This is page numbers 127 - 164 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was work.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. Midwifery: where to begin? We go back to the last Assembly in 2012, when public advocacy prompted the government to commission a Midwifery Review and Expansion Analysis Report. That report recommended options for expansion of midwifery service, including creating a territorial model based out of Yellowknife in 2015-2016, so that the full rollout could be done in 2016-2017. Mr. Speaker, that was last year.

The Minister stated in July 2015 that he was still committed to introducing midwifery services, but then there was no money; so a further study and further public consultation was commissioned by the department, staffed by two term consultants. In explaining the intended outcomes of this study, the Minister said on June 1, 2016, "We have those consultants in place. They're working on evaluation frameworks, not to reinvestigate it, but to help us develop a territorial model."

The report that was recently released is sorely lacking. Basically, this is because none of the three stated purposes of the study was to recommend a preferred plan for establishing midwifery services. The study only looked at:

• perceived gaps in service;

• potential enhancements for an integrated midwifery program; and

• potential support for community health nurses.

It is not surprising the report only recommended further study, examining the feasibility of midwifery expansion to Hay River as a regional program and the reinstatement of the Yellowknife position with travel resources to enable travel to other communities, and yet more study, examining the feasibility of an integrated Beaufort Delta service establishment and proposals for service to Behchoko.

It is not clear what the next steps may be.

I cannot describe my disappointment in reading that, when it comes to establishing actual positions in communities, we are still stuck in the "feasibility" stage. How many more studies will this take? The Minister promised that we would get a proposal for a territorial midwifery program, not a proposal for more studies. I will have questions during the upcoming business plans on what is being done right now and when we are going to see a territorial midwifery program with services available in Yellowknife. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Mr. Speaker, this morning there was another highway accident on the Ingraham Trail outside Yellowknife. Like many previous incidents, this one took place on the section of highway near the Prosperous Lake boat launch. This is a challenging stretch of road, Mr. Speaker.

Already this morning I have been contacted by both the media and my constituents who live along the Ingraham Trail. They are understandably concerned about the safety of the road they rely on and drive every day. Again, we have a reminder about the importance of focusing and taking deliberate action to make our roads as safe as possible. I have raised the question of ongoing maintenance and improvement of this road with the Minister on numerous occasions, and I commend him that I have always received forthright and positive responses. I have seen myself that the department works hard to make continuing improvements in the highway's condition.

I don't yet know much, but as far as I can determine this morning's accident did not incur serious results, but it serves as a reminder that we cannot rest in facing challenges of public safety on our roads. Like other NWT highways, the Ingraham Trail grows busier every year, and we are soon to enter its busiest season.

Along with maintenance and improvements, we must also continue to emphasize and support driver education and safe driving habits. While capital investment is needed to promote safety on all our roadways, efforts to educate our travelling public, and prevent drinking and driving cannot be overemphasized. Motor vehicle accidents can be avoided through a combination of safe driving practices and infrastructure, maintenance, and upgrading. Our government must continue to support both.

I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

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

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize my wife Judy in the gallery joining us for our session today. Welcome.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

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

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a couple of people: Mr. Herb Felix from Tuktoyaktuk and Charles Pokiak from Tuktoyaktuk as well. Mr. Speaker, they work for the Inuvialuit on environmental and wildlife issues, so I just want to commend them for the work they do and keep it up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

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

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my aunt providing valued interpretation in Slavey here. She is watching my back currently. Ms. Alphonsine McNeely. Mahsi.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too would like to recognize interpreters Tom Unka and Maro Sundberg. It would be my last opportunity this year. Then, again, to recognize Ashton Catholique and River Marlow, the two hardworking Pages from Lutselk'e. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

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

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. William Lines. He is the Giant Mine coordinator for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and I very much appreciate his work on that important issue. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgments. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in my Member's statement I talked about summer employment and the program that the government offers and is doing a better job. I have to give credit where credit is due. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Finance please tell us what the department is doing for potential employment for smaller communities in regards to the Summer Employment Program? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Minister of Finance.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member pointed out before that the government has hired 349 summer students this year. That is the highest number we have had in the last five years. We have challenged our departments actually to try and find more, including in a lot of the small communities, because I would like to see a summer student hired in every community, but if you look at the number of summer students who are hired by maybe the local housing authorities or the municipal government organizations that are funded by the government, I think those numbers would go up. I have been trying to put those numbers together. We are getting a better number of the number of students that are working across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Mahsi cho to the Minister for his answer. I greatly appreciate that and understand the importance of that, but again some of my smaller communities don't have LHOs and don't have these opportunities. Some of them don't even have students who are going on to university. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister get back to us or tell us if he is able to work with his department to look at hiring some students that are in high school that go back into these smaller communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, summer students hired by the GNWT are typically post-secondary students. We try to get as many out as we can. The ones who are going to university, so I am not sure if we wanted to bump them, but we can work, and as I said before, we are working to trying to increase it. Every community in the Northwest Territories has some funding come in directly or indirectly from the territorial governments, so I would like to put those numbers together and see the true number of summer students who are working, because I know with a lot of the smaller communities, they use a lot of their school students to do some of the summer work. I will commit to try and get some of those numbers put together. We will share them with committee so we can have a true indication of the number of students that are working.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I thank the Minister for his answer. I look forward to seeing those numbers. I greatly appreciate the commitment from the Minister to hear that. Will the Minister, and I have asked this before, will the Minister look at working with his colleagues to develop a budget line in the business plan for summer students so that we can actually promote it? I know we were looking at 400 as a number in the past, and we got close to it. Will the Minister commit to working to doing that?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I will work with my colleagues, but as far as the budget line goes, I don't think that is in the plans right now. The work for summer students is based on an operation basis, so as there needed to do some work, they are hired or to work on special projects. The operation requirements vary between the departments, but as I have pointed out before, we have seen an increase in the numbers. All of the Cabinet Ministers have encouraged their departments to try and bring on more summer students.

I am going to use this as an opportunity to point out the three departments within the government that had the most summer students in the past year. Number one was Infrastructure, but that is really not fair because we combined two departments, so that is why the numbers were higher. Health and Social Service was second, and the Department of ENR was third. I will bring attention to that, so our departments know that we are paying attention and we would like to encourage them to continue higher summer students as operational requirements permit.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. That is very encouraging. I would really love to see ENR being number one. ENR has a real impact in my riding. I would encourage the Minister to do that. Can the Minister, if they are not going to put a budget line in there, work on developing a plan to encourage the departments and work with us as Regular MLAs as an opportunity so we can find these opportunities for our summer students? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I think we just heard from one of the Members before speaking during the Member's statement talking about plans and strategies and action plans. I don't think we need to put a plan together. We know what we have to do and we just have to do it. If that means working with and we have the opportunity going through the business planning process and the budget process to get feedback from committees. We are not going to plan to do. We are just going to do it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.