department recognizes that the costs of alcohol-related health conditions are significant in the Northwest Territories. Alcohol misuse and abuse are considered to be major cost-drivers within the health system. With respect to hospitalizations, the average annual cost for those hospitalized with either a primary or secondary diagnosis of alcohol misuse is approximately $6.5 million.

Much like measuring the costs of alcohol-related health conditions, there is no universally accepted measure of success in alcohol treatment rehabilitation programs. In some programs, success is measured by sobriety. However, there is little agreement on how long a person needs to be sober to be counted as a success. In other programs, harm reduction through a reduced level of alcohol consumption is considered a success.

One of the more common ways of measuring treatment program success includes tracking the proportion of participants who complete the program. However, it should be noted that for programs that record only the number of participants who complete the program there is no follow-up with the participants. This is done in order to ensure that participation in the program is strictly private and confidential.

No personal information about the individuals participating in treatment is kept and, therefore, follow-up contact is not possible. While the department does not formally track the proportion of participants who complete treatment programs, Nats’ejee K’eh Treatment Centres does occasionally provide the department with participant completion rates. From April 1, 2012, to October 31, 2012, there were a total of 99 clients who had entered treatment, with 83 completing the program.

Ultimately, success is best measured by the individual who attended treatment. For some, staying sober through the 20-day program is a success. For others, remaining sober for weeks or months after treatment is a success. For still others, consuming less alcohol following treatment is success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House

I have a Return to Written Question 6-17(4) asked by Mr. Yakeleya on February 11, 2013, to the Honourable David Ramsay, Minister of Transportation, regarding Mackenzie Valley winter roads.

Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the document entitled Mackenzie Valley Winter Roads. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 19-17(3), Child Tax Benefit Clawback.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 6-17(4), I wish to table the following document, entitled Mackenzie Valley Winter Road.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Bill 3: Wildlife Act
First Reading of Bills

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 3, Wildlife Act, be read for the first time.

Bill 3: Wildlife Act
First Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Bill 3, Wildlife Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Bill 3: Wildlife Act
First Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Table Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014; and Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act; Education, Culture and Employment, Transportation, with Ms. Bisaro in the chair.

By the authority given to me as Speaker, by Motion 1-17(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

All right. We’ll call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us Tabled Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014; and Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Dolynny.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee has decided we’ll continue on with Tabled Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014, with our continuance of Education.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Is committee agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, committee. We’ll take a short break.

---SHORT RECESS