Good afternoon, colleagues. Colleagues, today marks the 52nd Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada. It was on February 15, 1965, that our Canadian flag first flew above our nation's capital. Our national flag has been flown with pride since that day.

In 1996, February 15th was declared National Flag of Canada Day to commemorate and celebrate what has become one of the most iconic and recognizable flags across the world.

Not only is our flag recognized the world over as a symbol of this great country, but it is associated with the rights, freedoms, and ideals that we embrace as Canadians.

While maple trees are not common in our territory, the Canadian flag is. We fly the flag proudly as a sign of our place within this country, and to show our solidarity with and respect for all Canadians, including those representing us around the world.

Members, please join me in celebration of National Flag of Canada Day. Thank you, colleagues.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment in its mandate to enhance access to culturally-appropriate programs and services.

The last government convened a Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness to travel across the Northwest Territories and come back with recommendations that would have a real impact in dealing with addictions. The top priority identified by the forum was more on-the-land healing programs. This is the wisdom of our communities.

This wisdom is supported by research that confirms that a relationship with nature has positive benefits for physical and mental health, as well as social well-being, and that this impact is stronger for those whose lives and traditions are fundamentally linked to the land. Research also indicates that health and Indigenous connection to the land are positively linked. This belief informs the GNWT’s commitment to supporting and investing in land-based healing programs for Indigenous communities.

In keeping with this commitment, we will host a Pan-Territorial On-the-Land Summit in Detah next month. Over three days the summit will explore the themes of healing, culture, guardianship, collaboration, and evaluation. The federal government through Health Canada shares our commitment to land-based programming and is a major funder of this initiative.

On-the-land wellness programming partners and experts from the North, other parts of Canada, and the circumpolar world will come together to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and discuss opportunities and challenges. Leaders in land-based programming from across Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories have been invited to attend, including elders, youth, Aboriginal governments, non-government organizations, and staff from Health Canada and the three territorial governments.

The summit will also recognize the knowledge in the room by prioritizing opportunities for open discussion between participants to build networks and dialogues. It will be informative, motivational, and will foster new relationships for those delivering programs to continue their work in improving community wellness.

The Department of Health and Social Services is working with Health Canada, the NWT Association of Communities, and an expert advisory committee to bring together the summit. The event is by invitation only due to space and budget limitations. However, we are committed to sharing the benefits and outcomes of the summit as broadly as possible. Webinar registration is available for some sessions, along with live broadcasts on CKLB radio, so that all residents have an opportunity to hear the plenary presentations.

Mr. Speaker, we know that there is a large disparity between health and social outcomes of indigenous people and other Canadians. The legacy of colonialism and residential schools, and the resulting disconnection from land and culture, has played a part in this. This summit is an important venue that provides an opportunity for all of us to learn from one another, showcase and celebrate the innovation and successes demonstrated by land-based programs across the North, and continue our collective efforts to support connection to land and culture as an investment in the well-being of our residents and communities across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, this government has heard that the people of the Northwest Territories want 911, and we have listened to them. In his budget address, the Minister of Finance announced that this government plans to implement a territorial 911 program. Today, I wish to take this opportunity to expand on this important announcement.

In 2015, the Government of the Northwest Territories departments, key partners, and community governments worked together to identify viable options for a territorial-wide 911 system. Experts were hired to examine the current environment and provide recommendations. Those recommendations are now being used as a roadmap for 911 in the Northwest Territories.

Recommendations contained in the implementation study confirm that the Northwest Territories is positioned to move forward with basic 911, and an arrangement with an existing emergency dispatch centre located within the Northwest Territories is the most viable option.

Mr. Speaker, consistent with the recommendations, the Government of the Northwest Territories will proceed with basic 911, which is much more viable for territorial-wide implementation than the enhanced version. While enhanced 911 would offer improved location identification for callers, next generation 911 will soon bypass it, which is what the territory will prepare for in the coming years.

During our work in 2015, the Yellowknife Fire Division was identified as the only option for a 911 call centre. Although this likely remains the case today, the Government of the Northwest Territories will reach out once again to other communities to validate this key planning assumption.

Mr. Speaker, another key element of the new Northwest Territories 911 Program involves establishing new territorial legislation to help manage and govern the system. Most jurisdictions in Canada that operate 911 do so on a cost-recovery basis. This means monthly fees to fund the ongoing operations of 911 after implementation will appear on the phone bills of our residents.

Similar to other jurisdictions, legislation will be used to establish the fee, which will be confirmed as further consultation progresses. Much like other jurisdictions, the program will be operated on a cost recovery basis, and also provide for further enhancements as required.

We estimate it will take approximately one-and-a-half years to implement basic 911, and our goal is to implement the system in all communities as quickly as possible. While our roadmap does not recommend a phased-in approach, careful consideration will be given to that possibility if it makes sense.

In the coming weeks, the Government of the Northwest Territories will also endeavour to increase awareness of the current emergency contact numbers, which will remain important until 911 is fully implemented.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to making a presentation to the Standing Committee on Government Operations to discuss the draft implementation plan in the coming weeks. I also wish to commend community governments and the first responders for working hard to keep our residents safe. Theirs is an important job that needs to be encouraged and supported, and 911 will provide a crucial tool to support those efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to people in the gallery today with us. I am pleased to recognize a group from Ontario, Ontario Legislative Interns. They are here this week to learn more about the consensus-style government, our Government of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to say masi for coming to the Northwest Territories, and thanks for being here. Masi cho.

Item 2, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest difficulties we have in the Northwest Territories is the social challenges faced by our residents.

Sadly, some of the most present and visible manifestations of that take place every day, just a few blocks from this building. These problems are so prevalent that a major downtown landlord has recently issued a public appeal for action, citing daily incidents of many kinds.

Mr. Speaker, these are not new challenges and they are certainly not exclusive to Yellowknife. These are problems faced by every community, every family, and every individual. They are hard and difficult problems to resolve.

Another contributing factor to these problems is our relatively low levels of educational achievement and graduation rates. These in turn lead to under-employment, poor lifestyle choices, health problems, and general low standards of living. Add in a high cost of living and a narrow field of employment and vocational choices, and we wind up with these very difficult challenges.

Ultimately, the costs of these problems are borne by our social support systems, more stress on our legal system, and pressure on our correctional system. It's a steady drain on government resources, not to mention the economy. It limits our true capacity to serve ourselves as Northerners.

Mr. Speaker, in Yellowknife, I'm pleased to see that steps are being taken to combat some of these problems. The Homelessness Roadmap adopted by the city, along with the Housing First initiative, is an important first step. The extension of hours at the day shelter and the new street outreach program will be another step to reducing homelessness on our streets. The recently budgeted wet and dry centres are a step towards reducing public intoxication, and minimizing the impacts of addictions.

The challenge to us as leaders is to find solutions that will support long-term health and growth. We are taking positive steps on immediate issues, but how do we make sure our next generation finds itself in a healthier, safer space?

We must seek vision and innovation to inspire educational achievement, provide safe and secure housing, improve mental health, confront trauma, and support opportunities for growth and employment.

A healthier society will be a safer and more prosperous home for future generations; that must be our goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we are all aware, mental and substance use disorders are among the most serious and key health issues facing our young people in the North. If these disorders persist, the constraints, distress, and disability they cause can last for decades.

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that mental disorders, even relatively brief and milder ones, can derail and disable, seriously limiting or blocking potential. In my research, I have been able to find further information that with mental disorders among youth are high rates of enduring disability, including school failure, impaired or unstable employment, and poor family and social functioning, leading to spirals of dysfunction and disadvantage that are difficult to reverse.

Mr. Speaker, with this in mind, I would like to inform this House that there were three days of workshops in Fort Simpson and Fort Liard aimed to educate young people on relationships, sexual health, and making healthy life choices, all part of mental health and awareness.

As I was doing my constituency tour, I had the opportunity to witness facilitators from FOXY (Fostering Open Expression Among Youth) and SMASH (Strength, Masculinities and Sexual Health) present school-based workshops at Echo Dene School in Fort Liard and at Thomas Simpson Secondary School in Fort Simpson. These workshops were held from January 24 to 26. What I witnessed was young men and women being totally engaged.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding this was the first time SMASH has come to the Deh Cho region since SMASH was launched in the summer of 2016. Mr. Speaker, SMASH was developed as the male counterpart to FOXY.

According to the Dehcho Drum Article:

The SMASH sessions are kind of based off the FOXY sessions. They do include conversations around sexual health, healthy relationships, that kind of thing, but they also have conversations and activities surrounding breaking down masculinity and maybe unfair expectations of men.

Mr. Speaker, the nice thing about this program, it gives young men and women the opportunity to have a frank discussion on topics they may not otherwise be comfortable having in class or among their peers. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to seek unanimous consent to finish my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the FOXY workshop focused mostly on sexual health, including issues such as sexually transmitted infections, birth control, and establishing boundaries and communicating needs to a partner.

The great thing about these sessions is that the youth are the ones that identify priorities and lead the discussions.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank FOXY and SMASH for taking the lead on these types of workshops in the Deh Cho and the Department of Health and Social Services for funding this type of work. I personally believe this is a good investment in our youth. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Tourism is hosting guests and showing them another way of life that is daily living, in most cases, based on thousands of years of culture.

Mr. Speaker, in the absence of natural resource development projects, tourism is the only industry communities have for employment and business opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, tourism activities complement the skills of local people. They have shared their vision with me of more tourism in Deh Cho: First Nations people working in the parks, highlighting historical sites, visitor information centres, interactive cultural camps, world class facilities with Wi-Fi and other amenities, a fishing lodge, and a naturalist lodge.

Mr. Speaker, some Deh Cho communities are interested in getting more involved in the management and operations of territorial parks. They have ideas for expanding the operations of some territorial parks in our region, including operating beyond existing seasons to provide more opportunities for tourism.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT environment is pristine and some of the best in the world. Opportunities for outdoor activities abound. Artisans in all our communities create intricate, uniquely northern traditional handicrafts that make distinctive gifts and souvenirs.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT needs to take the next steps to make this vision a reality. Small operators face many challenges: attracting visitors in a competitive market, insurance rates, ever-climbing costs of doing business, the need for training, product packaging and marketing, retaining qualified staff, cultural differences, and language barriers. Tourism operators require commitment, professionalism, and a range of skills to maintain a successful business. Resources in our small communities are limited, especially for people just getting started.

Mr. Speaker, in 2013 the Government of the Northwest Territories released Recommendations for a Strategic Action Plan for Aboriginal Tourism. We need to implement that strategic action plan to grow our tourism industry and tap into the potential of Aboriginal tourism in the NWT. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. In his reply to the Budget Address, the Health Minister referred to the growing numbers facing us in meeting the demand for seniors' long-term care. We know that by 2026, he said, we have to put in 258 long-term care beds. That's $139,000 in operational costs per bed, for a total of more than $35 million annually by 2026 to meet the projected demand.

The numbers are taken from the 2015 Northwest Territories Long-Term Care Program Review report. The report provided a detailed analysis of the anticipated demand for long-term care, options for programs, and approaches to meet that demand, and an analysis of the financial resources that would be required. The report contains 11 recommendations for meeting long-term care challenges, including the possibility of private rather than public care facilities. That's an option I don't ever want to see take place, other than through non-profit organizations. We have the recent announcement of 72 long-term care beds to be located in renovated space in the old Stanton Territorial Hospital. Last week, the Health Minister said there were also some plans being developed to add another 48 long-term care beds at Avens.

Helpful progress if there are the funds to do it, but there will still be a very significant shortfall as our population continues to age and despite best efforts to keep people in their homes as long as possible. Where will the money come from?

Apparently not from the federal government. The recently signed Health Care Agreement has reduced funding to our government and an additional $9.7 million over 10 years dedicated to long-term care, which is barely a drop in the ocean and it would about 2.7 per cent of the annual $35 million operating cost for the long-term care beds that we need.

Perhaps more crucial than where the money will come from is whether it will come at all. The Health Minister's reference to the long-term care funding crunch was contained in his monologue on the need for budgetary restraint, implying that today's austerity is in preparation for tomorrow's spending. For some years, the most often-heard refrain from this government has been the gloom of a coming financial crisis, all the while accompanied by huge plans for multi-million dollar infrastructure projects, roads to resources, and special warrants for mining property and a shipping company. Cabinet seems to be able to find money for its priorities. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to my colleagues. Cabinet seems to be able to find money for its priorities, but when we will get serious about our social infrastructure deficit? Later today I'll have questions for the Minister of Health. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided].

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we debate the cutbacks proposed for Aurora College, we must ask ourselves as an Assembly: what kind of territory do we want to be?

When the devolution agreement came into force in 2014 we promised our people we would build a territory and shape our future ourselves. Today, three years later, we are talking about shutting down two flagship programs at Aurora College: the teacher education and the social work programs.

If we cut the Teacher Education Program we turn back time nearly 50 years in history, hard work and success in training northern teachers here so our teachers can be taught by our own teachers.

Mr. Speaker, we are forgetting about the cost of cannibalizing our public education infrastructure. If the Teacher Education Program is cut, we will lose its staff, curriculum, supporting materials, agreements with other universities. It is very expensive and time-consuming to rebuild. The Teacher Education Program needs to be improved. We should fix it, not kill it.

Mr. Speaker, we say our people are our greatest resource. We say that we will invest in them and in our territory. We say that lifelong learning is a goal that we want our people to be our teachers, taught in an environment that respects and understands our rich history and the ongoing struggles of Aboriginal peoples in the territory.

All will be lost if we shut down TEP. If we are going to build our territory we must invest in the North and keep our education programs and infrastructure strong. Sending our students and education resources south to the provinces is a step backwards into the darker days of the last century. We will pay dearly for that in the long run. Mr. Speaker, I wish to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. We will be the only jurisdiction in Canada that cannot train our own teachers. If we do this, we will lose connection to the land, the culture, the history and the Indigenous people, all the northern learning so special to our Teacher Education Program.

Mr. Speaker, we must be forward-thinking. Our predecessors built this program investing in the North and our people. The 17 Assemblies before us stayed true to that fundamental principle. There have been many temporary difficult financial times, but Members of those Assemblies were strongly committed to training Northern teachers in the North. Are Members of the 18th Assembly wiser than all the other Assemblies combined? I think not, Mr. Speaker. If we change the course now, it will be a great mistake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the invited opportunity yesterday to participate in the 2017 Suicide Prevention Through Positive Life Skills and Inspiration Sahtu Youth Conference held in Norman Wells. It was a very good turnout, leadership support, parental support. I was very inspired on the initiation of this conference there yesterday upon my presentation, and I'm looking forward to more of these gatherings to our youth community.

Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu Renewable Resource Council are hosting the Dene Ts'ili On-the-Land School to earn your PAL, which is a firearms possession and acquisition licence. The program details, Mr. Speaker, it's going to be held out on the land mid-way between Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River at a place called Bennett Field and hosted by Benny and his wife Tisha Doctor. The program details are going to be directed towards the youth of 18-30 on a regional basis and it will include storytelling, setting traps, setting nets, arts and crafts, and hunter education.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, but not least, we have approximately 10 trainees from Tulita attending the Pre-Trades Training project, a joint collaboration between the Tulita Land Corporation, NAIT, and the Sahtu ECE Service Centre in Norman Wells. The purpose of this project is to provide pre-trades training to the community members to make them more employable, enhance their skills; and, as we know, there is a shortage of qualified tradespeople in Tulita and the Sahtu Region as identified and initiated in the Skills 4 Success Strategy Plan by this government.

In cooperation with these three identified courses, I would like to -- and I'll have appropriate questions for the Minister later on a collaboration work plan developed by an action plan between this government and the BGG or the Deline Got'ine government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the closure of the Nats'ejee K'eh facility on the Hay River Reserve in 2013, many Northerners have been distressed with the lack of available treatment options here in the Northwest Territories. It is no secret that we have an unacceptably high rate of addictions in the Northwest Territories.

In fact, the GNWT's 2012 addictions survey found that 75 per cent of the population drank at least one alcoholic drink in the 12 months prior to the survey; 21 per cent have used cannabis those 12 months; and 22 per cent of NWT residents had tried an illicit drug in their lifetime, and hallucinogens and cocaine and crack being the most commonly used illicit drug. To give even more perspective to these numbers, Mr. Speaker, this only applies to a population at the time of 41,462.

Mr. Speaker, we have an undeniably concerning addictions problem in the Northwest Territories. It was a feature of the election; it's a feature of every election and every priority for every government in recent years and we need to ensure that we have real options here in the North. It's a shame that the closest place Northerners can receive treatment is 14,000 kilometres away in St. Albert, Alberta, at the Poundmaker’s Lodge.

Although I am certainly in favour of many of the supports that we see coming out of the Homelessness Action Plan for Yellowknife that does resolve to treat local addictions in local facilities, we need to do a better job at providing quality treatment that takes these rates down and supports Northerners getting well so they can go back, be productive in their communities, and be productive members of society and achieve the aspirations that they want for themselves and that we want for all the people that we serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT does not have a prescription drug monitoring program. It is time for the government to make that investment in order to prevent the injury and, worse, the death of NWT residents.

Mr. Speaker, last month media reported on a prescription overdose case of a man from Lutselk'e. The drugstore allegedly dispensed a dose 10 times greater than the medication he was prescribed by his doctor. After taking the pills for a while, he said he felt dizzy and tired. A nurse in his community caught the mistake before the excess medication damaged his health permanently.

Once this event was reported, a constituent came to me and reported the same kind of problem -- a mistaken dosage at the pharmacy that caused her significant health issues.

Mr. Speaker, these problems are likely to tip of the iceberg. The NWT coroner has raised the alarm about another dimension of prescription drugs, their overuse and misuse. The coroner estimated 17 overdose deaths between 2009 and 2012 of people who were described as potentially dangerous amounts of legal drugs by seeking multiple prescriptions.

One means of providing oversight for both of these problems is the creation of a prescription drug monitoring program. Obviously, any prescription monitoring program needs to be consistent with the electronic medical records system, or EMR. Last I heard, the EMR system cannot produce a valid prescription for a pharmacist. Apparently, work is under way to make this possible within patient confidentiality requirements. The main problem at the moment, though, appears to be money.

What is required is dedicated staff time and an information system linked to all NWT pharmacies that can offer real-time access to patients' prescription histories. In the meantime, the department is educating clinicians about appropriate prescribing, which, of course, is a good idea.

I am putting this issue back on the table, Mr. Speaker. I realize this budget does not include funds for a prescription monitoring program, but it may be possible that eliminating multiple prescriptions could pay for the implementation of the program itself. While we wait for this program to roll out, prescription mistakes are jeopardizing the health of NWT residents. I will have questions for the Minister. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Public Housing Rent Scale was introduced in 2012 to help make monthly rent for public housing units simpler, more predictable, and much more fair. The scale ties rent to a household income and makes sure no one pays less than $70 per month or more than $1,625 per month. It also makes sure rent reflects where people live, recognizing the cost of living is much higher in the rural and remote communities.

In 2015, the rent scale was updated. The corporation announced that, like in calculations for income assistance, payments through the Canada Child Tax Benefit and payments for foster care parents would no longer count as income.

Also, instead of putting the burden of monthly reporting on tenants, the corporation now calculates rent using the household's total income as reported on income tax returns.

These are good changes, Mr. Speaker, but at the same time, this is also where a few problems come into play. Many of my constituents have seasonal positions, working and earning in the summer but then having a hard time making ends meet in the winter.

That means that the income reported on their taxes does not give the full financial picture and rent that could be paid easily during the summer become an obstacle once the summer -- and seasonal work -- ends.

Residents brought this issue forward at my constituency meetings in all of my communities. I expect that when the corporation's housing survey is done, it will come up there, too. In the meantime, people in the Mackenzie Delta and, I am sure, in other communities throughout the Northwest Territories are struggling.

The Housing Corporation has done a lot of work to keep improving the rent scale, and I am confident we could work this out, too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Again, just recognizing Ontario interns here with us; masi for being here. Item 6, acknowledgements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate three young male soccer players for being accepted to the U16 North American Indigenous Games soccer team. They are Chase Berrault, Jolan Kotchea, and Angus Capot-Blanc. As well, Jordan Nelson was selected as an alternate. On behalf of the community, their parents, and coaches, we are very proud of their accomplishments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Acknowledgements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on January 30 of this year, my constituent Jean Piro passed away peacefully, only weeks away from her 94th birthday.

Mrs. Piro came to Yellowknife in 1947, and two years later she married her husband, local businessman Mike Piro. In her 70 years in the NWT, Jean had many jobs and was an active member of many clubs and associations and even brought a bowling alley to Yellowknife.

It is without a doubt that Jean's greatest achievement is the roots she laid down with her four children, Gordon, Brian, Lorie, and Sandra, and her many grandchildren.

Jean was one of the city's longest-standing residents, and her legacy is as one of the community's "Golden Girls." My condolences go out to her family, friends, and all those who had the honour of knowing her, from Yellowknife. Thank you.

Our condolences to the family, as well. Acknowledgements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to acknowledge the passing of my constituent Albert Bohnet of Avens Manor. He was 100 years old.

Mr. Bohnet came north from Alberta and made Fort Smith his home. He made his living driving heavy equipment and teaching others that skill. He was named Citizen of the Year after he retired for his volunteer work. He was well known for his love of curling and cribbage.

Mr. Bohnet was predeceased by his wife Febula. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his many friends. I offer the family my deepest sympathy for their loss. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences also go out to the family, as well. Masi. Acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I talked about taking on social challenges. I am very pleased to see that the City of Yellowknife, in support with the GNWT, is doing a lot of good things, in particular in downtown Yellowknife in that regard. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and I am wondering if the Minister could kindly provide us an update on the status of the relocation of the day shelter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the last sitting, I indicated a willingness and a desire to move the day shelter. At that time, I also indicated that we were hoping to tie it in with a sobering centre and co-share a location; separate entrances because they are different programs, but co-share a location.

Unfortunately, we have had an incredibly hard time finding a location downtown for a sobering centre. I think we have looked at as many as 12 properties, and all of them had to be rejected for one reason or another. Some of them were space issues. Others were landlords weren't prepared to rent for this purpose. Some of them had other structural issues that we couldn't deal with.

We are still moving forward, trying to find a location, but we have had to think a little bit broader, possibly moving the sobering centre out of the downtown core, at least for the interim, until we can find a more permanent location in the downtown core. Short story long, it is taking way longer than we anticipated.

Once we have a sobering centre figured out, we will be in a better position to figure out if we can immediately move the day shelter or if it is going to have to be moved in transition. I don't have any dates, Mr. Speaker. I wish I did. I am hoping to have some additional information by the end of this week, at which point I'd love to have a sit-down with the honourable Members opposite to discuss our options and see if we can find some resolution. This has got to happen, Mr. Speaker. It is a priority of this government. I know it is a priority of the Members. We have got to find a way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister just spoke about how there might be consideration of having the day shelter and the sobering centre together. Are there possibilities in finding a quicker solution by having these as two separate entities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think in the short term, we are not going to have any options but to consider them as two separate entities. I think in the long term, it would be great if we could find a way to co-locate them. At the end of the day, we need both services. If we cannot find a way to roll them into a single building with separate entrances because, once again, they are different programs, we have to absolutely, without question, be open to alternate locations.

Obviously, one of the reasons we are looking at co-locating is to get some economies of scale, and help us reduce and control some costs. As I've indicated, we have made a commitment to move the day shelter. We made a commitment to finding a sobering centre, and implement a sobering centre here in the Northwest Territories. We are still living up to that. We are frustrated by the fact that it is taking a little longer than anticipated. As I said, I am hoping to have some information by this weekend. Hopefully, we will have a chance to meet with committee, and have a conversation, hopefully, maybe as soon as next week.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. I wonder, also, if the Minister can provide us an update on what we would refer to as the "Wet Centre." There is discussion that we were going to have the possibilities of a facility where those who were in need could go and have portioned amounts of alcohol to help them, and we have, I believe, put some funding towards this. Is there a location, and is there a program that we are going to be following through with, Mr. Speaker?

There has never actually been a budget allocated to a managed alcohol program. It is a commitment we have made, but as I indicated last October, our first priority is to get a sobering centre in place. A sobering centre is probably the most ideal location to have a managed alcohol program.

Since then, it has come to our attention that the City of Yellowknife has put in an application to the federal government for a managed alcohol-type program. We are waiting to see what the results are there, and whether or not they are going to need us to be involved, partnering in providing some technical expertise. We are open to that. When it comes to managed alcohol programs, you have got to make sure that it is well-designed and makes sense.

I had an opportunity to visit a managed alcohol program in Ottawa where we heard a lot about the positive aspects, and the negative aspects, and how important it is to have a thoroughly and properly designed program, focused on the clients who will be utilizing the program.

We are still open to it. We still have made the commitment, but it was never going to be immediate. We wanted to get the sobering centre in first, and move from there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Education on the Teacher Education Program. Mr. Speaker, if we eliminate the Teacher Education Program, I predict that fewer Northern students will study to become teachers. The department must have looked into that before proposing the cut. What is the department's forecast in future years for the number of Indigenous students studying to become teachers? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On average, we get about 29 students who enroll in Aurora College's TEP program. Over the last three years, we have also averaged seven graduates out of that program. Indigenous, non-Indigenous, we don't have those numbers right now, but we do support all Northerners when they are seeking post-secondary education. We also supported 33 students this academic year studying to become teachers in the South, in southern institutions. We continue to support them, and we are committed to continue to support financially, and support through counselling, and any support that the students in the Aurora College TEP program are currently in. We are committed to supporting them to complete their program by June 30, 2020. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are committed to training teachers and incorporating Indigenous knowledge in our practise through our pledge to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. How will we meet that obligation if we eliminate the Teacher Education Program at Aurora College?

I had a similar question yesterday when we talked about the social worker program. Our governments, our departments, through the JK-to-12 system, run students through Aboriginal language and culture, basic education. We have On-the-Land programs. You have language programs. We have other programs that we are piloting in certain regions that focus on culture and awareness.

Over the last year and in the last government, we did implement a residential school Northern Studies training. We are working on developing Northern Studies that are going to focus on self-governments, land claims, and any teachers regardless of if they are Northerners or any Southern teachers who want to come up to the Northwest Territories, we do have a New to the North program that has a lot of cultural awareness in that program as well. Plus, we also run a teacher cultural orientation days that focus on residential schools, the history of residential schools in the Northwest Territories so that teachers, regardless of if they are Northern or Southern, have an understanding of how our families have grown up in residential schools, and understand the environments, and the communities, and the school environment that they're getting into. I believe that we are still going to be promoting that cultural awareness in all of our students that come back North for employment.

What was the conclusion of the most recent evaluation on the Teacher Education Program, and what improvements were suggested, if any?

The whole process of looking at reductions was in Aurora College. The department worked with Aurora College to look at their programs and reviews, and as all Members in this House know, our job is to make tough decisions at times; and sometimes, those decisions are not popular. After the reviews on looking at the programs, these two programs were selected and brought forth to this government.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: what is the expected economic impact on Fort Smith if the Teacher Education Program is eliminated? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We don't know that at this time. As I mentioned, this is a program that is going to be phased out. June 30, 2020 will be the last day of this program. In that time, we are working on developing a strategic framework and strategy coming forward that might replace it with another program. We are going to see what that strategic plan says, while we are also going to be working with the Thebacha campus on the next steps as we move forward. We cannot make any predictions at this time on the economics that this will bring to Fort Smith.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I got lost with my conversation with my colleague here. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I spoke about mental health and the work that FOXY and SMASH has done in my region. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and Social Services has spoken about the work the department is doing on the Mental Health Action Plan in the stages that they are presently. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House what the department is doing in the meantime in this area for the youth? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been asked a number of these questions similar to this over the last couple of days, but I will try to provide a fulsome answer for the Member. The department is taking a holistic approach, the development of a Youth Mental Health Action Plan to address the challenges that we are facing here in the Northwest Territories, but at no time have we stopped providing services to youth.

Community counselling is available to youth throughout the Northwest Territories. If it isn't located in your community, we have access to it through other means. The department funds a number of on-the-land programs, run and organized by different Aboriginal groups and organizations. Many of those groups and many of those on-the-land programs are focused primarily on youth, so there are opportunities there. We do have specialized treatment options for youth through a number of out-of-territory treatment programs that individual youth can go to when they're struggling to receive some of the services, whether it's for addictions or behavioural issues or other mental health issues that a child or a youth may be having.

We are continuing to move forward with the action plan. Other areas, when it comes to an organization like Stanton and the design of the new hospital there, we've actually created a section for youth which didn't have a designated section in the old hospital, so there are a number of things that we're doing. More needs to be done, Mr. Speaker, I think it's clear. The Members have said it; I've heard it. The public have said it; I've heard it. This action plan will hopefully allow us to move forward in making enhancements and improvements and increasing the services and bettering the services we already provide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, in the past I've heard the Minister speak about how they have been involving FOXY and SMASH as they move forward on the Mental Health Action Plan. Can the Minister advise this House if they're getting this organization to engage the youth across the territories about the plan when they do the community tours?

In moving forward with the framework which was already tabled in this House, we did engage with FOXY and SMASH who helped us through the validation exercise to make sure that we were on target on moving in the right direction with the framework. We've also indicated and have talked to them about being part of the validation exercise as we move forward with the development of the specific action plan for youth mental health and addictions, and we're looking forward to having them as partners, as well as other groups like youth ambassadors who have a pretty good insight about what's going on across the North as a whole. So we're absolutely looking to engage and we have already engaged them on the framework. We're excited to engage them on the action plan as well.

I thank the Minister for his answers. During the past two weeks we've heard the Minister talk about funding the department has been giving FOXY and SMASH. Can the Minister advise this House if the funding was for a specific project or a program that the department runs?

We funded FOXY and SMASH in a couple of different ways. We've given them money in previous fiscal years. I think it was in 2016 -- 2015-16 we gave $50,000 and I think last fiscal year we gave them $90,000; that was for some specific things they were doing in the organization. Their engagement in the validation exercise, we provided them with $25,000 so that they could reach out and we're looking at providing them $25,000 so they can reach out again this year. So there are multiple ways that money can flow to FOXY, but this $25,000 was to help engage in the validation exercise.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. It's actually really encouraging and kind of answered my first question about reaching out to the communities.

Mr. Speaker, in the past I've heard the Minister speak about how they are working with other departments to address this issue. Can the Minister please provide this House with some examples of collaboration with Education, Culture and Employment, Justice, and MACA? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been working really hard to break down silos across the departments and I think in some areas we've made progress; other areas, it's certainly taking longer to reach that progress.

In this particular area -- and I'll just refer to the work on the Child, Youth Mental Health Act or, sorry, action plan. We're taking a real whole of government approach and we're making sure that Education has stakeholders in there and Justice has some stakeholders from within the department to help us develop this plan. They're also going to be included in the validation exercise to make sure that we haven't missed something, as well as other stakeholders like FOXY and youth and some of the Aboriginal governments that are out there as well. So we're really trying to make sure that we have the right people at the table in the design and implementation of this action plan.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I made a Member's statement earlier about addictions treatments and the concern that there aren't treatment options here in the North; that we have to send our residents south to pursue treatment. Can the Minister of Health indicate whether or not we are looking at options to provide treatment here or if we're going to continue the practice of relying solely on southern facilities? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to correct the honourable Member just a little bit. There are a multiple number of programs available to residents in the Northwest Territories. We have community counsellors throughout the Northwest Territories, we've been running on-the-land programs across the Northwest Territories with our Aboriginal partners. We have piloted and we're looking to do more pilots of a mobile treatment option, which is a treatment-type program that can move from region to region rather than relying strictly on a particular facility. We travelled throughout the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, and heard from residents across the Northwest Territories who said one option is not enough for people in the Northwest Territories; we need lots of different options. Dealing with addictions is very personal for some people and a facility-based treatment is not right for them. So we've worked hard to create options.

Yes, we don't have a facility-based treatment facility in the Northwest Territories, but we have contracts with four very reputable, high-quality institutions or facilities in the South. Earlier or later last year I had an opportunity to travel to Poundmaker's with some Aboriginal leaders from the across the Northwest Territories as well as some MLAs. We got to meet Northern residents who were participating in the Poundmaker's program who gave us very, very positive feedback and input on their stay and their experience in Poundmaker's, indicating that it was some of the best facility-based treatment that they've ever had, and some of them had attended facilities here in the North.

I'm not saying our system is perfect, Mr. Speaker. We've clearly got work to do. We've talked about moving forward with a mental health and addictions action plan which will hopefully address some of these issues, but the people told us clearly they want options and today they have more options than they've ever had. We can do better, we will do better, but we're moving in the right direction, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister has answered a number of my other questions. Of those options -- as he wanted to do. Out of those options, have we established a criteria for assessing these and what is that? Is it based on the number of people who are reporting successful treatment? Is it the number of patients processed? I'm just wondering how we're really understanding these options and how effective they are.

It's a good question and the answer is yes, yes, no, yes, no. Bottom line is there's a multiple range of programs that are out there, on-the-land programming being one. We don't currently have an evaluation mechanism to let us know or help us understand how effective these on-the-land programs are, but we're currently working with a stakeholder group who is helping us design an evaluation program for on the land. So yes, we're going to get there.

When it comes to treatment programs, what I can tell you, facility-based treatment programs, is traditionally our number in the Northwest Territories has been a dozen. We've had about a dozen people attending facility-based treatment from the Northwest Territories, whether that was Nats'ejee K'eh or one of the other facilities that failed here in the North.

What I can say is for the first time ever with an expedited referral process to these treatment centres with the high-quality program the word is starting to get back to individuals who are struggling with addictions, and we're actually for the first time seeing our numbers go up. I had a briefing last week and we were able to confirm that over the last little while it's been on average of 18 people from the Northwest Territories enrolling in treatment facilities, so we have seen some increase.

Then when it comes to community counselling, we can provide numbers. One of the difficult things with addictions is somebody might come back from a facility or from an online programming or from a community counsellor and they might be good for two years and then they relapse; is that success or is that not success? It's a hard thing to assess. We're trying to find a way to assess that so that we can continue to provide high-quality programs and enhance programs to our residents.

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. Certainly it is difficult to create a perfect program, and that's part of the concern with the Nats'ejee K'eh facility. One of the issues that was raised about that is there was a bit of credentialism creep that imposed very high standards of training and credentials that were required to provide treatment at that facility, and potentially limited our options to provide that treatment. Can the Minister speak to that? Would it be possible to design something that is based not in Western understanding of addictions but more traditional, Indigenous-driven process that could be facility-based and potentially could be a service not just for our territory but for the entire north and Indigenous peoples across Canada?

Just before I go to that question, I would just like to point out that, in the Northwest Territories, following up on the honourable Member for Yellowknife North, we are looking to put in a sobering centre here in Yellowknife, which I know is not a treatment centre, but it is certainly a step in the right direction to providing a local facility-based type support to those individuals that are struggling.

The Member is right. We have facility-based treatment programs that are available that can tend to be very clinical. Poundmaker's is really fantastic in the fact that it provides a lot of cultural-based supports. Nats'ejee K'eh, I think, well before my time, so I obviously reserve the right to not be a hundred per cent accurate on this, but, when it started, it was more of a cultural healing, more focused on traditional medicine, traditional healing, and it evolved into more of a clinical-based model.

The clinical-based model does not work particularly well in the Northwest Territories due to economies of scale. They can be effective when they have a psychologist or a psychiatrist. A small institution with a low demand can't retain that type of professional.

We have been in conversation with the K’atlodeeche, the leadership in K’atlodeeche there, and we are looking at having them take over that facility to provide wellness programming and wellness-type focused healing to help people deal with some of the root causes of addictions, but it wouldn't be a traditional treatment facility. We think this is a huge opportunity for the community. We think this is a great opportunity for our Aboriginal residents who might be struggling with addictions or impacts of colonization or residential schools, but it wouldn't be considered facility-based treatment, so there is a distinction between the two.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister raised a key component of this work, which is trauma-informed care and trauma-informed therapy. When we are evaluating some of these alcoholism and addictions issues, they are symptomatic to the abuses of colonization and the residential school in particular. Is the department or is the Minister's staff working on a trauma-informed care model to address addictions in the Northwest Territories, whether or not that is working with Indigenous partners or the southern facility-based care we have? Is trauma-informed care becoming the lens that we are focusing this effort to bring wellness and safety to our people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Essentially, yes. I don't think that is the exact terminology that we are using, but we are looking at a holistic approach, recognizing the impacts and the reasons an individual might be struggling with addictions or mental health issues and building upon those. So, essentially yes, but we have been using different terminology.

Masi. 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 responsible for the Housing Corporation. As I said in my statement, there have been a number of changes in the rent scale over the years. In the past five years, I have seen a number of positive changes, but one change that my constituents and others throughout the territory are having challenges with is based on your income tax, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister: what kind of feedback has the corporation received on the rent scale, particularly after the changes made in 2015? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members already know that I did extend the housing survey. We have not gotten all the feedback from that survey yet. I am interested in seeing it. I have seen some issues come across my desk, though, regarding the rental scale and the deductions from the income tax.

One of the things I should note is that I know that it causes some seasonal employment difficulties, but, if you look at the areas, it ranges between $10,000 and $20,000 that a person can make extra, depending on their income, before they actually get increased rent, so that is significant. The other thing that is really notable is that, since we have been using the income tax to determine peoples' rent, we have noticed that quite a few hundred people actually have been reassessed their rent because of failure to report during seasonal occupations, so that is a concern that I wanted to bring forward, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to ask the Minister: how can the corporation support the spirit of the rent scale, fair rent for all public housing tenants, for tenants like I have described whose income taxes don't show the full picture of their employment income?

One of the conditions within the new determining of rent scales is that people who have difference in income can go in monthly and provide that to their local housing organization. If they do that, they will be reassessed based on their monthly income. However, again, it is important to note that the income tax has been showing that not everyone has been reporting their income, and so that is also a concern for us.

We often see residents falling behind on their taxes and not filing. How does the corporation and its rent scale respond to households that don't have current income tax or tax information on file?

We are really trying to work with our tenants to actually file their income tax, especially for lower-income people. When people do not file their income tax, they are losing out on income, for example, the Child Tax Benefit, et cetera, and their tax return monies if they are lower-income, so it is something we are really trying to advocate for tenants, that it is in their best interests to actually file for their income tax.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, how much time would the department need once the survey is completed to actually make this change if that is what the people want? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier the other day, the housing survey, once we get the results in, will be divided up. Some of them will be very easy fixes. Things like, for example, students being able to leave their communities without being penalized, people going for medical assistance and things, those are easy decisions.

Tougher ones, this one that might impact other departments, those ones will take a little bit longer. For example, if housing rent is contingent on them getting income support, then that is a cross-departmental issue, and so we will have to work cross-departmentally to find out answers to make things easier so that people can retain, maintain, or obtain housing.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I may have to wait until the Premier returns. My question is to the Premier on the Deline self-government file. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my Member's statement today, I talked about two kinds of problems that stem from overprescribing medication. The first is that pharmacists sometimes make mistakes in dosage. What kind of government oversight exists to protect patients from this kind of a mistake? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the department works very closely with the pharmacy association and others to ensure that prescriptions are being dispensed appropriately. For the detail, I don't have that at my fingertips, so I will take the question as notice and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last September 1st we saw the first community-based self-government in Deline, the Deline Got'ine Government, and since the birth of this historic milestone, my question to the Premier is: to enhance and develop a model for others, what is this government doing since the signing of that agreement last September? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, along with the Member from Sahtu, was very pleased to be in Deline on September 1st to help celebrate the implementation of the Deline Final Self-Government Agreement, and since then our government has been working with the Deline Got'ine Government and the Government of Canada to fulfill this self-government aspirations of the Deline Got'ine Government as set out in their Final Self-Government Agreement.

Our government is committed to working in partnership with the Deline Got'ine Government to build capacity within our respective governments to improve program and service delivery to residences of the Deline district, and in the coming weeks, representatives from our government and the Deline Got'ine Government will be discussing an approach to formalizing the government-to-government relationships between our governments. Going forward with implementation we will be able to work with the other self-government communities in the Sahtu so that they can reach their final agreements and they can learn from what we did in Deline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To better develop a model on a cooperation action plan through a series of collaborations, for example, will the Premier commit to having this team meeting with the DGG Government team to develop this action plan as a start?

Recently, our government and the Deline Got'ine Government collaborated on the delivery of a lands administration course to the Deline Got'ine Government, and this is to improve the capacity of both of our governments to understand and manage the Land Administration Program. Also, through the Deline Self-Government Agreement Implementation Committee, we will collaborate on future initiatives that will support program and service delivery improvements in the Deline district. The representatives on this committee will also work so that we can pass on this information to the other communities in the Sahtu, and as a result we'll have an action plan and we'll also see more immediate progress on those negotiations as well.

Will the Premier commit to sending me a schedule on the implementation committee and their progress that was made and the future schedule so I can keep posted on the program delivery initiatives of both governments?

I'd be pleased to do that, and I'd like to advise the Member that the first Deline Implementation Committee meeting was held on January 12, 2017, here in Yellowknife, and going forward we'll advise him of the schedule and the progress that we're making.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I talked about the Aboriginal Tourism Business initiatives that could be advanced by this government, so my question is to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. One of the challenges that we have as an impediment in the small communities is that sometimes we have bureaucracy and red tape that becomes an impediment and a challenge. One example is Aboriginal businesses, especially in small communities, want to take on boat tours and there's the challenge of getting the proper boat insurance. So my question is to the Minister, as I said earlier, recommendations for a strategic action plan on an Aboriginal tourism was released in 2013. What progress has been made towards settling guidelines for cultural experiences so that visitors know that they are paying for an authentic Aboriginal tourism product? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we tabled in this House here last fall, we tabled Tourism 2020 and it has a number of initiatives in that document: attract experience, Aboriginal tourism, community tourism and development, skills development, as well as tourism research and planning, and that's the focus areas of Tourism 2020. To answer his question directly on how do we work to promote Aboriginal tourism and cultural experiences, within that initiative, we moved forward, and one of the things is Aboriginal Tourism Champions Program. That's a new initiative in this. We built it on three previous ones that are still in there that are carried on and there's a bunch of new ones; but the one particular one is Aboriginal Tourism Champions Program, where an individual can come forward to work with the department and we will help them expand and improve authentic Aboriginal Tourism in the communities and help diversify products and initiatives for Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Culture. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like to thank the Minister for his reply and it seems that there are great advances being made, and one of the examples that he's highlighting is the idea of mentorship. The second question is: what partnerships have been developed in support of Aboriginal Tourism for education, training, and funding product development? Perhaps maybe there's you know the ideal partnership with Aboriginal governments in each region that could possibly happen with this leadership.

The Member is quite right. We've worked on a number of initiatives, and the one particular one, to directly answer his question, is a Community Tourism Coordinator Program that has just been enhanced in the new 2020. The communities can come forward and put funding towards hiring this individual. I don’t believe that we totally fund the whole program. It would have to be a cost-shared basis with the communities or Aboriginal governments that want to come forward. We're even open to ideas of where multiple communities within a region may apply for this individual to help promote tourism and be the coordinator on that. As we've said, we've got the Aboriginal Tourism Champions Program that can come forward for each community.

Those are great initiatives that the department is undertaking and advancing. The whole tourism is about promotion, ensuring that people do know of the NWT and some of the unique gifts that we have to offer the world. So I wanted to follow up on the question in terms of the Community Tourism Coordinator, having an individual work with the community. Does that also mean the next step of perhaps communities developing a local tourism strategy for the communities?

That's exactly what this position would do. It would advance a regional product development of the region and packaging and the communities that hire this individual and work together, or Aboriginal governments that hire this person, to help them do exactly what the Member has said.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is: has ITI considered broader partnerships in aligning efforts with the Yukon, Nunavut, and the Aboriginal Tourism initiatives in other parts of Canada? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

We continue to reach out to all the territories and provinces on how we can enhance Aboriginal tourism in the Northwest Territories. The last report that I read, there are 32,000 Aboriginal people involved in Aboriginal tourism across Canada, and I believe the initiatives that we brought forward in Tourism 2020 are only going to enhance and improve tourism in the Northwest Territories and reach out to the world and show that Aboriginal culture and our languages that we have here bring more people to the North.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Health before the clock runs out. Cabinet seems to be able to find resources for its preferred projects, whether it's NTCL, Mactung, or roads. We're still waiting to hear, though, about improving our housing stock and other social infrastructure needs. Can the Minister of Health comment on how we're going to fund our growing social infrastructure needs, including the shortfall in long-term care, or shall we just tell our seniors to hit the many roads we keep on building? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member's question is dripping with cynicism. Bottom line is we know that we have significant needs in long-term care, 258 beds by 2026, and that's also factoring in doing more around aging in place, which is something clearly the Members want to see, as does Cabinet.

We know we have a capital need. That capital need has been included in the 20-year plan. That 20-year plan identifies capital projects but also some of the pressures that that will put on O and M which is utilized during our budget planning sessions when we're trying to figure out what we have money for today, how is tomorrow going to impact where we could spend today, and those types of things.

There's no question that there are going to be cost pressures on this government in the future as we roll out the 258 beds, and we know the cost is about $139,000 per bed to operate, which is about $35 million. We need to work together, we need to set priorities, and we need to be fiscally responsible so that we can make these important investments in this area but other areas as we move forward and we're committed to doing so.