This is page numbers 6757 – 6826 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was health.

Topics

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

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The legislation actually provides, with support from committee, that we made an amendment that if somebody at a community level is having difficulty, the recommendation would be, get them to the health centre and the health centre can do an assessment, and based on their current status, whether or not they’re a harm to themselves, whether – and thanks to the committee for this – they have recently harmed themselves or others. The community health nurse can then make a referral, have that individual go on an involuntary basis to Stanton or the closest location that is providing some psychiatric services – currently that’s Stanton – for a full psychiatric assessment. So they do need to go into the health centre. We do need to get them into the health centre, but there’s a whole range of options now available under this legislation to the health practitioner so that they can refer them on.

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

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you for kind of outlining how it is that maybe if another term could be used for community protocol in terms of trying to utilize what exists currently in the community.

The community has strengths, and one of the strengths is that we have caretakers, we have leaders that work sometimes with the front-line workers, mental health workers, the nurses. Sometimes you’re left with all that you have and so it’s really critical that at least an understanding of how communities would deal with circumstances like this is very critical at this moment in time in the NWT.

The other element that I wanted to understand is how it is that perhaps local persons might be involved when there’s been mention of culture being an element of the proposed legislation. Would there be a link in terms of perhaps elders or chiefs or priests who perhaps could play a role in dealing with matters and persons that perhaps could pose a danger to themselves or to others? Mahsi.

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

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Within the legislation, going back to his first point before I go to the second point, it is going to require a significant amount of training and development of our staff to make sure that they understand their roles, and that’s going to be the community counsellors, the mental health and addictions counsellors, all the social services side, but also the health side is going to require a significant amount of development and training as we move forward with these new regulations, protocols and this new legislation that gives our people more options.

As far as culture, committee brought forward a number of recommendations on this bill to make sure that the bill recognized the nature of the Northwest Territories and the fact that we are a territory of indigenous, Aboriginal people. One of the things that is very specific is the requirement for an elder or a cultural advisor to be included on the review boards when individuals wish to have their release or whatnot challenged. So it’s designed to require cultural advisors, which could be an elder, will likely be an elder.

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

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

No further questions, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Committee, we’re on general comments for Bill 65. If committee is agreed there are no further comments, we’ll go clause-by-clause review of the bill.

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

Does committee also agree that we’ll take it in groups of 20?

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

Well defer the title until consideration of clauses. Clauses 1 to 20.

---Clauses 1 through 110 inclusive approved

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

To the bill as a whole

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

Does committee agree that Bill 55, Mental Health Act, is now ready for third reading?

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

The Chair Robert Bouchard

Does committee agree that this concludes consideration of Bill 55?

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.