This is page numbers 2625 - 2646 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that we do have some resources out there when it comes to H. pylori and providing information. As far as workshops, I'm not sure that we've actually provided workshops in the past or that we actually have the information to provide workshops, but I will talk to the department to find out how best we can get that information out to residents of the Sahtu but also to the Northwest Territories where appropriate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. Making residents aware of the strategic plan and sharing information is always very important for the remote communities, knowing that healthcare is behind them, with them, for them.

I was very happy to hear, reading the minutes of the Regional Wellness Council, that they had their Sahtu board meeting in the community of Tulita and they engaged with the public there. It was a meet-and-greet, which I thought was perfect in sharing that vision. Bringing health awareness to the remote community residents in that area, can the Minister also ensure health services for additional services provided by the Health Department through communication workshops in every community on a circulating basis?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

With the move to a single authority in the Regional Wellness Councils, we are hoping that the Regional Wellness Councils do have an opportunity to travel throughout the regions that they represent. As the Member said, the Regional Wellness Council in the Sahtu did have a meeting in Tulita. They have a meeting scheduled in Colville Lake and they will over time get to all the communities that they represent.

As far as getting information, program information, out to the communities, one of the reasons that the Regional Wellness Councils are so important is they can help us tailor our message to the different regions and communities on what is the best way to get the information out. We do give a lot of responsibility to them to help us identify the best ways and we are constantly looking for that information from them so that we can tailor our delivery to the regions as appropriate.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Will the Minister schedule one of the quarterly board meetings in the town of Norman Wells as we approach closure to the transitional opening of the regional facility in Norman Wells which is scheduled to open later in these coming months?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

I do not sit on one of the Regional Wellness Councils. The Regional Wellness Councils are the ones who, to some degree, determine when they are going to schedule their meetings. They are required to have one meeting, I think it is annually in public. All their meetings are supposed to be in public to some degree. They can go in camera. I am not prepared to, and I am not going to, dictate when and where they have their meetings. I think we need to leave that up to them. They know their regions best, and they know when they need to get together to have those conversations.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

My next question, Mr. Speaker, is that scheduling the upcoming regional council meeting here in Norman Wells would be a joint effort to have the regional authority there, as well as the opening session of the Sahtu Health Building when it does open. That is all I am asking, is if it can be scheduled and coordinated together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The opening of the new health centre and long-term care facility in Norman Wells will be a significant accomplishment for the region, for the delivery of services in Norman Wells and that region. We will definitely have an opening ceremony event. The Regional Wellness Council will absolutely, without question, be involved, as well as regional leadership and the MLA, of course. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the Minister of Justice for moving forward on cannabis consultations, but I would like to ask him today: the discussions that he is having with Northerners, do they involve supply and do they involve production? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Minister of Justice.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, as this House will know, public meetings have been held in I think nine communities. The last public hearing was today. I understand there is a wide variety of concerns being expressed. Of course, production of cannabis will be licensed by the federal government under the Cannabis Act. That is the proposed legislation. Thank you.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Well, given that reality, in New Brunswick they have negotiated for nine million grams of cannabis for their province. Does the Minister have an idea of what the supply demands would be in the Northwest Territories and is he working to secure a supply with the distributor?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

No, I have no idea what the demand might be, but I have heard that it may be considerable. We have not yet entered into any sort of an agreement, or even contemplated agreements yet with possible suppliers who, of course, must be licensed by the federal government.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

If anyone should know what the demands are, it should be the person responsible for this project, and it is pretty shocking that he has no clue whatsoever. I will ask him now: will he do some research, potentially with his colleagues in ITI, to identify what the supply demands are going to be and how we are going to regulate that? This is a significant issue for Northerners, and they expect to receive safe, legal product. It is not just about the issue of legalization and consumption, but it is about these broader issues of supply that he has got no answer for. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to doing this very important work before we go live with cannabis legislation in the Northwest Territories?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Well, it is rather hard to determine what the demand and supply is of an illegal product. I do not know how we will determine that, but I will say that Federal Minister Goodale in speaking to us at the FPT last week estimated that the illegal market in Canada was somewhere between $7 and $9 billion, so I think we can anticipate that the market is significant throughout the country and, perhaps, no less per capita here than elsewhere.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, again, New Brunswick seems to be able to do it. Ontario seems to be able to do it. They have fully informed plans, and they are already making the plans. We still do not have answers. Again, instead of suggesting what our demand may be and how some of these features are going to work that are not being contemplated by the round of consultations which we now concluded, will the Minister do some work on this area and report back to the House so people can have certainty about what the economic opportunities are going to be for this product, and how Northerners are going to access them? Thank you.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, as mentioned previously, there have been a series of public meetings and in addition to that as I mentioned yesterday approximately 1,100 online responses. We will soon be coming up with a "what we heard" document, so we will have some idea of what the public's opinion is with respect to this important issue. I look forward to working with all Members of this House with respect to moving forward with this change in our law and how we are going to be dealing with the retail and distribution end for this product. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. Even though this topic does include Infrastructure, but from previous commitments, I have questions for the Minister. I would like to ask the Minister: when did the Department of Public Works and Services, as it was previously known, advise that a major retrofit or a replacement of Moose Kerr School was not necessary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After every annual capital planning process, the department goes back and looks at its 20-year capital needs assessment. You have to understand that there are a lot of areas that we have to look into; colleges, museums, libraries, information technology, other infrastructure. Last year, in June of 2016, a review was done, it was looked at, and it was done by the Department of Infrastructure, and at that time it was considered to be in good condition. All the work that has gone into Moose Kerr School over the number of years, and the Member had made some mention of it, did extend its life by 20 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

When did the Department of Education, Culture and Employment accept this recommendation?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

I do not have the exact date at this time. I am willing to get that information and get it to the Member so he knows at what time the department accepted the review and recommendations from the Department of Infrastructure.