Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we start today, I’d like to send my condolences to my communities. It is with sincere thoughts and prayers I send my condolences to my home community of Tuktoyaktuk and Anna Cockney, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and to Annie Emaghok, condolences to her husband, Adam, and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To Ulukhaktok to Dillon Alanak, condolences to his mom, Judy, and his brothers and sisters.

Also, I’d like to send condolences to David Nasogaluak’s family, his sons and daughters and his grandchildren. He will be sadly missed. David was one of my good friends.

David Isaac Amagana Nasogaluak was born in Avvaq in 1933. He was the eldest of 11 children to Joe and Susie Nasogaluak.

His parents moved the family to Tuktuuyaqtuuq in 1941, where David began his lifelong passion of hunting and trapping, to help provide for his family and community.

In 1956 David and Agnes married then travelled to Sachs Harbour in 1960 by the schooner, North Star.They adopted Beverly, Darren and lona, and had a son together, David Jr. He trapped white fox and spent many years on Banks Island. They raised a family and worked hard to make a good living.

After leaving Sachs Harbour in the late 1980s, David returned to Tuktuuyaqtuuq to work for Canadian Reindeer. There he met Roxanne Raddy and had three beautiful children together: Bo, Dakota and Devaughn.

David was a people person. He had many friends of all ages and welcomed everyone he met. He was an adventurous person who had many stories to tell and you couldn't leave his house without eating, or having a cup of King Cole tea. He often said that he knew how it was when there was not much to eat and didn't want anyone to be hungry.

David was always getting ready for the next trip out on the land, whether it was to go hunting, fishing, or spending time with family and friends. He was forever on the go and never gave up on anything he was doing. He had a true zest for life.

On behalf of the family of David Amagana Nasogaluak, I would like to say Quyanainniqpaaluk to his many friends for being a part of his life. I'm sure you have many memories and teachings by him to carry you throughout your life. God bless you all. Thank you.

Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. Having an affordable, reliable and secure energy system that takes into account economic development and impacts to the environment is central to this goal.

In 2014 the Government of the Northwest Territories hosted its second Energy Charrette in response to concerns about increasing costs of energy, the low water level at the Snare hydroelectricity site, and the estimated costs to connect the North and South Slave transmission systems to the North American grid.

The 2014 Energy Charrette brought together the public, community representatives, stakeholders and experts to discuss what the Government of the Northwest Territories should do to reduce energy costs, increase energy security and reduce the environmental impacts of our energy system. Over 200 people attended the public event, and over 100 people attended the invitational stakeholder event. The charrette featured 20 different speakers and presenters.

We heard that we should be more aggressive on energy efficiency and conservation, plan for increased development of small-scale community-based renewable energy projects, and continue to build biomass projects. Mr. Speaker, the government has prepared its response to the 2014 NWT Energy Charrette Final Report, which I will be tabling later today, at the appropriate time.

In this GNWT Response to the 2014 NWT Energy Charrette Report we have addressed what we heard during the charrette process. We are refocusing our short-term plans for this third year of the 2013 Energy Action Plan.

In the short-term we will focus on energy efficiency and conservation, both through the Arctic Energy Alliance and in government buildings. We will look at ways to improve the resilience of the North Slave hydro grid.

New community scale alternatives and renewable energy sources include:

• the Colville Lake solar-battery-diesel project;

• Wind feasibility studies in Inuvik and Yellowknife;

• Potential solar projects on government buildings in Dehcho and Beaufort-Delta communities;

• Biomass boilers in schools; and

• the potential for natural gas generation in thermal communities.

Our long-term goals will focus on transformational energy projects for communities and for potential new markets, which will require significant government investments and will be presented for the consideration of the 18th Legislative Assembly.

This energy charrette process has been very successful and participants were very appreciative of having the opportunity to learn and voice their opinions on the future of the energy system in the Northwest Territories. I would like to personally thank everyone involved.

Mr. Speaker, our vision has always been strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Having a sustainable energy system in the Northwest Territories, which takes into account affordability, the economy, energy security and the environment, is part of this vision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Honourable Minister of Industry Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

Mr. Speaker, NWT’s commercial fishery has been hit hard over the past decade by a number of circumstances well beyond its influence or control.

Hardest hit have been commercial fishers in the NWT who have been powerless to respond to a rise in the Canadian dollar, border closures and weakening US and global markets. Our fleets and fishers are aging considerably. The volumes and participation in our fishery have declined.

What has not decreased, Mr. Speaker, is the number of fish in the lake or the proven markets with which we can rebuild our fishery. The NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy has highlighted both of these as opportunities to restore and revitalize an industry that, I believe, remains important and vital to our economy and to our territory.

Last year we committed to developing a business plan to make this happen. Today I would like to highlight to Members the steps that we are taking to put this plan in place.

Our plan sees the current governance model on the lake changing dramatically.

It will see the responsibility of ownership, operation and replacement of a processing plant transferred from the federal Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to the local private sector.

It will transform our fishery from a whole fish fishery to one that supplies domestic, commercial and export markets with value-added fish products in both fresh and frozen form.

A private sector single desk selling function, profit driven, not legislatively driven, will work to ensure all orders are competitively served.

We will extend the NWT market for Great Slave Lake fish north and south, from Banks Island to Fort Smith.

Current suppliers of domestic markets will be offered resources to address the capital requirements they need to serve their markets efficiently and effectively. These men and women are long-standing partners in our work to grow and develop local markets and we will ensure they thrive with our industry.

Our plan calls for investment to ensure our producers can be mobile around the lake, not locked into the areas around Yellowknife and Hay River.

Through a transitional contractual agreement with the federal Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, we aim to market and sell fish from Great Slave Lake into abandoned markets in Alberta.

We are investing in a training program, with a focus on young fishers, aimed at increasing the number of Northerners on the lake.

We propose to encourage new fishers from outside the NWT, mainly from Alberta, to relocate their now defunct operations to Great Slave Lake.

Mr. Speaker, the benefits of our plan can and will be realized all around. Much like the model that we recognize in devolution, producers will see the benefits of having a direct say, and even ownership, in our industry.

Within five years we aim to see the economic impact of this fishery increasing tenfold and returns to producers increasing by at least 50 percent at dockside. For the NWT economy, it will mean new investment in capital, a thriving fishery and over 200 jobs and income opportunities.

Rebuilding our commercial fishery will take some time, and it will require some investment. We estimate almost $5 million will be needed to build an export-grade fish plant and see our plan realized. At least three-quarters of this investment will need to come from federal and territorial levels of government. It will be an investment in the economic potential of an industry that, I believe, is both overdue and reasonable.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has already committed $1.5 million this year to ensuring that we can move our business plan forward, and we are hoping to work with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency to make this happen.

Mr. Speaker, despite obstacles and challenges, there remains a bright future for our fishery and I would like to assure Members of this Assembly that we are making every effort to realize it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is focused on ensuring opportunities, education and training are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. As our labour market needs to expand, so do the opportunities. The GNWT Population Growth Strategy has a target to bring 2000 people to the territory in the next four years, and ECE is doing its part to contribute to that strategy through one of our most valuable resources: our students. The department supports NWT post-secondary students to obtain the skills and education they need to contribute to a prosperous northern economy.

Mr. Speaker, in support of the GNWT Population Growth Strategy, the department will be making the following significant improvements to SFA for the 2015-16 academic year:

• increasing loan remission rates, so students have their debt forgiven faster while residing in the NWT;

• implementing a $2,000 northern bonus for both NWT and southern students who reside in the NWT to be applied to their student loan debt;

• introducing a zero percent interest rate for students who return to live in the NWT after completing their studies;

• increasing funding for tuition and books; and

• removing the 20 semester funding limit and reintroducing a revolving loan limit, so students who pay down their loan can access additional funding.

I am also pleased to announce that we launched an SFA online application on June 1st. The online application will simplify the application process, increase online presence and make the SFA program more accessible to NWT residents.

Mr. Speaker, the SFA application forms have also changed so that students can easily give their consent for ECE to connect them with all NWT employers to facilitate employment opportunities. Connecting students and employers will help ensure that our students return to the NWT and help meet the needs of the labour market.

Furthering the GNWT Growth Strategy, we are not only engaging with our northern students but also encouraging southern students to take advantage of the opportunities of living in the North.

Mr. Speaker, I have said before that our people are our territory’s greatest resource. Having more educated NWT residents entering the workforce will strengthen our economy and create opportunities across the territory for both Northerners and potential residents looking to make the North their home. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members’ statements. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about a land situation. We all have people in our communities who want the best for the community and its residents and they work very hard to improve where they live. The benefits of their efforts accrue not only to them but to the community as a whole.

Yellowknife is fortunate to have a group of dedicated, enthusiastic motocross riders. They enjoy their sport and they want others to as well. They want to dedicate a space to practice and teach their hobby.

The Yellowknife Motocross Association has been working for several years to revive the now defunct stock car racetrack out on Highway No. 4 and are ready to begin the physical work, remediation and cleaning up of the site, but they’ve been stymied by bureaucracy. An application for a land lease has been denied.

Most Members will remember the controversy last year over cabins and squatters using the lakes of Highway No. 4 close to Yellowknife. Now there’s a moratorium in effect on recreational land leases throughout the area while the Lands department develops a recreational land lease policy to bring some order to cabin use on these lakes.

The moratorium, unfortunately, includes both sides of the highway. It encompasses the very lakeless area of the old stock car track. The Motocross Association has been told they cannot apply for a lease for at least another year, with access to the land likely two years away. That’s just not on.

The premise of the moratorium on recreational land leases was to halt new leases for cabins, hunting and fishing leases. The Motocross Association has no intention of building a permanent structure, certainly not a cabin, with no lake anywhere in sight. The proposed use for the land they seek is clearly not a cabin. I believe their request should be considered outside of the moratorium.

The site right now is an eyesore and an environmental mess. It was abandoned 25 years ago, with cars and oil drums on the site left to rust and fall apart. By cleaning up the site, this group would be doing a huge favour, both to the environment and the GNWT. One less site for ENR to have to clean up, yet the Minister of Lands can’t see his way to make an exception and grant this group a lease.

The Yellowknife Motocross Association has done their homework. They have the support of businesses in the community. They’ve spent months planning their project, talking to Lands staff, arranging insurance and so on. This will be a new outdoor activity opportunity for Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

This will be a new outdoor activity opportunity for Yellowknife residents and visitors both. It’s a potential tourism draw. The revenue from that would be a benefit to local businesses and to the Northwest Territories as a whole. The Minister can make this happen. He can allow this lease application and get the process started.

I will have questions for the Minister later, and my first one will be: Why won’t he do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The recent release of the long-awaited ENR 2014 Fire Season Review Report, had, as the Minister put it, girding their loins in preparation for this upcoming fire season. Now, although the use of cute biblical sarcasm is always welcome for the academics that pay attention, it unfortunately doesn’t offer much in the way of sustenance to what the people are expecting from spending over $56.1 million of their money.

Now, again for the record, we applaud that there was no loss of life or serious injury last year; and yes, the promise for better communication is nice to hear; and yes, the perception that there was meaningful consultation is welcome. However, the Members of this House and the public were promised, by its Minister, a document that was to have every i dotted and every t crossed, and for eight months we waited for a report that unfortunately fell bureaucratically short of expectation. In fact, where is the full cost accounting of the 56.1 million tax dollars that were spent? The Minister’s review report breaks down only three simple numbers and figures: aircraft, $24 million; personnel, $6.8 million; and other operational costs of $25.3 million. Well, very impressive, very transparent. Way to go Minister.

So, where is the breakdown of the personnel cost, both in-house and contracted services and within our MARS Agreement program? Where is the breakdown of money spent on our own air fleet, our visiting fleet through the MARS Agreement, and our contracted services of Buffalo Air fleet that spent the majority of early June 2014 sitting on the tarmac? Does the Minister not think we could see these planes from the road, sitting idle while NWT burned? Where’s the analysis of the efficiency of the aviation strategy of 2014? What worked? What didn’t work? Why did our air attack officers clock out at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday when homesteads burned on a Saturday? Did the Minister think MLAs wouldn’t find out?

We know we have issues and limitations with their Prometheus fire growth modelling program and that our science officers are working with outdated technology and, as I quote, “ENR recognizes it needs to develop better fire behaviour prediction tools.”

Okay, so where is the investment? Where is the budget? Where is the action plan?

We now have a public 2014 Fire Season Review Report with no specific investment, no timelines for significant changes, no true measurement tools and no real reporting mechanisms.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

This is a report made by bureaucrats for bureaucrats and celebrated by bureaucrats. The public, on the other hand, you know, the ones that foot the bill around here and pay taxes, have been shortchanged by this Minister once again. In fact, the only public use of this review report should be restricted to the public washroom of the forest management division. At least there it would have a physical purpose. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When you begin a career, you never know what to expect, where it’s going to take you, the people that you’re going to meet, or the impact that you will have on other people’s lives. Today I’d like to speak about two very important individuals from Inuvik who are retiring from the education system after this academic school year.

First, Ms. Bella Kaye has worked in both Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and East Three Elementary School for over 37 years. Before that, she was an assistant for over a total of over 44 years. She was a role model for her nieces and her nephews as well as many other youth across the Beaufort-Delta. She has been a kindergarten teacher and a Gwich’in language instructor over those years and has been an integral part of the development of our children. She is also very involved in the community. Not only has she been successful in the education field but also with her family, making it a priority and promoting the Gwich’in language, culture and education.

Even more remarkable, this was started in a time when our people were still in the grips of the residential school system. She served as a model for those seeking a better and sober life.

When speaking with Ms. Kaye, she says, “When you start something, you always finish it. Even though you struggle, you keep trying and you learn from your mistakes.”

I would also like to thank the elders who have helped along the way in positive ways. Mr. Brewster was also my kindergarten teacher growing up.

The other recognition that I’d like to share today is Mr. Shane Brewster, who has taught elementary phys. ed. at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and East Three Elementary for over 31 years. Not only is he a teacher but a mentor to other teachers over that time. He has taught teachers from the South the traditional way of life of people living in the North. He has also been an integral part of the staff and students over 31 years in his positions. He’s coached for many years and taught the basics of movement and sport and has developed many athletes at a very young age. He’s a community leader and a role model to many in the community of Inuvik and throughout the North.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

I did speak to Mr. Brewster, and he just wanted to acknowledge that Inuvik and the Northwest Territories has been his home for the past 31 years and still is. When people ask where he’s from, Inuvik is what he answers, not Nova Scotia. I think that Mr. Brewster might have only put me in the corner just once in his whole time teaching.

I would like to wish both Ms. Kaye and Mr. Brewster and their families the best of luck on their retirement and that they will truly be missed at East Three Elementary by students and staff. Combined, the two have been providing guidance, leadership, developing values and positive interactions with children, staff and community members for over 72 years in the school system. Thank you for making a difference, Ms. Kaye and Mr. Brewster. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The next time you have a long statement like that, I’ll put you in the corner.

---Laughter

It’s a good day today. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be extending my statement.

---Laughter

Between May 5th and May 8th, I accompanied the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on a tour of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte. I would like to thank the Ministers for their attention to issues in the Nahendeh region.

Residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte talked quite a bit about their desire for an agreement with BC Health. There are several reasons. For one thing, some of my constituents have lost confidence in the NWT health system, so much so that they would rather incur their own costs of travelling across the border.

Unless our health system improves its capacity to provide services and timely diagnosis for patients, these residents will continue to put their trust in BC Health, and that’s a shame.

Another reason is the practical matter of distance. It’s just a two-hour drive from Fort Liard to Fort Nelson, while the drive from Fort Liard to Fort Simpson is about three hours, and I want to say it is on Highway No. 7.

Other factors include convenience and costs. It is not uncommon for Fort Liard residents to be flown 800 kilometres all the way to Yellowknife, but this is an inconvenience to the patient and expensive when the same services can be provided in Fort Nelson.

This is the third time since 2013 that I have stood in this Legislative Assembly to ask for an agreement with BC Health. I believe it would help Nahendeh residents and probably lower the overall cost of health care in my region.

At the appropriate time I will ask questions of the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been over a year and a half since the commitment to have RCMP overnight in Tsiigehtchic, and to this day not once has the RCMP spent the night in the community.

People in the community would like to see a better presence from the RCMP. This has been an ongoing issue. When are we going to see positive changes from the department and the RCMP?

I’ll have questions for the Minister later today.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to recent reports, the crisis regarding available facilities and beds for our growing populations of elders is coming fast. While we dither, the lineup for seniors care beds and services in Yellowknife and across the NWT is growing rapidly. While we claim that decisions must go through a long capital process, the situation worsens, forcing seniors to leave their northern homes or face the consequences. While we delay, our elder’s population grows by 6 or 7 percent a year.

The Department of Health and Social Services and Avens - A Community for Seniors hired Dr. Hollander to forecast needs for seniors facilities. The study confirmed that the number of seniors in Yellowknife is expected to grow by almost 200 percent in the next 16 years, 125 percent across the NWT. The number of residential care beds needed in Yellowknife will soar by 250 percent and exceed 229 beds. The equivalent for the NWT beds will be a rise of 100 percent, or 400 beds.

Given the lead times required for determining facility locations, designs and program development, securing financing, contracting, staffing and construction, such increases will challenge the continuing care system. Meanwhile, though hospital staff do what they can in cramped quarters and difficult conditions to make space for families in need, we do not have a single palliative care facility in the NWT. This apparent disregard for the well-being of our elders is unacceptable.

The recent plight of 99-year-old Bonnie Bohnet profiled in the media indicates that we are failing our elders now, and immediate action is required. We need to shift the emphasis from funding big industry, with little return, to paying serious attention to people, particularly our elders. They built this territory and it’s time to show we value their efforts and sacrifices on our behalf. Putting facilities in place to assure their comfort and safety as they age would be a darn good start.

With further procrastination, I’m concerned that the likelihood of a catastrophic lack of facilities and tragic consequences will rise. I’m sure we all agree that our elders deserve much better. With half the territory’s residents, there are only 29 care beds for seniors in the capital. A proven body of expertise and resources stands at the ready here to complement any indication that government has the will and commitment to move.

As capital planning season approaches, I urge immediate government action to put a renewed and expanded seniors care facility in place in Yellowknife to meet this desperate need.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Financial literacy is not something on the radar for most of our young people. The basis of financial literacy includes identifying the role of money in everyday life, using credit responsibly, managing a personal bank account, being wary of credit cards being pushed on consumers, knowing the pitfalls of consumer debt and learning about investment options.

In the NWT schools, there is a mandatory Grade 11 course about personal financial management, but this topic should be addressed even earlier. To illustrate the need for financial literacy, here is a familiar money story.

A young man enters the job market. He earns $50,000 a year. Thinking his future is set, he buys a brand new truck and heads south for a vacation. Meanwhile, credit card companies bombard him with enticing offers, and before he knows it he has racked up $50,000 in consumer debt. He’ll probably spend years paying off his credit cards. In fact, he may never climb out of debt.

I believe a new action is required in the approach to retirement planning. For one thing, medical advances are extending the average person’s lifespan. Decades ago when the Canadian Pension Plan and the Old Age Security were developed, it was normal for a person to retire at 65 and die by the age of 75. But these days, young people can expect to spend a quarter of a century in retirement, or even longer. A second factor is that by 2050, the pension plans will probably no longer be in existence.

I’d like to see the NWT schools partner with the organizations like Junior Achievement, which has an impressive track record. Junior Achievement staff and volunteers assist young people with financial literacy and job readiness. Courses are available for all group ages. Unfortunately, Junior Achievement has not made regular inroads to the NWT schools. I know at least one experienced financial planner, John Henderson, who is willing to serve as a Junior Achievement volunteer.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

We’re not putting enough emphasis on financial literacy and this is a great disservice to our young people.

I’ll have questions later for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. On April 27th the keys to the new Fort Providence Health Centre were handed over to the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority. The facility cost around $11 million to build and is quite a bit larger than the old health centre. Work on the building has been underway since 2013, so I’m really excited to see it finally open to the public. On June 16, a grand opening ceremony will be held to mark the completion of the work. I’m told it will reflect Aboriginal culture and tradition, so I’m very pleased about that too.

I’d like to ask my constituents to claim a sense of ownership at the new health centre. I’d also like to see the government working collaboratively with Deh Cho residents to bring in the types of programs and services that they would like to see and benefit from. I think it would be an improvement to include an assessment of the programs and services likely being offered and what new ones might be suitable.

For example, will the new facility be a space that integrates the physical, mental, spiritual and cultural needs of the residents? What attention will be given to the management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer? Will there be workshops to get people getting better and getting more exercise? Will there be space set aside for the 12-step meetings and other activities to assist people who are struggling with addictions? Will a registered nurse be based in the health centre to lead the expansion of home care services? Will an accurate needs assessment be completed for all the elders who currently or will soon need home care and assisted living services? What efforts will be made to fill the vacant and hard to fill positions in the Deh Cho region?

Surely a brand new health centre will make the region more attractive for health care providers.

Later I will pose some of these questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we finish this session, I’d like to wish you and my colleagues a good summer break. I know we’re continuing to do a bunch of work. I know some of those programs in both EDI committees are out on the road.

As we look forward to the summer, I know that Northerners will be out on the land. I just want to urge them to be safe out there. I know over the last three or four years we’ve had eight fatalities on the highways; we’ve had 13 fatalities on the water. So we need people to make sure that they’re being careful out there, making sure they’re protecting each other.

We need to also ensure that we don’t drink and drive. We need to eliminate drinking and driving and make sure that if you’re drinking, not to be driving. Let’s be safe out there this summer.

Obviously, we know of our fire situation. We need to make sure that everybody takes precautions in the fire area. We need to make sure that campfires are out and make sure that there’s no smoking in very tinder dry areas. We just need to make sure we’re really safe out there. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we had the honour of hearing from our Premier through the Premier’s Awards. Last week we had seen and heard very well about the great work through the Education Awards. Recently, many of us attended the Sport North Awards to recognize sport, and often we hear about the great volunteer awards, literacy awards, fire service awards, and the list continues on.

A noticeable absent group to recognize is environment awards. Why are there no environment stewardship awards? Let us use this opportunity with what better way to recognize their leadership and commitment many Northerners dedicate themselves day to day to improve our lives.

This government could use the occasion to say to Northerners, “You matter. The work that you do matters.” It could look at many wonderful categories, such as recognizing children in the schools. There’s not a day that goes by when I visit schools in my riding, such as J.H. Sissons or Mildred Hall, that I see the kids running around, making sure that there is a tomorrow through the work that they do. They collect the pop cans and bottles and they do everything and are committed to it in a manner that says they care about tomorrow and care about the world they live in.

There are community groups, and certainly community superstars. You need to look no further than the late Doug Ritchie who was a great community champion for the environment, or even local guys such as Kevin O’Riley, whose heart is dedicated to such passion about tomorrow and making sure our environment is here.

You have great groups such as Ecology North and Diavik. Ecology North, I need not spend a lot of time but to say that we know the great work they do. Diavik might be a business in business, but when they installed the wind farm it wasn’t just about the bottom line, it’s about tomorrow; and they never miss an opportunity on their own time to go out and tell people about what a great project it is, and how they can conserve.

What you’re hearing here is a chance to reaffirm the great work people do. But it’s not just outside of government, it’s inside government too.

An annual environment award could recognize the stewardship that we do internally through good public policy in many departments such as our Giant Mine folks, who are out there saying, “We can do a better job for tomorrow, and we’re going to make sure it’s healthy tomorrow because of the work we do.”

Finally, I want to finish off with a saying, it’s referred to as the unsung hero. It’s a simple phrase but it describes the person who makes a substantial difference to the world and to many but goes unrecognized. Let’s not let that work go unrecognized. Let us consider this opportunity and we can make a better tomorrow through this type of leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Dolynny.

Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on the review of the 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Corrections in the Northwest Territories and commends it to the House.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations (“the standing committee”) is pleased to report on its review of the 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Corrections in the Northwest Territories.

The 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Corrections in the Northwest Territories was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 3, 2015. The Standing Committee on Government Operations held its public review of this performance audit report on May 20 to 21, 2014.

Members thank Auditor General Mr. Michael Ferguson, assistant auditor general Mr. Jerome Berthelette, principal Mr. Glenn Wheeler, and lead auditor Ms. Erin Jellinek for preparing the report and assisting the committee during the public review. The committee also thanks the deputy minister of Justice, Ms. Sylvia Haener; assistant deputy minister/Solicitor General, Ms. Shirley Kemeys-Jones; and director of corrections, Mr. Monty Bourke, for appearing as witnesses at the review.

The Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) conducts financial and performance audits in all three northern territories. Financial audits tell the Legislative Assembly and the public whether the government is keeping proper records and presenting its financial information fairly. Performance audits consider whether programs are being run according to the department’s own legislation, regulations, directives and policies, and with due regard for economy, efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impacts. Since 2006 the Auditor General has completed nine performance audits in the Northwest Territories and issued one status report evaluating progress on the recommendations of previous audits.

The Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Operations is mandated to review the reports of the Auditor General and make recommendations to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Members look for efficiencies, best practices and gaps, with the intent of improving services to residents. The Auditor General’s reports play a crucial role in Members’ scrutiny of government spending and performance.

Role of the Department of Justice in the Delivery of the Corrections Service

Under the Minister, the Department of Justice is responsible for corrections services in the Northwest Territories, as outlined in the Corrections Act and the Corrections Service Regulations. Within the department, the corrections service is responsible for probation, parole, after-care and adult institutional services. It is also responsible for the custodial detention of youth as well as their supervision in the community under the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act and the territorial Youth Justice Act. The mission of the corrections service is to manage offenders in the least restrictive manner possible and to provide opportunities for their rehabilitation and reintegration through holistic and culturally relevant approaches for the common good of society.

The director of corrections is obligated under the act to administer the affairs of the corrections service and develop and supervise correctional programs. The managers of correctional facilities are responsible for assisting the director in fulfilling these obligations. The department is responsible for the administration of correctional facilities in accordance with the Corrections Act, regulations and directives, including their safe, secure and efficient operation.

There are four adult facilities and one youth facility in the Northwest Territories: the North Slave Correctional Centre, the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre, the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (male and female units) and the North Slave Young Offender Facility.

These units house inmates on remand, who have been ordered by a court to be detained in custody while awaiting trial, and those who have been sentenced to terms of incarceration shorter than two years. These facilities also house some federal offenders with terms of incarceration are longer than two years and some offenders from Nunavut due to overcrowded facilities there.

The department is responsible for ensuring that mental health services are provided to inmates, just as they are to residents of the Northwest Territories under the territorial Mental Health Act.

Operating Environment and Current Challenges

Corrections is a significant issue in the Northwest Territories. The NWT crime rate was the highest in the country in 2013, according to Statistics Canada. The NWT violent crime rate is also among the highest in the country. A variety of demographic and social realities in the Northwest Territories contribute to the higher crime rate. These include an inmate population that is disproportionately Aboriginal and a relatively young population with low educational attainment. Also noted is the widespread misuse of drugs and alcohol often related to the traumatic impact of residential schools. In this context, the Department of Justice faces several challenges, including managing facilities in which the majority of admissions are for violent offences and substance abuse. Anger management and mental health issues are significant concerns. In addition, according to the department, many inmates are affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, although few are medically diagnosed.

Data from the Department of Justice shows that there were 692 adult male admissions to correctional facilities in the 2013-14 fiscal year, including 653 at the North Slave Correctional Centre and 14 at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (male unit). The figures include both remanded and sentenced offenders admitted directly to facilities but do not include those transferred between facilities.

In 2013-14 approximately $38 million was allocated to the corrections service. This represents about 32 percent of the department’s operations and expenditures budget and includes almost $29 million for adult and youth facilities. During this same time period, the department spent about $14 million to operate the North Slave Correctional Centre and $6 million to operate the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (male and female units). There are 267 funded positions in the corrections services with about 100 at the North Slave Facility and 21 at the Fort Smith male facility.

Across the NWT, particularly outside of Yellowknife, there are significant gaps in programs and services in communities, including for offenders. For this reason it is especially important that inmates receive access to rehabilitation programs and services while in custody to support their reintegration back into the community and help to reduce the likelihood of reoffending. However, some inmates spend only a few months in custody, which poses challenges for the department with respect to adapting the type and frequency of programs and services to meet inmates’ needs.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, through you, I’d like to turn this over to my colleague Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Dolynny.

About the Audit

The Auditor General’s performance audit covered the period between April 1, 2012, and September 1, 2014. The audit focused on two key aspects of correctional services: the management of selected facilities and the management of inmates within these facilities.

The audit examined whether the Department of Justice was meeting its key responsibilities for inmates and whether the department adequately managed inmates in compliance with key rehabilitation and reintegration requirements. The audit also looked at whether the department adequately planned for and operated facilities to house inmates.

The audit included the analysis of documentation provided by the department, and facilities and interviews with senior officials, managers and correctional staff from the department, and with key stakeholders in the area of corrections. The auditor met with wardens, deputy wardens, managers, correctional officers and other correctional staff at the North Slave Correctional Centre and the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (male unit).

To assess whether the department had adequately managed inmates in compliance with the Corrections Act, regulations, directives and policies, the auditors selected and tested a random sample of 48 male inmates serving sentences at the North Slave Correctional Centre and the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (male unit). The North Slave Correctional Centre was chosen because it is the largest facility in the NWT and houses the most inmates. The Fort Smith (male unit) facility was chosen because of its mandate to provide services to higher-needs inmates.

To assess whether the Department of Justice adequately plans for and operates its facilities, the audit looked at the department’s planning for all of its facilities, including male, female and youth facilities.

The audit did not examine the following: court services, sentencing decisions, community corrections, community justice programs, or inmate case management for youth or women in custody.

The OAG used the following criteria to determine if the Department of Justice has met key responsibilities for inmates in the correctional system. These criteria were based on requirements under the Corrections Act, regulations and directives, and for the purposes of facility planning on the GNWT’s Capital Planning Process and the Project Management Institute’s 2008 Project Management Body of Knowledge.

The Department of Justice:

• develops plans to identify and address current and future facility needs;

• monitors whether key requirements are met for the security of inmates and staff in its facilities;

• ensures it has staff to fill key responsibilities within facilities;

• monitors and manages overtime use;

• ensures staff get key training;

• ensures fire and health inspections are done by authorities, recommendations for improvement are addressed, and fire/evacuation drills are conducted as required;

• manages inmates consistent with policies and procedures by identifying their needs and risks and providing them with access to programs and services to address their needs and risks.

CONCLUSION OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL:

The Department of Justice has not met its key responsibilities for inmates within the correctional system. The Department of Justice adequately planned for its facilities; however, the department did not adequately operate facilities to house inmates in compliance with key rehabilitation and reintegration requirements.

In this report the OAG made six recommendations related to inmate case management and eight recommendations related to facility management. The standing committee endorses all these recommendations and recommends that the department ensures that they’re implemented in a timely manner.

This is particularly the case where the OAG recommends remedial measures to address deficiencies at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex (female unit) in advance to construction of a new facility.

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Government Operations endorses the 14 recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General in its report. The standing committee recommends that the Department of Justice take the steps necessary to ensure that all recommendations are implemented in a timely manner.

Standing Committee’s Overall Observations and Recommendations

The standing committee is troubled by the Auditor General’s findings and deeply concerned by the length of time that some of the deficiencies identified by the OAG have persisted.

Although it is not customary for the Minister to be present at the standing committee’s public hearing, the standing committee did note its dissatisfaction with the Minister’s observation when the report was tabled, that if the “audit were completed today, the results would have been different.” [Hansard, March 10, Return to Oral Question 742-17(5)]. This assertion was repeated at the public hearing by the deputy minister, prompting the standing committee to question the truth of this statement, hearing it is a hollow response to some very serious findings by the Auditor General.

The deputy minister, Ms. Sylvia Haener, replied that “substantial progress” has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Auditor General, while maintaining core services. Ms. Haener noted that they are building a fence at the North Slave Correctional Facility and that the RCMP drug dog is being used on a random basis to sweep facilities and that both of these efforts will aid in contraband interdiction. It was also noted that the necessary health and safety inspections have been completed at all facilities and that the department is assessing the need for cameras and additional security monitoring in facility blind spots. Finally, while admitting that the department’s process for monitoring “hasn’t been up to snuff,” Ms. Haener noted that recent department audits of sentenced adult case files show 93 percent overall compliance.

While this may be the case, the committee noted that this does not account for the more than 50 percent of case files, for inmates with sentences less than 120 days, for which the Auditor General found that no monitoring of inmate progress had been done (Exhibit 2, page 7). The standing committee also observed that there are still some very worrisome deficiencies, such as the lack of space for medical screening at the Fort Smith women’s facility, where there do not appear to be any plans for remediation or where the plans require study and analysis before actions are to be taken. In fact, the committee feels the department’s response begs the question, “If things were so easily fixed, why did it take a report of the Auditor General to bring these problems to light?”

The standing committee supports the department’s efforts to improve the corrections system, but wishes to underscore the very serious deficiencies revealed by the audit and to emphasize its concern that some of these problems have persisted for a very long time. These problems will require innovation and dedication by the department if they are to be overcome.

Department of Justice Response and Action

The Department of Justice worked closely with the Office of the Auditor General throughout the audit process. Management in the Department of Justice reviewed and accepted the suitability of the criteria used in the audit and were given the opportunity to confirm that the findings reported by the Auditor General are based in fact.

The department’s responses to the OAG’s findings are contained in the report. The department accepted all the recommendations made by the OAG and, in its response, indicated how it intends to implement the OAG’s recommendations.

This commitment was followed up by the delivery of the Department of Justice’s Corrections Action Plan, dated April 2015, and received by the standing committee on May 14, 2015.

The department’s action plan groups the recommendations of the OAG into four themes: offender reintegration and rehabilitation; operations management; performance assurance and accountability; and staff training and development. Under these four themes, the department identifies priority actions and progress being made or anticipated completion dates for those actions.

Standing Committee’s Overall Observations and Recommendations

While the standing committee had very little time to review the department’s action plan before the start of the public hearing, an effort was made by Members to familiarize themselves with the priority actions identified in the plan.

Generally, the standing committee was concerned with the number of actions identified for completion by November 2015. The standing committee recognizes that there is a significant amount of work associated with reviewing the recommendations of the OAG and developing and implementing the necessary plans to put those recommendations into action. The standing committee additionally recognizes that this work will take place alongside day-to-day operations of the department.

The action plan identifies 105 actions to be completed in response to the OAG’s report. Of these, only six actions are scheduled to be completed after 2015. The standing committee cautions the department to be realistic about how much remedial action can be taken in the course of one fiscal year.

The standing committee is also concerned that the department is not being as strategic as it might be in its choice of actions to implement. In discussing the audit findings with the Auditor General, the standing committee heard that the department, for the most part, had the appropriate directives and rules in place to allow for sufficient facility and case management but that the department was failing to adequately implement those rules.

With this in mind, the standing committee is concerned about the number of items identified in the action plan that require the review and revision of existing directives or research into best corrections practices in other jurisdictions. While some directives have been singled out as being inadequate and needing improvement, as an example, the lack of direction on dynamic supervision and the directives ensuring that case managers have sufficient guidance for inmate release planning, the OAG seemed largely satisfied with the directives, standing orders and other policies that the department has in place.

Recommendation 2

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice adjust the action plan to focus on procedural changes that will enable more effective implementation of existing directives, standing orders and policies, rather than the review and revision of these rules, which may take place over the longer term.

Mr. Speaker, I will now turn the report over to Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya.

The standing committee found that the data presented in the Auditor General’s report painted a compelling picture to substantiate the report’s findings and recommendations and provides an excellent baseline against which to measure future progress. This includes the data on facility occupancy and capacity presented in Exhibit 1 of the OAG’s report (page 6), the data on case management presented in Exhibit 2 (page 7), the data presented on segregation requirements in Exhibit 7 (page 25), and the data on safety requirements in Exhibit 8 (page 29).

The standing committee recommends that the department continue to track this data and that the revised data be used in future reports on the department’s progress in implementing the recommendations of the Auditor General. The standing committee also recommends that this data be used by the department as performance measures in future business plans, starting with the 2016-17 Business Plan.

Recommendation 3

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice include the performance measures from the Auditor General’s report in future reports on the department’s progress in implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations and in future departmental business plans.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations looks forward to receiving periodic updates from the Department of Justice as it works to implement the recommendations contained in the OAG’s report.

Recommendation 4

The standing committee recommends that the Department of Justice provide a status report to the committee at least once before the end of the 17th Assembly, and then annually during the 18th Assembly, outlining actions taken in response to the Auditor General’s report.

Inmate Case Management

Key Findings of the Auditor General

The Auditor General’s key findings can be summarized as follows:

Overall Finding

• Serious case management deficiencies limit Justice’s efforts to rehabilitate inmates.

• Key case management requirements are not being met and there are serious deficiencies for case management for inmates at the North Slave and Fort Smith (male unit) correctional facilities. These limit the department’s efforts to rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for release back into the community.

• Case management assessments are not being done for inmates with sentences of less than 120 days.

• Inmates with shorter sentences make up half the inmate population. Justice has not assessed reasons for their criminal behavior, literacy levels, or intellectual functioning. Without this information, the department cannot assess whether the programs it offers are meeting inmates’ needs or assisting in their rehabilitation.

• For those with longer sentences, Justice identified rehabilitation programs to address their criminal behavior, but did not adequately deliver these programs (Examples: inmates needing long-term, individual support to cope with drug or alcohol dependency received only weekly group AA meetings; inmates received no programming because it was not offered during their incarceration).

• Inmates at the North Slave and Fort Smith (male unit) facilities had limited access to mental health services. Screening tools were limited to identifying suicide risk or urgent mental health concerns only. Because people with mental health concerns are overrepresented in the correctional system, these deficiencies are significant and can negatively impact rehabilitation.

Key Recommendations of the Auditor General

With respect to inmate case management, the Auditor General made the following recommendations (note that the numbers in brackets signify the paragraph number of the recommendation in the OAG’s report):

1. (Paragraph 31) The Department of Justice should ensure that case plans to guide inmate rehabilitation are developed for inmates, as required by the corrections Services directives and supporting guidance. The department should ensure that each plan includes key information and recommendations to address an inmate’s needs and includes a release plan to help prepare an inmate for return to the community. Progress against the plans should be monitored and documented, and adjustments should be made as necessary.

2. 3. (Paragraph 42) The Department of Justice should identify the needs and risks of its inmate population and assess its rehabilitation programs. It should also ensure that inmates have access to rehabilitation programs that reflect their needs and risks.

3. (Paragraph 42) The Department of Justice should review and, where required, increase its capacity to identify inmates’ mental health concerns and ensure that inmates requiring mental health services are provided with access to sufficient counselling and psychological support.

4. Paragraph (52) The Department of Justice should examine the corrections services directives to ensure that case managers are provided with sufficient guidance for inmate release planning and to ensure that it is providing inmates with the support they need to help them reintegrated into the community.

5. Paragraph (54) The Department of Justice should ensure that it continues to develop and implement a performance assurance framework focused on improving compliance with case management requirements and improving inmates’ access to rehabilitation programs.

With respect to the OAG’s findings and recommendations on inmate case management, the standing committee focused on four areas. These are: 100 percent case management assessments for inmates, access to programs, Mental Health First Aid, and reintegration coordination.

100 Percent Case Management Assessments for Inmates

The OAG’s findings suggest that the Department of Justice has made a policy decision not to conduct case management assessments for inmates with sentences of less than 120 days.

As observed by the Auditor General, this has left over half the inmate population without case management assessments, a situation exacerbated by the fact that inmates can spend months and, in some cases, more than a year in a facility on remand before being sentenced and, therefore, assessed. Without case management assessments, it is impossible for corrections officials to understand an inmate’s reasons for criminal behaviour, or to properly plan for their rehabilitation.

The standing committee finds this policy unacceptable and calls for the department to take immediate steps to ensure that all inmates are properly assessed upon their entry to a correctional facility.

The standing committee heard from the deputy minister that part of the rationale for the decision not to assess inmates with shorter sentences is because the level of service/case management inventory (LS/CMI) assessment tool involves a lengthy process which is not conducive to assessing inmates with shorter sentences. The standing committee is not persuaded by this rationale and encourages the department to adapt the tool or look to other jurisdictions (for example, Nunavut) to see how they are working with assessment tools.

Recommendation 5

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice take immediate steps to ensure that all inmates undergo case management assessments regardless of the length of their sentences.

Access to Programs

One of the most troubling aspects of the OAG’s report were the findings related to inmate access to rehabilitation programs. The Auditor General found that for inmates with sentences less than 120 days, only 36 percent had access to general rehabilitation programs and none had access to offence-specific programs. For inmates with sentences longer than 120 days, 87 percent had access to general rehabilitation programs, but only 63 percent had access to offence-specific programs.

For a department charged with the responsibility for rehabilitating offenders, these are very poor results. As the Auditor General observed:

“These deficiencies limit the department’s efforts to rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for release back to the community. For those inmates with shorter sentences – who make up about half of the inmate population – the department had not assessed the reasons for their criminal behaviour, nor had it assessed their literacy levels or intellectual functioning to develop plans for their rehabilitation. Without this information, the department cannot assess whether the programs it offers meet the needs of inmates. For the half of the inmate population with longer sentences, while the department identified rehabilitation programs to help address their criminal behaviour, it did not adequately deliver these programs.” (paragraph 12, page 4)

During the public hearing, the standing committee heard from the director of corrections about the number and variety of programs offered not only at the North Slave Correctional Centre and the Fort Smith Correctional Complex, which were the subject of the audit, but at other facilities across the Northwest Territories. While the standing committee was impressed with the array of programs offered, it wishes to stress to the department that these offerings, no matter how impressive, will not assist inmates with their rehabilitation if the inmates cannot access them or if their participation is not being tracked to ensure that the inmate is getting the right programs to meet his or her rehabilitation needs.

Recommendation 6

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice find innovative ways to increase inmate access to rehabilitation programs and to ensure that all inmates have access to the programs they most need to meet their rehabilitation goals.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn the reading of the report now over to my colleague Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Moses.

Mental Health First Aid

The standing committee is very concerned about the impacts that inmate mental health problems pose with respect to the safety and well-being of both staff and inmates in correctional facilities. If inmates are not adequately assessed in a timely manner by qualified staff, they may be at risk to harm themselves and others. Mental health problems, left untreated, may also negatively impact an inmate’s chances for successful rehabilitation.

The standing committee questioned the deputy minister about the challenges posed by dealing with inmates’ mental health issues. The deputy minister pointed out that ideally an inmate’s mental health problems should be addressed by the health and social services system and that appropriate referrals depend on being able to assess an inmate’s mental health. For this reason, the department’s action plan focuses on providing Mental Health First Aid training to corrections staff. In addition to Mental Health First Aid training, the majority of the actions planned by the department involve establishing a mental health services working group tasked with conducting a review of the department’s capacity to assess the mental health needs of inmates.

Given the number of inmates with potential mental health issues and the relative scarcity of trained psychologists and mental health practitioners, the standing committee is concerned that the department may be relying too heavily on Mental Health First Aid as the primary means for assessing an inmate’s need for mental health services. There are obvious risks associated with relying on laypersons to conduct Mental Health First Aid assessments, which include the risk that inmates who are in urgent need of care may be overlooked or under-evaluated.

The department does not anticipate completing an assessment of its needs for additional psychologists and other trained practitioners until fall 2015. The standing committee encourages the department to fast track its assessment and seek additional resources from the Legislative Assembly if they are required.

Reintegration Coordination

The standing committee is concerned by how little the

department is doing to prepare inmates for their release and transition back into the communities. As the OAG’s report reveals, the gaps in this area are significant, with some inmates receiving only appropriate clothing and transportation back to their place of residence or conviction.

The standing committee acknowledges the extra care taken by some case managers to provide additional assistance to help inmates with their release, but agrees with the Auditor General’s observation that in the absence of sufficient guidance to support release planning for inmates, the extent of release planning depends on the individual case manager.

In addition to the actions identified in the department’s action plan regarding inmate release planning, the standing committee encourages the department to consider establishing a position within the corrections service tasked specifically with coordinating inmate releases. This would help to ensure that inmates are given the greatest possible assistance in successfully returning to their communities.

Recommendation 7

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice develop better plans for inmate release and reintegration, including examining the merits of having a dedicated reintegration coordinator.

Facility Management

Key Findings of the Auditor General

The Auditor General’s key findings can be summarized as follows:

OVERALL FINDING:

The Department of Justice has not adequately met key requirements for its management of correctional facilities.

Although the department has developed plans to meet current and future needs in facilities, which include replacing the Fort Smith Correction Complex (female unit) in 2017-18, it does not have sufficient plans in place to mitigate some significant safety and security concerns at this facility where female inmates will continue to be housed in the meantime.

Concerns include lack of space for medical clearance of inmates and the housing of inmates in a facility with doors that do not lock.

The department did not adequately monitor whether management at the North Slave and Fort Smith (male unit) facilities were complying with selected safety and security requirements in areas such as managing inmates in segregation, controlling contraband and conducting fire and health inspections to ensure that facilities are safe.

In many cases, management did not follow requirements in these areas, which are intended to ensure that inmates are housed in a safe and secure environment. For example, some inmates were held in segregation without the required approvals by wardens.

Required daily and weekly reviews to determine whether it is appropriate for inmates to remain in segregation were not always done.

Key Recommendations of the Auditor General

With respect to facility management, the Auditor General made the following recommendations. (Note that the numbers in brackets signify the paragraph number of the recommendation in the OAG’s report.):

1. (Paragraph 78) The Department of Justice should:

2. undertake an assessment of actions to mitigate risks resulting from each of the critical deficiencies in the current Fort Smith Correctional Complex (female unit) to ensure all safety risks are sufficiently mitigated; and

3. establish a regular monitoring regime and report on safety risks and efforts undertaken by facility management to mitigate these risks to ensure the safety and security of inmates and staff until the new facility becomes operational.

4. (Paragraph 88) The Department of Justice should:

5. develop guidance on dynamic supervision for all correctional staff; and

6. actively and systematically monitor risks associated with housing inmates of varying security levels together, including remanded and sentenced inmates, to assess whether it is ensuring inmates’ safety and security under the Corrections Act.

7. (Paragraph 99) The Department of Justice should analyze trends related to contraband, including types of contraband and how it enters the facilities.

8. (Paragraph 100) The Department of Justice should exercise oversight of facility management to ensure compliance with its policies, directives and operating procedures for inmate surveillance and segregation, searches of inmates and visitors, and searches of cells and common areas.

9. (Paragraph 110) The Department of Justice should ensure that fire inspections are conducted annually and that emergency evacuation drills are conducted quarterly, as required. It should document these drills and take any corrective actions necessary.

10. (Paragraph 121) The Department of Justice should evaluate its current staffing approach for correctional facilities to ensure it has the number and types of staff needed to meet its core obligations under the Corrections Act.

11. (Paragraph 129) The Department of Justice should determine an acceptable level of overtime for its facilities and establish a mechanism to regularly monitor overtime usage in correctional facilities. It should also use the information it gathers to better manage overtime to help achieve acceptable overtime levels.

12. (Paragraph 132) The Department of Justice should develop and use an effective tracking system to ensure that all correctional staff members receive the required training.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass the reading of the report to my colleague Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Standing Committee’s Observations and Recommendations

With respect to facility management, the standing committee acknowledges the Auditor General’s finding that the department has assessed current and future needs and developed plans to meet them. The standing committee recognizes this achievement as a bright spot in an otherwise damning report and recognizes the department’s achievement in this regard.

The standing committee focused on five areas related to facility management: Dynamic supervision; contraband; overtime; segregation; and, overall facility management.

Dynamic Supervision

The department advised the OAG that the practice of mixing inmates of varying security levels together, as well as the practice of mixing sentenced and remanded inmates was intentional and integral to its approach to inmate management. The standing committee is very concerned by this.

The standing committee recognizes that space constraints limit the degree to which inmates of differing security levels can be separated, however, the committee is not persuaded that the principle of dynamic supervision mitigates the risks of combining these inmates. Although paragraph 120 in the Auditor General’s report is specific to concerns regarding the inadequacy of staffing, it describes a situation in which dynamic supervision was not able to prevent inmates from becoming violent with one another.

Dynamic supervision calls for regular interaction between inmates and correctional officers in order to monitor inmate behaviour and ensure their safety. The OAG found that correctional officers lacked formal guidance on the requirements of dynamic supervision and that, because training had not been adequately tracked, the department lacked assurance that all staff received adequate training.

The standing committee is not concerned with the principle of dynamic supervision, per se. However, the standing committee objects to the department’s characterization of this principle as a deliberate defence of the decision to mix inmates of varying sentences and security levels. Dynamic supervision does not require the mixing of inmates of varying sentences and security levels, nor does it adequately mitigate against the risks of doing so.

Contraband

As the OAG’s report indicates, contraband is an ongoing challenge at all correctional facilities. The OAG found that searches of the cells and common areas were not being done at the required daily frequency at either the North Slave or Fort Smith (male unit) facilities. This is a cause for concern.

In discussing the challenges around contraband, the deputy minister indicated that approximately 85 percent of contraband consists of unauthorized items such as food, pillows and magazines. She suggested that the department needs to do a better job of distinguishing true contraband (ie. intoxicants, weapons – items that pose a risk) from other unauthorized items. The standing committee was reminded by the Auditor General’s staff that even less risky contraband items can be used as “currency” to trade for true contraband.

The standing committee supports the OAG’s recommendations with respect to tracking and analyzing contraband, and encourages the department to take the necessary steps to ensure that all searches for contraband are conducted with the required frequency.

Overtime

The OAG’s report indicated that overtime costs at the North Slave facility increased by 59 percent from 2012-13 to 2013-14, from $950,000 to $1.5 million. This took place despite the fact that in 2010 the department requested and received $1.2 million to fund 12 correctional officer positions to reduce overtime at the facility. The report also revealed that in 2013-14 approximately one-third of staff at this facility worked more than 200 overtime hours (an average of 7.7 hours or one full working day per pay period).

As the OAG’s report suggests, overtime affects sick leave, absenteeism, staff fatigue, productivity and morale. As well, the costs associated with overtime may result in decreased availability of resources in other areas.

The standing committee supports the recommendations of the OAG with respect to overtime and encourages the department to determine an acceptable level of overtime in a correctional context and to monitor and manage overtime use in all of its correctional facilities.

Segregation

The standing committee is particularly concerned with the OAG’s findings on the use of administrative segregation. Disciplinary segregation is used when an offender is found guilty of violating the offender code of conduct. In such instances, segregation only takes place when it is ordered by a disciplinary board, once an offender’s case has been examined. In administrative segregation, no such examination or review takes place and the manager of a facility alone may make the decision to place an offender in segregation.

The standing committee observed that administrative segregation increases the risk that an inmate’s human rights might be violated. For this reason, it is especially concerning that the OAG found the North Slave Correctional Centre was not keeping adequate records of inmates in segregation.

The standing committee encourages the department to ensure that all correctional facilities in the Northwest Territories keep adequate records of inmates in segregation.

Overall Facility Management

The standing committee noted a common theme in the OAG’s findings with respect to almost all of the issues raised regarding facility management: problems arise or are made worse by of a lack of management oversight of staff. Failure to monitor employees to ensure that they understand the rules and are acting accordingly is a factor that has contributed to problems with dynamic supervision, contraband, overtime and segregation.

Recommendation 8

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice develop the processes and safeguards necessary to ensure that staff are knowledgeable about the rules they are required to enforce and that they have the training necessary to do their jobs effectively.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to now pass the floor over to my colleague Mr. Daryl Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Nadli and all the colleagues on the standing committee.

According to the Auditor General, the Department of Justice has not met its key responsibilities for inmates in the correctional system as required under the Corrections Act. The department adequately planned for its facilities, but did not adequately operate facilities to house inmates and did not manage inmates in compliance with key rehabilitation and reintegration requirements.

The committee is encouraged that the Minister accepted the Auditor General’s recommendations and has developed an action plan to implement them. At the same time, Members are concerned with the apparent efforts of the Minister and department to minimize the significance of the Auditor General’s findings.

The standing committee strongly encourages the department to reassess its action plan with a view to implementing effective procedural changes now that will address some of the key deficiencies identified in the report of the OAG.

The standing committee will be monitoring the department’s progress and looks forward to receiving substantive progress reports.

Recommendation 9

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government provide a response to this report within 120 days.

That concludes the presentation of our report. Therefore I, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, move that Committee Report 19-17(5), Report on the Review of the 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Corrections in the Northwest Territories, be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Committee Report 19-17(5) is received and moved into Committee of the Whole. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 100(4) and have Committee Report 19-17(5), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Corrections in the Northwest Territories, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just before I begin, our report is much more succinct with only one page. Your Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure is pleased to provide its report on the review of draft hydraulic fracturing regulations and commends it to the House.

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure recognizes that the issue of hydraulic fracturing is one of great public importance and interest across the Northwest Territories. Throughout the 17th Assembly, members of the standing committee have invested a great deal of time and research into furthering their understanding of hydraulic fracturing, in keeping with their role within the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The proposed hydraulic fracturing filing regulations were released for 90 days of public review on March 31, 2015. Recently, that engagement period has been extended to at least the end of August 2015. Members of the committee commend the government for recognizing the people of the Northwest Territories call for additional time and consultation. While the committee does not typically review regulations, legislation inherited at devolution has afforded it the opportunity. Members accept this great responsibility, both to our fellow Members and to the people of the Northwest Territories.

At this time the committee has not adopted a position respecting the proposed regulations. Members continue to recognize the vital need for a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and an environment that will sustain present and future generations as set out in the goals of this 17th Legislative Assembly. Further, Members recognize the significance of the Government of the Northwest Territories asserting itself as a northern regulator following devolution and the importance of incorporating northern realities into any regulatory framework.

The committee’s research compares the proposed regulations and the federal requirements, which were in place prior to devolution. Many sections of the proposed regulations mirror the federal requirements, though there are also variations, including new provisions as well as items that were not mirrored.

The committee’s research also provides background information, considering past activity within the Northwest Territories and recognizing keen public interest in items respecting water security, environmental assessment, northern operating conditions, ongoing research and waste management.

Members are eager to continue their participation throughout the remainder of the engagement period. In contribution to that discussion, the committee will table its research today at the appropriate time.

That concludes the presentation of our report. Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Committee Report 20-17(5), Report on the Review of Hydraulic Fracturing Filing Regulations, be received and adopted by this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Committee Report 20-17(5) is received by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Hawkins.

Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, I’d like to introduce a number of the students we had here earlier when we were reading our committee report. We may have scared them away. A fine group of Grade 6 students from Range Lake North School, and I think it’s important that I recognize their names so they’re in our Hansard: Alvin Kotchilea, Bhaven Chotalia, Caitlyn Beck, Caleb Francis, Carson Formaniuk, Ethan Hunter, Hannah Cote, Isabelle Corothers, Jacob Hildebrandt, Jordan Schmidt, Karolann Duhamel, Mason Pond, Nathan Cluff, Oliver Lovely, Sara Stride, Tyson Black, William Cote, Yash Shrestha Their teacher was Mr. Jeff McConomy. Again, it’s a great pleasure to have another Grade 6 class come and join us here during the session.

I also want to recognize two residents who were with us here. We had Mr. Dave Wasylciw here. He just left us recently. I have in the gallery – I’m going to play a little bit of my dad card here and I know he’s going to be pretty humble up there, but I have my oldest son here today who has joined us – he has just returned from university – Mr. Tanner Dolynny. Again, as I said, as his dad I’m going to boast a bit. One of the good products of our swim program here in the Northwest Territories, ranked the best in Canada. He’s going to Olympic trials one day, one day.

Last, but not least, I’d like to thank Mr. Jeff Corradetti for joining us here today and my constituency assistant, Mr. Grant Pryznyk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to welcome a constituent from Frame Lake, Mr. Jeff Corradetti, president of the YK Motocross Association, listening intently today. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize two of our hardworking Pages who are from the Inuvik Boot Lake riding: Mr. Tanner Gillis and Ms. Kristen Harder. They’re not in the House at the moment, but I know they’ve been doing a lot of great work over the week, and I hope they really enjoyed their experience here at the Legislative Assembly. To all other Pages, as Members, we really appreciate the work that you did for us over the last couple of weeks.

I’d also like to recognize Ms. Lillian Elias, who has been interpreting this past week. Good job. I know she’s getting out the message to our residents who speak Inuvialuit in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Item 7, acknowledgements. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to honour Mr. Danny Leonard Gaudet. Today I want to state a fact. Today the University of Alberta will be honouring Mr. Danny Gaudet with an honourary Doctoral Law Degree.

The honourary degree demonstrates that hard work, a sense of purpose, doing more than you’re paid for and helping others is the first lesson taught to him by his elders. He says he owes so much to these highly prized teachers in life.

Mr. Speaker, let us today in this Assembly congratulate Mr. Danny Gaudet on his Doctoral Degree in Law. On behalf of the Sahtu and those who know Dr. Gaudet now, please join me in congratulating him. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to acknowledge the profound service to the people of the Northwest Territories and Canada by Weledeh constituent Marie Wilson, through her hard work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her effort towards healing for people affected by residential school experience is one of the most important and challenging tasks anyone could take on. Considerable healing was achieved through simply hearing people’s stories, a deceptively simple act that alone required extraordinary dedication and personal cost to her and her colleagues. The efforts by Ms. Wilson included contributions to a landmark report on this dark time in our country’s history.

I would like to offer my deepest appreciation to Ms. Wilson, and also recognize her family for their support, tolerance and sacrifices to enable her critical work on the commission. I invite all Members to join me in acknowledging her for this outstanding service.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 8, oral questions. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Lands. As I indicated in my statement, I’d like to follow up on a number of things. But firstly, as I mentioned in my statement, the first question I have for the Minister is, and just a reminder, the YK Motocross Association has had a lease application denied.

I would like to the ask the Minister, why won’t he allow the YK Motocross Association their lease application? Thank you.

Minister of Lands, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That area is within the withdrawal area that we’re doing all the work on; therefore, I think we’ve made it quite clear that we’re not taking any applications for any areas within the interim withdrawal. Thank you.

I’m not sure I want to thank the Minister because that was an answer that I didn’t want to hear. However, the moratorium was established for a reason. My understanding is the rationale for the moratorium was it was spurred by many new leases in the areas in the lakes around Yellowknife which have been issued by the federal government and there was an increase in squatters on the lakes. There was a large concern of the people who already had leases on these lakes that the lakes were going to be subject to overuse, and that was what prompted the current moratorium.

My question to the Minister is: What was the rationale for the moratorium that is currently in effect? Thank you.

The rationale for the moratorium was to allow us time to do a proper density study and environmental studies of all the areas within the focus area. We had done some work previous to devolution, but with devolution we had a larger area that came over to the territorial government, so we expanded our time and we expanded the work that we had to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So, a density study. I take the meaning of the Minister to mean a density study of lakes, because I’m pretty sure that that was the rational for the moratorium.

I’d like to ask the Minister another question with regards to requests for land leases. They certainly can be for different reasons.

I would like to ask the Minister if can he please advise me of all the reasons that the Lands department has had for lease applications. Has it ever been for anything other than a cabin or a fishing and a hunting lease? Thank you.

I’m not sure if the Member is asking during the time the moratorium was in effect. If that is her question, then I would commit to her that I will follow up with the department to see the number of applications we may have had and for what particular reason. I will share it with the Members in this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister: My question was not about during the moratorium period, but at any time.

What are the reasons that people are asking for leases for land within the moratorium area? My understanding is it is only ever for a cabin or hunting and fishing leases.

So, I’d like to ask the Minister if he could explain to me why he will not recognize, as I mentioned in my statement, that this is a significantly different request for a land lease. This is not a cabin or a hunting and fishing lease.

Why will he not help a motivated, ready-to-go-to-work organization and people get started on their project by approving this lease as an exception to the current moratorium? Thank you.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet with this group and I saw first-hand their commitment and their passion. However, this area is within the focus area and I do not wish to consider making an exception to one group. If I do that, then I may have a number of applications coming forward saying, “You make an exception for one group or organization or person, you can make an exception for me.” What that would do is open the door and that will go against all the work we are trying to do.

So again, I saw their commitment and passion first-hand and I commend them for that, but this is work that we anticipate to have done by mid-2016. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

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

Is the Minister aware of the wide range of financial literacy courses available through the Junior Achievement Program?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We do provide financial literacy programs through our high school programming. Part of that is Grade 10 in career and life management studies and grades 10 to 12 financial management, career and technology studies. These are just some of the areas that we are currently delivering in our high schools.

Not only that but we’ve reached out to community learning centres, as well, across the Northwest Territories to deliver financial literacy, and also through different departments, such as career development officers, client service officers and probation officers. Those are some of the case officers that also went through the process and delivered the financial literacy courses in the regions and all the communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I’m going to ask the Minister again, is he aware of the wide range of financial literacy available through the Junior Achievement Program? Is the Minister willing to support a pilot project in the upcoming school year where the Junior Achievement volunteers – not paid, volunteers – offer courses to elementary or high school students? Because the Sahtu Educational Board wants this program to know what the Minister is talking. We want a Grade 8 program. Is the Minister willing to look at that?

I wasn’t aware of the new program that’s out there. If the Member is willing to share that information, by all means, we can certainly look at it. Mahsi.

At one time this Junior Achievement Program did operate in the Northwest Territories and they stopped. Now the president of the program from northern Alberta NWT chapter of Junior Achievement has confirmed they are not currently, but they want to be, involved again in the Northwest Territories. So I’m glad that the Minister has indicated…

Will he direct his staff to contact the Northern Alberta and NWT Chapter of Junior Achievement and start kicking up the dust so that we can have a pilot project in the Northwest Territories? We have a volunteer here in the Northwest Territories willing to do that type of work. Will the Minister commit to this House that this will be done and prepared to look at it for the fall session of school for the kids?

We went through all the options that we have: career and life management studies, financial management, career technology course studies that we currently deliver to top it off with other programming. So we have to weigh our options, what’s the best way to deliver those financial literacy courses into communities, into regions. So by all means, if that information is shared with us, we can seriously look at it and see what options we can work with. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, our children today are challenged with financial literacy. There’s money coming out. It’s going to be a bigger issue for them if they do not have the financial literacy. I think it’s key in today’s world that we give the children the opportunity to learn how to work with money, otherwise we’ll continue to have poverty in the Northwest Territories. We have to do this for our children.

I want to ask the Minister again, you know, in regards to the financial literacy by this junior program. Is he going to be pushing strong, this department, this government, to look at volunteers – not paid, volunteers – to come into our schools and provide this free of charge in light of the financial restraint that our Finance Minister is telling us of? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When it comes to financial literacy, the courses that are being delivered in high school, the purpose of financial modules is to provide our residents with the knowledge, skills and abilities required to manage their finances from young adults right through retirement. Where Members were referring to providing tools to these individuals, we are currently providing those modules in our schools. There are 11 different modules, such as managing debt, mortgages, retirement, bank accounts, banking and credit. So these are some of the core courses we are currently delivering. At the same time, if there are other programming or courses that are available, such as Junior Achievement, we can look at it, as well, as part of our literacy course options into our school system.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement talking about getting agreement with the BC health authorities to benefit the residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte. I’m recalling a similar discussion with the former Minister of Health and Social Services and I would like to ask questions of the current Minister of Health and Social Services.

Will the Minister commit to making an invoicing agreement with the BC Health Authority? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Canadian citizens, residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte have the ability to receive medically necessary services anywhere in the country that they wish. The NWT actually has a reciprocal billing arrangement with all the provinces and territories throughout the country under our obligations under the Canada Health Act. These agreements ensure that residents obtain medically necessary physician and hospital services when they are temporarily outside of the Northwest Territories without having to pay up front. This is true everywhere, with the exception of Quebec who will likely bill up front and then, through our reciprocal billing, we will reimburse. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the Minister’s talking about someone who wanted to privately do it, but what we’re talking about is residents not having any confidence of using our health care in those smaller communities and it’s sad to say that, standing up here today. But the residents want to have an arrangement with BC Health and I think one of the barriers was the electronic medical records, so we’ve got that now.

I was wondering if the Minister can move forward with making an arrangement where residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte can go to Fort Nelson for their health care needs. Thank you.

First and foremost we should be working with the residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte to restore their confidence in the health care system. We are moving forward to make significant changes in how we provide services. I did have an opportunity to visit Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte and I have been working closely with the public administrator and CEO, trying to find ways to restore that confidence.

If somebody is sick, they should use the health centre. But as a resident of Canada, they do have the right to go wherever they chose and we do have reciprocal billing agreements.

Our challenge isn’t with our ability to ensure that those medically necessary services are paid for, because we have agreements in place. Our challenge is if an individual chooses, under their own choice, to go to, say, Fort Nelson for a doctor’s appointment and then that doctor in turn refers that person to home care or some other diagnostic process, they will often refer within their own system for which we don’t have reciprocal billing agreements. If somebody wants to receive home care and it’s ordered in BC but they want it delivered in Fort Providence, we actually have no records of that order actually taking place, which is, I think, the point the Member is trying to get to.

We need to make an arrangement with BC. But before we do that, we’re actually working on refreshing our agreements with Alberta and Nunavut and that’s going to help inform the discussions with BC, should we choose to go in that direction.

I’ve asked the department to complete a bit of a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether it’s actually going to be feasible to establish this specific service agreement for residents of the Deh Cho between the NWT and BC and that will also help inform the discussions. But in the meantime, somebody who wishes to go to BC will not be billed for medically necessary services.

I think the Minister touched briefly about one of the core issues. The core issue is that they’re being turned away from the health centres; they are being given aspirins and they don’t have the confidence to say… In fact, in a couple of cases – the Minister was there – we heard residents just say, “Okay, fine. I’ve got a sick child. I’m going to Fort Nelson to get my sick child’s needs taken care of.” That shouldn’t be, Mr. Speaker. Our health care system should pay attention to all of our constituents who are out there, take care of their needs, identify what exactly is the problem and that’s what I’m getting at. I’m talking about that they should be getting referred over to Fort Nelson for quicker attention and for their health needs. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I did visit Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte with the Member and we did actually have this conversation and we want to have the best health care possible here in the Northwest Territories. We want to make sure that when an individual goes into that Fort Liard Health Centre, they’re getting proper treatment and diagnosis and referral as appropriate. Currently, it’s a referral within the Northwest Territories or to Alberta, and as I indicated, we’re going to finish our work with Alberta and Nunavut which will help inform future discussions with BC.

But, Mr. Speaker, in the meantime, when we were in Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte, I asked those residents who were expressing their concerns to work with us. We have a quality assurance professional in each of the authorities who can help us make improvements within the local delivery systems and address those concerns that have been raised.

I strongly encourage residents who are having issues to please get in touch with the quality assurance staff in the Dehcho authority so we can look into the issues that the residents are bringing forth so we can fix them and work with the communities to restore the confidence in the system.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The residents, when I go there, speak loud and clear. In Slavey they say...[English translation not provided.]…and also they say…[English translation not provided.]…which means they’re not helping us and they’re not caring about us. That’s why they go into Fort Nelson.

If I can ask the Minister one last question, Mr. Speaker, can our health care care for these people in the smaller communities? There’s got to be a core issue there. Can we find out what that is? Mahsi.

All health and social services are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. They don’t always occur in the community where somebody lives, but we have mechanisms to bring people to care or provide care by individuals coming in from time to time. We can meet the needs of our residents.

I recognize there are some challenges, but I would once again say, work with us. Get the Members who are having their concerns talk to the quality assurance so that we can investigate the individual issues to identify the root causes for some of these problems and work with the communities.

I’m committed to working with the communities to help restore confidence and bring back some confidence in the system for those communities where they’re struggling. I’ve made that commitment in Fort Liard. I made that commitment in Nahanni Butte. I’ve made the commitment to the Member. I’ve talked to the public administrator. We all want what’s best for the people of the Northwest Territories. We want best health, best care, for the best future here.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Blake.

In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Justice. I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the holdup on having the RCMP spend the weekend in the community of Tsiigehtchic?

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.