Mahsi. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, the first priority identified the by the 18th Legislative Assembly talks about improving governance by increasing accountability, transparency, collaboration and building stronger relationships with community governments and stakeholders. I am pleased to rise today to announce the launch of a new website that does just that. It is important that the residents of the NWT have confidence in the safety of their drinking water. Improving access to information about how the government and its partners work together to keep drinking water safe is one way to foster that confidence. This is why the GNWT is unveiling a new drinking water website that will provide people with the information they need in one location that is clear and easy to understand. Rather than having to go to several websites, residents can access centralized information about how safe drinking water is managed and maintained in the NWT. This new website, located at

www.nwtdrinkingwater.ca

, is a joint effort of four GNWT departments active in drinking water management: Public Works and Services, Environment and Natural Resources, Health and Social Services, and Municipal and Community Affairs.

By visiting the website, the public can learn about several aspects of safe drinking water. They can learn how a multi-barrier approach involving watershed protection, water treatment, monitoring and testing ensures drinking water is safe. Updated boil water advisories will be posted on the site. Residents can read about the roles and responsibilities of various groups who monitor and manage drinking water safety, including community governments, various GNWT departments, the federal government and the water boards. This website also includes various videos on drinking water and residential water tank cleaning, reports on drinking water published by the GNWT, and frequently asked questions. The website,

www.nwtdrinkingwater.ca

, serves as a valuable tool to raise public awareness, understanding, and transparency about how we keep our drinking water safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the key challenges facing the Northwest Territories’ transportation system today is climate change. In the past years, warming temperatures have led to permafrost degradation causing roadbed and runway instability, and shortened operating seasons for winter roads. But climate change also means lower water levels that are disrupting marine resupply services for remote communities, forest fires that are causing travel delays and permafrost and infrastructure damage. The Department of Transportation is committed to creating a more resilient transportation system that is flexible to change for the better and generate significant benefits to Northern residents and businesses alike. Research and development is critical to improving our understanding of climate change and identifying best practices for adaptation. With the help of emerging technologies, we are trying to identify promising opportunities to improve efficiency, safety, and environmental performance of the transportation sector. The Department of Transportation has collaborated with Transport Canada on several research and development initiatives within the Networks of Expertise in Permafrost and Arctic Waters under the federal Northern Transportation Adaptation Initiative. These projects have contributed over $4 million towards climate change research in the Northwest Territories. Ongoing investment from the Government of Canada is necessary to continue advancing our progress and we are encouraging our federal partners to continue their support and renew funding for these projects.

The Northwest Territories’ unique environment allows us to take a leading role in climate change research. The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway is being constructed over continuous permafrost, making it an ideal location for innovative construction techniques that help to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Two sections on the highway are currently being used to test innovative stream crossing structures and deep fill embankment techniques. We also have 70 sites along the way where in-ground thermistors are constantly monitoring permafrost temperature. The Department of Transportation is also taking advantage of modern technology to receive timely information on weather conditions. A new Tablet Runway Condition Reporting System is being used to report on runway surface conditions at Northwest Territories airports, improving flight planning for our pilots. The tablet system increases the accuracy and timeliness of reporting on runway conditions, resulting in increased safety for air travel. It remains a long-term priority of the Department of Transportation to upgrade all winter roads in the territory to all-weather roads. The department is currently advancing three key strategic transportation corridors, including the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells, the Tlicho all-weather highway, and improved access into the Slave Geological Province. These projects will respond to climate change and increase access to Northern communities, lower the cost of living for residents, and provide access to our natural resources and new economic development opportunities. The Government of the Northwest Territories must continue taking steps to protect our existing infrastructure assets. Adaptation and innovation are the best tools to ensure a resilient transportation system that meets the needs of Northwest Territories' residents and industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Human Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce that the Government of the Northwest Territories, for the fourth year in a row, has been chosen as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2016. This recognition by The Globe and Mail and Mediacorp Canada Incorporated distinguishes organizations that strive to include women; Aboriginal peoples; visible minorities; persons with disabilities; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender peoples in the workplace. Receiving the award places the GNWT among an exclusive group of Canadian employers who have demonstrated a commitment to create a workplace where all employees feel comfortable, valued, and ready to achieve their full potential. The Government of the Northwest Territories defines itself, in part, by its commitment to building a public service that is representative of the population it serves. By way of example, as a goal of the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan, 20/20: A Brilliant North, the GNWT has undertaken a host of initiatives to foster a diverse and inclusive workforce. Key among these initiatives are:

The government-wide Traditional Knowledge Policy, which ensures that Aboriginal knowledge, values, and experience are handed down from generation to generation. The GNWT has committed to using traditional knowledge in the design and delivery of governmental programs and services, understanding the importance of maintaining Aboriginal knowledge and values;

The GNWT’s Advisory Committee on Employability, which provides advice on ways to promote, support, and increase the representation of persons with disabilities in the GNWT workforce, reduce stigma, and foster a spirit of inclusion;

The Aboriginal Employees Advisory Committee that provides advice on ways to help increase workforce representation of Aboriginals at all levels in the public service and to create a working environment that supports and promotes Aboriginal employees in the GNWT;

The biennial employee engagement and satisfaction survey which includes inclusiveness questions designed to better understand employee perceptions on disability and employment in the public service;

An Aboriginal Management Development Program which provides developmental opportunities for Aboriginal candidates to enhance leadership and management skills in manager and senior management positions to meet the GNWT’s future leadership needs; and

The Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training which aims to enhance employee understanding of Aboriginal culture and reaffirms the fundamental importance the GNWT places on including Aboriginal values in program design and delivery for all employees in the public service.

Mr. Speaker, when we are able to draw on the talent and wisdom of a workforce that represents the population it serves, we are better able to understand and meet the needs of residents of the NWT. A diverse workforce in an inclusive environment will improve both individual and organizational performance and result in better value and service to residents and other stakeholders. Being chosen as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers again this year is a testament to the importance the GNWT places on a public service that reflects the diverse make-up of the North. While there is still more work to do and indeed we must ensure sustained commitment on this front, this recognition is positive confirmation that, government-wide, we have made real progress toward eliminating barriers to employment for all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Ministers’ statements. Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of a transformative figure, an economic builder in our territory, a true Northern leader: Nellie Cournoyea. ---Applause

Nellie served our territory and the Inuvialuit people for nearly four decades. Her career is a testament to what can be achieved with heart, resilience, and clarity of vision. A former Member of this Assembly as the MLA for Nunakput, Nellie tirelessly advocated for the best interests of her region, the Northwest Territories, and all its peoples. She was a fierce and passionate debater, but above all, she was a champion of the people of the Northwest Territories. She held numerous positions in Cabinet, including Health and Social Services, Renewable Resources, Culture and Communications, Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources, and, of course, she was the first female Premier of the Northwest Territories. She pursued policy with heart, always solid on numbers and always conscious of what communities wanted and needed. Nellie’s work in negotiating 1984’s Inuvialuit Settlement Agreement brought economic self-determination to the Inuvialuit people. Her work in creating numerous co-management boards constitutionally entrenched the equality of the Inuvialuit with the federal and territorial governments in issues of natural resource management, a hard-fought battle that brought economic justice to that region. The signing of the Northwest Territories' first comprehensive land-claim ushered in a new era for the Northwest Territories as the Inuvialuit Final Agreement established its signatories as full participants in both the economic and political life of the Northwest Territories. It is no accident that successive settlements followed the model that Nellie had helped to develop. Each agreement raised the level of Aboriginal participation and investment in the economy, eventually transforming the Northwest Territories economic environment when prospects of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline and the discovery of diamonds catapulted the Northwest Territories economy to new heights. Today, Aboriginal companies play a pivotal role in almost every area of businesses and industry, providing significant opportunities for investment and driving the development of a skilled and vibrant northern workforce. Nellie’s drive came from her desire to advance the economic wellbeing of the Beaufort Delta region. Her work to advance land claims, self-government and even devolution were all tools to this end. But her public service; her tough, pragmatic approach; and relentless work ethic was one from which we all benefited. Immediately after leaving the Legislature in 1995, in typical Nellie fashion, she rolled up her sleeves and took the reins at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, a position she held until retirement. I would like to recognize today Nellie’s incredible work building the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation into the strong economic engine it is today. Her leadership saw the corporation grow, from a small entity to manage settlement funds from the Inuvialuit Agreement, to an economic powerhouse with $492 million in assets. Her personal commitment to the success of the corporation was notable each morning as her office light in the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Building was the first one on each morning and the last to dim each night. Her success and the economic, community, and cultural wellbeing her leadership has brought to the Beaufort Delta region is an example that we should all carry with us as we move through these trying economic times. We cannot back down from the challenges we will face. We must not stray from our principles. That is how success is born. Nellie has been recognized nationally in Canada and internationally for all of her achievements. Mr. Speaker, Nellie was a winner of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1994, and she is also the recipient of five honourary doctorates in law from Lakehead University, Carleton University, University of Toronto, University of Lethbridge and University of Alberta. In 2008, the Governor General of Canada awarded Nellie the Northern Medal in recognition for her significant contributions to the evolution and reaffirmation of the Canadian North as part of our national identity. That same year, she was also inducted into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame. Not only has Nellie been a leader, she has been a friend to our government and myself personally. I always knew that when she contacted me, the phone call would start with her asking how I was and then often chastising me about my travel and meeting schedule. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss, if I did not also recognize the newly elected chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Duane Smith. He will have big shoes to fill, but I have every confidence that he is up to the challenge, and I would like to wish Mr. Smith the best of luck in his new position and continued success for the IRC as a whole. In the meantime, along with all residents of the Northwest Territories, I trust his predecessor is getting a well-deserved rest for the contributions she has made to the social, political, but especially the economic, evolution we are now seeing in our North. Thank you, Nellie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Mr. Speaker, my statement today is to emphasize the importance of post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. Everyone is different and each one of us has different goals and ambitions in life. One of the benefits of living in this great territory, in this wonderful country, is that each of us has the right and the ability to choose our own path. As a result, our population is made up of trappers and carpenters, welders and lawyers, entrepreneurs and teachers, hunters and pilots. The wide variety of paths available to Northerners are all achieved in different ways, but all require a solid education. For some, their education happens in the bush; for others, it's in the cockpit of an aircraft; for many, required education happens in a classroom. One of the challenges for residents of the NWT, to choose whatever career path they want, is the availability of post-secondary education here at home in the North. Depending on the career they choose, young people may have to move away from home to get the education they need. Not only can that be expensive in spite of the NWT's generous Student Financial Assistance Program, but it's hard to have to move away from home and family to get an education. For that reason, I think it's important that our territory provides all possible support to post-secondary institutions that are emerging in the North. Not only will that allow Northerners to realize their individual dreams and goals, it also helps our territory to become a stronger well-rounded society, not only by providing a broad range of opportunities for Northerners but also by attracting academics, professionals, and students from around the world, people who want to learn about our part of the world, about northern peoples, cultures, languages, and ways of life. Currently, Aurora College provides an excellent service with the programming that it offers. Other academic institutions, like the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning and the College nordique, are expanding into other fields and specialities. These and other institutions of post-secondary learning deserve our clear support and endorsement. Call it what you may, a university of the north or a territorial centre of excellence, the development of institutions of higher learning will provide opportunities for Northerners. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my Member’s statement. Thank you. ---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Beyond that, it will attract thinkers, authors, researchers, and specialists whose work will expand the northern body of knowledge, increase our capacity across the territory, and develop our abilities as a society. Later I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about our support for post-secondary education in the NWT.

Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House to speak about issues and challenges facing our health care system in Nahendeh. On February 17, 2016, I received a letter from one of my constituents who has experienced some issues with our health centre. I shared this letter with the Minister and asked a few questions to start the process of addressing these issues and I thank the Minister for responding to me. Since receiving this letter a Facebook page was developed asking for people's comments and their experience with our health centre. There are very some very positive comments with the service, especially when comparing it to the system down south. They talked about the hard work and commitment of some of the staff. They also stressed the importance of coming up with proposed solutions to make service better. There were others who are concerned with the service. In going over the comments as well as emails and texts, I feel it is best to use their own words:

Everything seems to pivot around saving money and the convenience of management.

The needs of people seeking medical help seems to be an inconvenience to the system.

No more walk-ins are allowed; you must book a doctor's appointment at least two weeks in advance. Gone are the days where mornings were reserved for people who had appointments with doctors and the afternoons were walk-ins with no appointments. The big issue was nobody knew how this change about. There did not seem to be any consultation with the community.

There has been numerous times where people needed assistance after hours and they would have to argue with people on-call for help. Sometimes they would refuse to see the patients, other times they would see them and tell them “There's nothing wrong. Take two Aspirins and come back later on if you don't feel well.” This cannot continue. Mr. Speaker, what concerns me is that people outside the large centres do not seem to understand what it is like to live in our small to medium communities. These people have hospitals, clinics, and doctors to provide excellent service. Another struggle we have is the department's inability to fill positions with full-time staff and the need to use rotating staff. The people in Nahendeh would love to have the department recruit and bring in nurses and doctors to live and be part of our community and the region. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement, please.

---Unanimous consent granted

In closing, Mr. Speaker, when Fort Simpson was downgraded from a hospital to a wellness centre, we were promised we would have the same service and would not notice a difference. Well, I'd have to say that this is not true. Later on, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Today I want to discuss the decentralization of the Sahtu region. As said, the Sahtu region is not a region by itself even though you refer to it as the “Sahtu region,” but it is very much similar to many other areas of our great northern Canadian country. The Sahtu region, also, is currently experiencing limited amount of authority underneath the regime set by others or whenever the case was. My predecessor, Norman Yakeleya, keeps bringing it up in the past and we had some chats, and I look forward to moving his word forward as we progress. Later on today, I will have some questions for the Premier on the issue of decentralization for the Sahtu.

Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I raise a fact that we must face if we are going to make some real progress in the territory: Alcohol addictions and the impact on mental health it has in the NWT is huge. It comes home to roost in family violence, low education levels, unemployment, poor health -- You name the problem, chances are that alcohol is the root. I have been in government for a long time and know for a fact that we are not doing enough with addictions and mental health problems. The government has always struggled with this and how to get good long-term results. We tend to forget about the costs of mental health and addictions, the cost that starts in our homes and communities and ends up in our schools, hospitals, courts, and correctional centres. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. Most of that money deals with the results of addictions and not the problem itself. This government must find a way to deal with that problem. We have to tackle the problem itself, and keep working at it year after year. We must find a way to sustain the work on the alcohol problems.

We have a lot of good ideas. We have listened to the communities. We have heard from experts. We have heard from survivors who have rebuilt their lives. Their stories should be enough to convince us that we have to do more. We talked about on-the-land treatment. We tried more community-based treatment approaches than we have now and dropped it. We have the Wellness Court, which just might help to make sure those offenders get support and services they need to turn their lives around. I have no doubts that sending money away to provinces for treatment is a practical and effective solution for those who seek residential addictions treatment. I am positive that we don't do enough in our communities, every community, to help our people stay on the path of sobriety after they've gone for treatment. We need counselling to be available when --

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, your tine for Members’ statements has expired.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

We need counselling to be available when it's actually needed and where it is needed. We have to find a way that works better than we have been doing so far. We can save lives. We can build a much healthier, a much prosperous society. The Department of Health and Social Services must make a greater effort to combat the effects of alcohol in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

[Translation] Ecole Allain St-Cyr is located in the Frame Lake riding. It started in 1989, in a portable near J.H. Sissons School, as the first francophone school in the NWT under constitutionally protected language rights. Following a court challenge by francophone parents, a separate school was opened in 1999 that soon included high school. Ecole Allain St-Cyr was expanded in 2008 following another court challenge. A further court challenge has resulted in a decision requiring the GNWT to add a gymnasium and access to the small spaces for specialized activities. This has been a long and tragically, an often bitter struggle for francophone families and their children. I can speak from personal experience as our two children went through Ecole Allain St-Cyr, up to the end of high school. They saw their classes dwindle to two students in grade 12 as their friends left for other Yellowknife schools with better facilities. We have to put the interests of the students first to ensure there are more equitable school programs and facilities for all our Yellowknife students. Parents and students are losing patience and are leaving the Ecole Allain St-Cyr due to this unfair treatment compared to other students in Yellowknife. New parents moving to Yellowknife consider Ecole Allain St-Cyr incomplete, and register their children elsewhere. Space-sharing agreements with other schools have not worked. I would like to have additional time to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

[Translation] Transportation by buses or by taxis to have access to other areas is a waste of time which could be better spent in the classroom. Three classrooms are currently used at William McDonald School, but students don't want to go into that school as the culture and climate is very, very different. School enrolment at the primary level continues to grow, but the school is losing students in its high school program, which is in crisis. In 2015-16, nine of 42 students left for other Yellowknife high schools. This is a vicious circle. At Ecole Allain St-Cyr students are leaving because of a perceived lack of facilities and programs, which leads to the school not being able to offer programs and courses because of a lack of students.

I commend the Minister of Education, Culture and Education for his commitment to work cooperatively on the issue of the Ministerial directive that currently restricts enrolment in NWT francophone schools. I understand that the Minister is prepared to work collaboratively with the francophone school board of the NWT and parents in Yellowknife to resolve the current issues at Ecole Allain St-Cyr. I will have questions about this for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's recently been confirmed that the Northwest Territories continues to bear the shameful distinction of having the second highest rate of police-reported family violence in Canada. Statistics Canada reports that set against a national average of 243 incidents per 100,000 persons, the NWT comes in at eight to nine times the national average, a rate eclipsed only by Nunavut. These abuses include the second-highest rates of violence against children and youth, as well as seniors and of course, against intimate partners, most often women. Eight women were murdered in the Northwest Territories between 2011 and 2015, a horrifying and unprecedented number. Even so, we are poorly equipped to help those women and children fleeing violent settings. As the Coalition Against Family Violence recently pointed out to us, we must urgently act to address core needs. The Coalition Against Family Violence's presentation focused on three immediate priorities. First is prevention and the need to change social responses to this crime. Working to reverse the normalization of family violence is an important long-term project that will lead to lower rates of violence in northern communities. Updating the 2007 NWT Family Violence Attitudinal Survey to support the delivery of a complete family violence campaign applying social marketing and principles will start on this need. The second priority is emergency response. There must be adequate and consistent funding for shelters and victims' services. This is critical. The third priority is healing. It is crucial we invest in a permanent community-based therapy program available across the NWT for those who have used, experienced, and/or witnessed violence. We need to support systemic responses to family violence, such as the New Day pilot program that works with abusers.

The mandate for this 18th Assembly specifically identifies this “crisis of family and community violence,” as one of the five priorities for action on community wellness and safety. These are just words, unless we put resources behind them. We all know there are dozens of priorities. I will ask you, Mr. Speaker, if I may conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi.

We all know there are dozens of priorities, but where do we make a difference if not against lowering the number of people who are being beaten, terrorized, and killed. What could be more important? I recommend the Coalition Against Family Violence’s presentation as required reading for all Members, and I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Deh Cho.

[English translation not provided for first portion of statement] [Translation] Sometimes when you look at actions like that, like the break-ins and that, you might look at it in a good way or a bad way. Sometimes these actions seem to be minor, but a lot of people suffer the consequences. When people break into businesses or break into homes a lot of people suffer from that. The people of Fort Providence feel differently about that. When people break into homes and businesses, the community has gathered together and are working towards correcting the situation. The band office, the hamlet, they're working with the offenders to correct the situation. One thing they found out, some people think it's a reflection of residential school syndrome, and the young people think that if there was a youth centre in the community -- The community people started to work with the youth so that they could maybe start a youth centre. Thank you.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker.

During my last constituency tour in my riding, the community of Aklavik would like to request from the Department of Transportation to have the crusher that's owned by the department to be located in the community, whether it's a season or for the full year. I do realize that this crusher is now located, I believe, in Fort Good Hope, and it may take some time to ship this unit up to Aklavik, most likely over the summer, but the community's looking forward to some work to be done on their roads. As you may know, during the spring flood, many times the roads in the community are under water with the flooding in the community, so the community is making plans to upgrade the road infrastructure and they'd like to request that the crusher be brought in. Also, they're planning to do training opportunities and trying to boost the economy and the community. Later today, I'll have questions for the Minister of Transportation. Thank you.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, t

he Conference Board of Canada released its economic forecast for the Northwest Territories, and while much of this information is not news to this government, there are some good news stories. The resources revenues are expected to increase and there should be more revenue in the future to invest in. I don't want to talk too much about that today. What I'm more interested in is the need for infrastructure in our communities and the equal need for economic activity in our communities. The Government of Canada has made a bold decision to spend more than $10 billion in deficit to pay for infrastructure across the country and to provide a tax cut for middle-income earners in Canada. In our communities there is an additional need for infrastructure that has been unaddressed for many years. Recently, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has amended that formula to provide additional funding to our regional centres that have experienced a shortfall. I'm very excited by this news. However, given our fiscal restraints, I’m concerned that we may not have the ability to fully fund the needs of our communities, and get people on the ground working in jobs. I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Communities Affairs on the formula funding, and to see exactly when we can flow new infrastructure dollars to our communities and start getting people back to work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. It's my honour today to welcome the NWT Family Violence Shelter Network who are visiting Yellowknife this week and meeting. We have with us the women who run the family violence shelters in the NWT. Lyda Fuller is the executive director of the YWCA, Debby Rybchinski manages at Alison McAteer House here in Yellowknife, April Davies is the manager of Sutherland House in Fort Smith, Janice Elanik is the acting executive director of the Inuvik Transition House, Bessie Hagen is the executive director of the Women and Emergency Foster Care Shelter in Tuktoyaktuk, Kristine Vannebo-Suwala is the executive director of the shelter in Hay River, Amanda Kanbari is the program leader of the Y Mentors Program in Yellowknife which helps children who are witnessing violence, and Fatu Mansara is from the Family Violence Shelter in Cambridge Bay. I would like to welcome all of them to the House today.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two visitors to our capital city as guests of a Yellowknife North constituent. I would like to welcome Elias Abboud, who is a former Yellowknifer and CBC North reporter who is now on-air as a news and current affairs reporter at CBC Montreal. I would also like to welcome Genevieve Royer. Genevieve is a television programming buyer for Quebec's public network, Tele-Quebec. She is visiting Yellowknife for the first time, so please join me in giving our guests a warm welcome to the NWT.

ecognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Kristine Vannebo-Suwala, the executive director of the Family Support Centre in Hay River. Thank you.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Lyda Fuller as executive director of the Yellowknife YWCA, and she's also a constituent in Frame Lake. I want to thank her and her colleagues for the great work that they do. I'd also like to welcome Mr. Elias Abboud, who works for CBC Montreal. I had the pleasure of playing hockey with him when he was in Yellowknife previously, and I look forward to the opportunity to do the same this week.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Honourable Member for Thebacha.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like to recognize April Davies, Manager of Sutherland House in Fort Smith.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I'd just like to welcome everyone to the gallery. It's always great to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Mahsi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member's statement, I spoke about the challenges that we are facing in regards to the health system. I would like to address my questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. As some of the Members are aware, Deh Cho Health and Social Services has a public administrator. Can the Minister please explain to the House what the public administrator's role is versus the authority’s role versus the department's?

Mahsi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department's mandate and duties are outlined clearly in the Health and Social Services Establishment Policy very broadly. The department plays a coordinating and policy role, which includes setting standards and policies, providing subject-matter expertise, flowing funding, setting reporting requirements, and monitoring for compliance. The department has some direct program areas that their responsible for as well, the vital stats, as well as health insurance. Authorities are the delivery agents of the Health and Social Services System and their role is primarily operational. The Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act provides the framework for the authority operation and their accountability. The act also provides for the establishment of boards of management and outlines their duties as well. The Minister appoints the board of management. Generally, boards are responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations, ensuring the authority works within legislation standards, policy and any other requirements that may be set by the Minister. Another key role is to engage with communities and hear their issues and concerns at a regional and community level. The act provides the Minister with the authority to remove a board of management for a number of different reasons and appoint a public administrator. When a public administrator is appointed, that public administrator actually has the authority of the board.

I thank the Minister for his answer. As I said in my Member's statement here today, a number of issues have been brought to me regarding the service we have in the Nahendeh riding. Can the Minister please explain the process that the residents of the NWT have available to them to address their concerns with the medical services?

Quality assurance is a critical component of the healthcare system to ensure that we have feedback to actually ensure that the system is meeting its needs. Every health and social services authority has a patient representative who can work to address these concerns quickly and efficiently at the regional level. Concerns can also be raised with the CEO, board chair, or Public Administrator in the case of the Deh Cho. The department also has as system navigator who can be contacted by phone or email and helps to resolve complaints and concerns. A formal written complaint can also be sent to the Complaint Officer appointed under each of the professions licensing legislation when the complaint is with a particular practitioner. A constituent may also choose to seek the support and intervention of the Member of the Legislative Assembly and/or come directly to the Minister when dealing with their concerns. The department has prepared specific binders which outline all of this information for each of the Members in the House specific to their individual ridings and regions. I'm hoping to have a sit-down with each of the Members to go through that binder, but bottom line is: We want to refer our clients to the quality assurance staff within the authority so that they can actually do internal reviews of the processes to make sure that we're learning from mistakes and that we are continuing the make a system that works and meets the needs of our residents.

I again thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister please explain how the hours or operations and process to get appointments were changed without consulting the residents in leadership in Fort Simpson?

The CEOs are always trying to balance off staff resources with community needs to deliver the best services possible to all the residents of the Northwest Territories at a community level. The walk-in process in Fort Simpson was not found to be effective. With low volumes of patients coming into the clinic in the morning and high volumes of patients showing up in late afternoon, this actually led to long wait times for patients, and then limited the amount of time with each patient, and mostly they were only able to address specific issues when an individual came in given the limited time. The new approach that was put in by the CEO is an effort to ensure that staff have adequate time to review charts and spend time with patients and actually provide them quality care. The change was made in response to a number of complaints from residents about the wait times and the walk-in appointments. The CEO and the public administrator are very happy to add this item to the agenda for the next public meeting they'll have in Fort Simpson to get more and additional information from the residents of Fort Simpson.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I thank the Minister for his response. With all the challenges and the issues that I've been addressing with the Health and Social Services Minister in the system, including staffing, since being elected, I'd like to ask the Minister to commit to doing an external review of the health and social services system so we can build on what is working and what needs to be improved within the system.

Quality assurance and constant monitoring of our systems and the programs that are being delivered is critical, and to that end, I once again encourage the Member, and all Members, to encourage your staff to engage with the quality assurance staff in each of the authorities when they have a constituent who has an issue. This will allow them to do a review of the incident and try to determine what happened and what can be improved. Having said that, the department does occasionally conduct quality reviews and other audits of the regional authorities. I'm certainly happy to sit down and share the results of the most recent review that was done about two years ago with the Member to go through in detail what we learned. The department also conducts system-wide reviews on a regular basis. For example, recent consultation on the Medical Travel Program, which is intended to lead program improvements, we did significant public consultation on that. As part of the system transformation process, I visited personally every community and listened to what residents had to say about what's working and what needs to be improved within the system. This is one of the reasons that we're moving to one territorial health and social services authority, which gives a huge opportunity to improve service standards across the Northwest Territories. I'm not prepared at this time to do an external review of the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority. It might make more sense to wait until we have a single authority when we're actually able to start making some of these territorial program improvements within the system. But once again, I'm happy to sit down with the Member with the department and go through the audit that was done about two years ago to address some of the concerns that the Member may have.

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. On my statement today on alcohol addictions, I would like to ask the Minister what the Minister sees as the best treatment alternative if you were not to consider residential treatment in the south. Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member, when he was actually the Minister of Health and Social Services, conducted the Minister's Forum on Mental Health and Addictions, which I think was a very important process. The forum went out and talked to residents across the Northwest Territories and got their feedback on what they wanted to see when it came to mental health and addiction treatment here in the Northwest Territories, so I do applaud the Member for his leadership in that area. The number one, best solution? There isn't one. What we heard clearly from the forum is that different people have different needs at different times, and we need to be able to address those needs and have a variety of programs and services available to our residents in the Northwest Territories. We heard about on-the-land programming. We heard about more local, community-based programs. We heard about mobile options. Treatment centres are an option, and they have to be available. We are providing a much broader range of services than we have previously, with the Matrix Program, which is out-patient, community-based programming. We have community counsellors. We do have access to more treatment facilities with better services than we have ever had before. Just recently in Fort Resolution, as a matter of fact, we ran for the first time our mobile treatment option pilot, which is the first delivery of a mobile treatment option. We are doing a number of things so that we can provide our residents with the options they want and need when it comes to addressing their individual mental health and addiction challenges. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would ask the Minister: What does the Department of Health and Social Services have in place in the communities for individuals that have gone to treatment, whether it's through a program on the land or residential treatment down south? What is available to the individuals once they return home?

If we are talking specifically about individuals that are coming back from a treatment program, whether it's in the South or whether it's one of the on-the-land programs, one of the requirements to participate or to utilize one of our treatment facilities in the south is that the individual actually has appointments set up with community counsellors when they return to the Northwest Territories. We have community counsellors in 19 of the 33 communities in the Northwest Territories, and where we don't have counsellors, we have access by phone or other sources. Everybody is required to have a follow-up treatment program or follow-up appointments booked. But we also have, as I've already indicated, on-the-land programs throughout the Northwest Territories. A number of these on-the-land programs, some of them are after-care programs, some of them are prevention programs, and some of them are actually individual treatment programs. There is a variety of different things that we do. Some individuals want to access things like Alcoholics Anonymous. We've made our facilities available after hours so that individuals can go and participate in an AA program. If there aren't enough people in their communities, they can actually hook up with individuals in other communities. We are trying to provide lots of options. We know we need to continually learn and we know that we need to continually explore new opportunities to provide treatment on return. We are open to that, and we want to have those discussions with committee and others across the Northwest Territories.

I would like to ask the Minister what the plan is to expand counselling to the other 14 communities that don't have counselling services.

Community counselling is a key community-level component of the continuum of mental health and addictions treatment. We have, as I’ve indicated, community counsellors in 19 of the communities in all the regions of the Northwest Territories, and where we don't have them in individual communities, we do have telephone counselling and fly-in services that are available. We want to continue to provide these services. We have actually developed new guidelines that our community counsellors can use when assessing and providing treatment, and when individuals are in immediate or crisis situations, we are able to get immediate access or connections to community counsellors. This is an area that we are always looking at. We want to make sure that, across the Northwest Territories, our residents have access. In total, we have 64 community counsellor positions providing these incredibly valuable services to the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if there is some ongoing work between the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Justice. Yesterday, I made a Member's statement on correction facilities and services that may be available. I am asking the Minister if there is any work between the two departments on returning offenders, so individuals that are committed to incarceration for crimes they may have committed while suffering from addictions. I would like to know if there is anything in place between the two departments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Justice is leading some work on collaborative services across the Northwest Territories where all the departments can work together. As an example, with Wellness Courts, our staff are available to do individual case planning with individuals who are going through the Wellness Courts. As well, individuals who are leaving the corrections facilities, also have access to probation officers who have a pretty decent relationship in most cases with some of the social services programs that exist. A lot of it is on a one-off basis, but on a bigger scale, the departments are working together to try to find ways to enhance collaborative services for the people and the clients of the Northwest Territories.

At this time, I would just like to remind Ministers and Regular Members that we've gone over 15 minutes with only two questions, so I would like for Ministers and Members to be clear and concise and to the point. Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Earlier, I was referring to the issue on the Sahtu region decentralization. Recognizing our physical situation for this territorial government, the current decision, as it stands now, is being made elsewhere to govern certain different departments in the Sahtu. As I mentioned earlier, I have two questions, so I'll just make it two long ones. The best approach here to make it short is: I am asking the Premier on the view of restructuring the current model. I'm not taking him to account and requesting additional funding and so on, but the restructuring approach on making decisions more decentralized to the current government structure in the Sahtu.

Mahsi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government had decentralization as a priority for a number of years. As a matter of fact, we are now in the third phase of decentralization. Over the three phases to date, we have decentralized 170 positions to the regions and communities outside Yellowknife, and I'm pleased to say that we've decentralized nine of those positions to the Sahtu region.

My next question is the second and last one. I would like to ask the Premier if I can propose and identify the positions that are governing the Sahtu region elsewhere, would the Premier move those, and when, back to the Sahtu?

We have had quite a number of iterations in the regional structures in the Northwest Territories. Before division, we had five regions. After division, I think we had three regions and two districts. As programs were devolved, we eventually now have five regions. We used to have five regional directors, as well, and the previous government saw fit to bring that back to two regional directors.

The way it's been working is the government allows the government departments to structure themselves in a way that is more effective and efficient, and certainly if the Member is prepared to provide his proposals, and it's not going to cost money, we would certainly consider it.

My next question is: After submission of this decentralization restructuring proposal, is the Premier willing to have a meeting with the Sahtu leadership?

We're always prepared to meet with the Sahtu leadership. As a matter of fact, we have an MOU on a government-to -government basis. We are committed to meeting on a regular basis with the Sahtu leadership. I think we meet every six months. If they want to meet more often, we're prepared to do so.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned in my statement earlier, access to post-secondary education is crucial for many people to move forward with careers of their choice. That's challenging in our territory, where many people come from small isolated communities. The success of individuals and families as well as the economic growth of our communities and territory rely on access to education. Can the Minister describe the options that are available to Northerners to gain a post-secondary education in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do agree that education is very important, especially post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. There's many options that we have. Obviously, going to one of our Aurora College campuses. We currently have three campuses in the Northwest Territories. We also have 23 community learning centres, so when the Member brings up that in our small communities it is tough, we do try to accommodate. There's also private institutions such as the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning. As the Member mentioned in his member statement, the College nordique francophone as well as the Sub-Arctic Leadership Training, and there's also various distance learning training that we do support. We also have a good funding model through Student Financial Assistance, where students can actually apply on that. That's all the options available to Northerners that are wanting to seek a post-secondary education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The one accredited northern post-second institution, Aurora College, provides a variety of programs for Northerners. Understanding that some people may want to pursue a career outside the programs that Aurora College can offer, what are the choices for post-secondary in the NWT outside of Aurora College, if the Minister could elaborate.

I did mention three earlier in my previous answer: Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, College nordique francophone, the Sub-Arctic Leadership Training Program for religious instruction. We also have the Stanton Eye Clinic, every few years one program is offered to become a technician, as well as, I mentioned earlier, many distance learning opportunities for students that want to pursue further post-secondary education.

For my final question, and I thank the Minister for his reply, Northern students are supported by the government Student Financial Assistance program. I've mentioned Aurora College that provides an essential service. Other institutions such as Dechinta and College nordique, as the Minister also alluded to, are developing programs with other specialties. Can the Minister please describe how post-secondary institutions receive funding to provide their range of courses in the NWT?

Our main post-secondary institution, Aurora College, does receive the majority of its funding from the GNWT. They also receive third-party funding from the Government of Canada, as well as other education and training partners, and also through student tuition. Other private institutions like College nordique and Dechinta, they're able to get funding from the GNWT through funding proposals. Also, I understand that there is federal funding that some of these private organizations can access funding from.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Transportation. I'd like to ask the Minister, can the Minister confirm the number of crushers available in the Northwest Territories through his department at this time?

Mahsi. Minister of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I cannot commit to how many crushers we have available for community access. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it's actually two -- ---Laughter

From what I understand. I'm not sure if it's divided between the north and south, that's what I wanted to ask. How does the department choose which community will use the crushers, and how does it establish the priority?

Mahsi. Member's done his homework. Minister of Transportation.

I don't know how we pick communities, who's on the priority list or anything, but I'm sure there's a schedule, and based on priorities and needs. I can commit to looking into that for the Member.

That’s what I wanted to get at. Will the Minister be willing to work with the community of Aklavik to start the process, as to ship the unit to Aklavik hopefully over the summer, not too late because the water usually drops quite a bit by the second barge, from what I understand, and start preparations for the next year, next budget, so the community could build up the roads, as I mentioned earlier. A lot of challenges with the roads in our community.

I would encourage the community of Aklavik to work with businesses in the Beaufort Delta region to the private sector to fulfill its crushing needs.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community doesn't have the money that the Department of Transportation has to hire these contractors to do these services for them. The department has these crushers available to communities that need it. The community could do this work with their limited budget of maybe a couple hundred thousand, whereas to hire one of the contractors we're talking millions, at least over $1.5 million for sure. That's why the community is asking the department to work with them.

The community of Aklavik has different access to funding through infrastructure money through MACA and other sources, so I'd encourage the Member to have the community look at those sources of revenue.

Mahsi. Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to the visitors in the gallery. We have Yacub Adam, he's a member of the Human Rights Commission that's here with us today, and he's also a close follower of our work in this House. Welcome. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Everyone in this House, especially me, will be relieved to know that my questions are in English. ---Laughter In my Member’s statement earlier today I talked about the court-mandated expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment confirm whether he has begun discussions with the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest and the Association des Parents ayants droit de Yellowknife for the expansion of the school?

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department and the government is committed to meeting its obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Education Act. Steps to implement the NWT Court of Appeal decision are being undertaken. There was a delay in the process, as I believe there was an appeal to the Appeal Court decision. We were just waiting, and then when the Supreme Court had declined to hear the appeal, that's when the department started moving forward and having discussions with Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest on the planned expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. We’re just beginning those discussions.

I want to thank the Minister for his response. When Yellowknife MLAs recently met with the commission, the representatives of the commission described the high school program at Ecole Allain St-Cyr as in crisis. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell us whether the expansion of the school appears in the capital budget and when construction may actually begin?

I do hear the Member in terms of enrolment. As mentioned earlier in the session, we did give direction to the department on that Ministerial directive to get reviewed, so hopefully we can get more students in the French first language schools. When I mentioned that we're just in the planning stages, the discussions, the budget for the expansion has not yet been voted on in the Legislative Assembly, mainly because we have to get the planning done, and consideration for that planning done and brought forth in this Assembly. As you know, we just completed our mandate yesterday so once that planning study is done, then we can look at bringing something forward for Members to vote on.

For some of the construction of the school, the federal government provided up to 80 per cent of the funding. Has the Minister of Education been in contact with Heritage Canada officials about any potential contributions to fund the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr?

Personally, I haven't been in contact with the heritage federal Minister. The department, however, has been in contact with the federal government on possible contributions to this project. However, no specific commitments have been made. As you know, the budget for the federal government will be coming out next month and we're also in a new government as well, moving forward. Once everything is up to speed we will keep the Members up-to-date on what's going on with this project.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and once again I'd like to thank the Minister for his response. I look forward to working with him on this issue. With new leadership within the francophone community and within the department, I believe we're working hard towards a better working relationship in resolution of a number of these issues, including the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. Can the Minister of Education commit to regularly reporting progress on the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr at each sitting of this House?

We would be pleased to provide updates to the Member on how things are proceeding with this project as well as with the Ministerial directive once we get those all in line and up-to-date and reviewed. With the potential of the work that we're going to be doing moving forward, we will continue to keep all members updated on this project and the work done on the Ministerial directive.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi

, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, family violence shelters provide safety for woman and children fleeing violence, and there are five in the Northwest Territories. They're located in Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Yellowknife, Hay River, and Fort Smith. At present, there isn't a formula for funding these shelters that's based on the number of beds or other variables, and as a result, shelter funding varies outside of Yellowknife and puts those shelters at a disadvantage. I'll give you a concrete example: The Fort Smith shelter has eight beds and has a budget of $515,000, whereas Hay River has 11 beds and gets $2,000 less per year. My question today is whether the Minister of Health and Social Services can make a commitment to review shelter funding and establish a formula that levels the playing field?

Mahsi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

We currently spend about $2.7 million on shelters in the Northwest Territories as well as an additional $200,000 that's available to communities or regions that don't have shelters. There is, as the Member said, no set formula for determining the allocation authorities, and there certainly isn't a formula to provide for forced growth to the shelters or to the NGOs. This is something that we certainly are happy to look at and would be happy to have more discussions with the Member in committee. We have looked at various ways to address inflationary increases in shelter costs. Personally, I think once we move to one authority, we'll actually be in a much better position to have meaningful discussion around this particular topic, when we have a coordinated and consolidated budgeting process, because right now every authority is running a different financial system and different budgeting process. We'll be in a much better position to have meaningful discussion on this once we move to a single authority.

Can I take that as a commitment that the Minister will review shelter funding and establish a formula that levels the playing field for all the family violence shelters?

Once we move into a single authority I'd be happy to work with committee on that to determine the scope and nature, and how we can actually work to improve the process of providing funding to the shelters.

Shelter funding hasn't increased since 2011, and shelters are feeling the effects with buildings that are in need of repair and a high staff turnover because the wages paid are low. I'm wondering if the Minister can make a commitment to increase the funding to the shelters to support the valuable work they do on an annual basis until all the shelters are funded equally.

As the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are in a difficult financial situation. We do need to be very careful with the money that we're spending. We also have to look within to make sure that the dollars that we're spending are getting maximum effect and maximum benefit.

I will commit to working with Members through the business planning process to identify where our dollars are being spent, and as I indicated, once we have actually moved forward to one authority and we have a more consolidated budgeting process, we'll be in a better position to have a discussion with the Member and committee on the funding for the different shelters in the Northwest Territories.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's hard to imagine a priority that is larger than keeping women and children safe from violence, given the number of incidents here and the number of deaths. If shelters are forced to close because they don't have the funds to keep their buildings open and pay their staff, a very real possibility at this point, who will respond to the needs of women and children in danger? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker

I think we're saying the same thing. We both believe this is a priority and we want to continue to move forward, but we have to do it light of the fiscal realities that we're facing. I've committed to doing the review once we move to a single authority, and to having continued discussions on this particular topic during business planning.

We want the same thing. We just have to find a way of getting there.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier in my statement, I profiled in my language a rash of break-and-enter incidents in my community of Fort Providence and how the community is responding to it. One of the groups that has been responding to it is the inter-agency committee. At the same time, recently, there has been a group established called Citizens on Patrol, ensuring that the property and public safety was foremost in the community. My question is to the Minister of Justice. Can the Minister explain to the House what community policing plans are in place, and how are communities involved?

Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Community safety and enforcement is a priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories. In an effort to provide the best policing that we can, all the communities in the NWT have had an opportunity this year to develop policing priorities and action plans with the RCMP. The policing and action plans are developed in partnership with the RCMP and community residents, and are based on the specific needs of each community. The RCMP has developed a policing priorities and action plan with Fort Providence that dealt with or covered three issues that the community determined were the most important: substance abuse; impaired driving; and youth and community involvement.