This is page numbers 4379 – 4414 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th 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 thence.

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Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

As I mentioned, both trucks carrying highly polluted and toxic water rolled over very close to rivers. Fortunately none spilled. The ConocoPhillips site has had to shut down after a worker was seriously injured, and several holding dams and tanks have failed already.

People are concerned and they have every right to be. Many people are talking about a moratorium on fracking, but at a very minimum we need to do environmental assessments on these projects to respond to people’s concerns. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Power Rates In Yellowknife
Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use today’s occasion to talk about an important issue. I want to give thanks to all those people out there that ensure the Northwest Territories and, more particularly, the city of Yellowknife is at number one.

We’re number one and normally that’s something to be truly proud of, but not in this particular case. Why, many ask? Well, this city of Yellowknife’s

power rates continue to outshine all other cities across Canada. Believe it or not, our power bill rates are higher than Iqaluit’s or even Whitehorse. So we’re number one. Is that something to be proud of? I say it’s something to be ashamed of.

The cost of living weighs on the shoulders of the everyday working family continues to get heavier and heavier while the McLeod government watches this happen every day. When will this McLeod government stand up and fight for the everyday family who is trying to get by?

When 5 to 10 percent of your salary is going to your power bill, a signal must eventually be sent to this government to act. It’s almost impossible to have a one-income family. I barely know any that try to get by without two incomes.

The cost of living continues to be unbearable, but our Finance Minister will tell you it’s the intent of this government to attract 2,000 new people to the Northwest Territories. Quite frankly, who is going to want to come here when the Economic Development Strategy points out and they recognize that power rates hold Yellowknife back? If anything, they say in their report that it’s a negative, not a positive. Again, we’re number one. Boy, that’s scaring people.

But it gets worse. That hungry beast we know as the NWT Power Corp cannot be satisfied. Its insatiable appetite continues to grow by trying to increase our power rates. Oh, but don’t worry, it’s only $10 a month. Don’t worry; it will be okay. That might only add up to 3 percent of your normal bill, but you’ll be fine.

When is the courage going to be built up, thrust through this government to say enough is enough? Take back these high-cost power rates; show Northerners they care. It’s time to rise and show who they’re standing with. Do we continue to protect the Power Corp’s insatiable appetite to increase our power bills, or will they start standing up for the everyday working family who has trouble paying their power bills? It’s time they do so. Where will they be on the cost of living fight? Right now, they’re all silent.

Power Rates In Yellowknife
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

March 11th, 2014

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to recognize all GNWT employees who worked on the devolution file that are here in the gallery. There are too many to name, but I’ll ask them to stand up and be recognized and also accept our thanks. Thank you very much.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I’d like to welcome here Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford who has held every position in this Assembly once or twice. Welcome back to the House, Tony, it’s always good to have you here.

Mr. Bromley.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to endorse the Premier’s recognition of these hardworking folks in the gallery today. I know there are many residents from Weledeh, but all of them have played a critical part, I know. I’d also like to recognize, of course, Tony Whitford, a constituent of Weledeh I was very proud of, as we are of all our constituents, a special guy in this House. I would also like to recognize Weledeh residents Kan Baigent and Jacob Baigent. I believe I’ve heard Jacob is interested in the Youth Parliament once we get around to that. Welcome to those Weledeh residents. Mahsi.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I’d like to welcome everybody in the public gallery here today and thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Dolynny.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The other day the Minister of Human Resources issued a news release announcing that the GNWT continues to develop and implement an array of recruitment and retention initiatives to strengthen the public service and create employment opportunities throughout the Northwest Territories. I fully support this approach but it will not work unless all departments are on the same page.

My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. At a time when recruitment and retention could not be more important, why is it emblazoned in red writing across the Department of Health and Social Services’ career website, Practice North, that, “New applications to the DHSS recruitment and retention programs are suspended effective immediately until such time as the human resource strategic plan is complete”?

Does the Department of Health and Social Services not share the same commitment to recruitment and retention as the Minister of Human Resources? Can the Minister explain that?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are committed to developing a good, solid, quality workforce here in the Northwest Territories of health professionals and allied health professionals, but the bottom line is when I became the Minister of Health and Social Services, I did have an opportunity to meet with the division which had recently moved over to HR. There were a number of questions about the effectiveness of our program, and continuing to spend dollars for no effect did not seem like a prudent course of action, so I actually directed the department to begin the development of a comprehensive strategic plan or HR plan for the recruitment and retention of health professionals. I have committed to sharing that with my colleagues across the way. But rather than run programs that don’t work and waste money, I thought it was better, and my colleagues thought it was better, to suspend the programs until such time as we could design a program that meets the needs to develop the workforce of the Department of Health and Social Services and authorities.

But as a note, regardless of our HR plan, we do continue to support interns within the department and the authorities, and we do continue to recruit qualified health professionals across the Northwest Territories.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

It’s difficult to understand how we can recruit when we’ve got no program here. What recruitment and retention program specifically does this moratorium apply to? Does it include community health nurse development programs or does it include others? Can the Minister be a bit more specific?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

It actually includes a number of programs. Over the years we had given out a significant number of bursaries and there is limited data as to whether we were actually getting any return of service on those bursaries and whether we were getting good value for money, so we have continued the bursaries for those individuals that are in nursing programs and other allied programs now, so those individuals that are in are covered, but we have suspended any future intake until we have an opportunity to do a comprehensive analysis to make sure that we are getting value for money.

The Community Health Nurse Development Program is a program that we’re very, very committed to in the department, and it is actually fully subscribed at this point, but we have suspended any future intake until we have an opportunity to review that program to make sure that we are getting good value for money. It is a very expensive program and there may be ways we could partner with authorities to get better effect and get better value for money. We do have people in it, but we have suspended intake until we can

actually make sure this program is giving us the value for money that Members regularly ask for.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Can the Minister inform us: Is the department in the habit of putting a halt on its public initiatives whenever it has to get its own homework done? How long has this moratorium been in place? How long is it going to be intended to be in effect?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

It has been in effect for a couple months. I’ve been the Minister of Health and Social Services for four months now and it was one of the things that I looked at when I came into the department, because health human resource recruitment is one of the areas that’s obviously important. I’d like to have a strong workforce here in the Northwest Territories.

However, I will check the letter I sent to committee to confirm the date that we did actually suspend these programs temporarily. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How is the public, specifically people trying to seek careers in the health field, supposed to understand what programs they can apply for and when, when it’s clear even the Members on this side of the House don’t even understand what the heck is going on here? Can the Minister offer some clarity, not only to us but to the people out there holding resumes for the health care sector? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Recruitment is ongoing on a regular basis for the positions we have in the health and social services system across the Northwest Territories. Every day we’re hiring nurses and other allied health professionals. The division that has suspended some programs is more in the planning area around providing incentives for Northerners to pursue careers, and we have provided significant numbers of bursaries. We have had programs like the Community Health Development Program and the intent is good, but we need to make sure that we’re getting value for money. If we’re spending money on bursaries and getting no return for service, we need to make sure that we look at those programs, stop spending or giving out the dollars until we can have a program that meets the needs of our residents and provides an opportunity or incentive to actually return the service that we were hoping to get. An initial review shows there is clearly some question as to whether or not we’re getting value for money for those programs.

We continue to recruit daily. We continue to fill positions across the Northwest Territories. We are committed to the health and social services system and we will continue to recruit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has just been over a year now since we’ve had commitment to get a licenced practical nurse in Tsiigehtchic. Yet, to this day, we don’t have a licenced practical nurse in Tsiigehtchic.

I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, has there been any progress in getting an LPN in Tsiigehtchic on a full-time basis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I’ve said previously in the House, I have directed the department to do a review of the ISDM to see what make-up of professionals would be appropriate in the smaller communities. I have committed to doing that. I note the department has had some discussions with the Beaufort-Delta, specifically around Tsiigehtchic and the options that have been presented by the Member, but we have not hired an LPN for Tsiigehtchic. We need to finish the other work before we figure out what would be the appropriate course of action. I’d be happy to work with the Member, happy to work with committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I’d also like to ask the Minister if the department is making any policies to make it possible to have a full-time licenced practical nurse in Tsiigehtchic. Thank you.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Health and Social Services

I think it’s important to finish the analysis first so we can figure out what the appropriate make-up would be. It may not be an LPN, it may not be an RN. It may be, it may not be. We need to do that work and we have committed and I have committed to do that work and sharing the results with the Member, so we can have an informed discussion on how we can provide quality care for the residents of Tsiigehtchic and the other small communities in the Northwest Territories.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I’d like to ask the Minister, when is the analysis going to be complete and when will the community have a licenced practical nurse, or a nurse, for that matter, in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.