This is page numbers 5027 - 5084 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 services. View the webstream of the day's session.

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Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

I appreciate the Minister's reply, and I appreciate that she has indicated that the Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat has an action plan under way. She had mentioned a couple of things with regard to it.

Could she maybe just outline for us whether the action plan actually not forthcoming but is under way? It is something that we are engaged in as a government right now, and if she can, could she possibly share a little bit more with us as to what exactly the action plan consists of?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Yes, we are actively working on our action plan, implementing the strategies that are in it, again, reminding that the two main priorities within the action plan are revitalization, and the other one is access.

We have been working with access, training GNWT employees. With revitalization, we have done quite a bit. We have got the scholarships in schools. We are working in partnership with Aurora College to implement a program for language revitalization for people.

The other thing that we have done already is we have updated our Aboriginal language directive and replaced it with a new policy for languages in schools. We are in the process of renewing how we fund and support language across the education system.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister for expanding on that. Mr. Speaker, there used to be a time when you could just look at a picture from way back in the day, and there were always a number of interpreters or elders or some other folks who were at whatever this public engagement was, making sure that the Indigenous languages were alive and well by doing interpretation and other things like that.

Today, as a government, we engage in a number of forms of public interaction. I would just like to ask the Minister: how can the government promote and protect Indigenous languages by including them when we go out and conduct community consultations, public hearings, conferences, trade shows, workshops? How can we keep the languages alive during those public interactions?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I would like to be able to stand here and say that at every workshop, forum, et cetera, we do use an Indigenous language, but that is not true. That is a fallacy. I do want to give credit to the Members of the Legislative Assembly who do use their language. I think it is very important.

We are losing our languages quickly, and that is why we are really focusing on this revitalization within the schools. Until we can actually get our youth and people speaking more, we are at risk of losing it. Our elders right now are our knowledge keepers. They are our language keepers, but our elders are getting older, so we need to make sure that we are actually providing that support to younger people in the schools. We have a long way to go. We are losing our languages, and it is not okay. We need to start with our youth and give them the tools so that they can bring it forward.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would agree with the Minister that, where there is assistance needed from ourselves as a government to make sure that the languages do not die and fade away, that it is incumbent upon us to do so.

Mr. Speaker, the department's Indigenous Languages Revitalization Scholarship Program had an application deadline here not long ago, just before Christmas. I would like to ask the Minister: can the Minister update the House a little bit on how the uptake of the scholarship program was and maybe even describe for us a little bit more about the scholarship? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

We do have funding, actually, to provide for people, for Indigenous people, who want to or people who speak Indigenous languages, I shouldn't be exclusive, that want to actually pursue a diploma schooling in Indigenous language revitalization. As of today, we have had 14 recipients of our scholarship program. That shows that we are working on it, the action. I mean 14 sounds good, but it isn't good, Mr. Speaker. Fourteen is only a start. We need to again promote more revitalization. We need to make sure that we have speakers so that they can bring forward this and so our 11 languages do not disappear. It is something we need to continue on a daily basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up to my statement on nursing education and the TRC calls for action on how this preservation of Canada's history could be incorporated into the curriculum of the nursing program.

My first question is directed to the Minister of Education: how does Arctic College address the calls to action of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Aurora College right now is Aurora College, not Arctic College. We kind of consider ourselves a five-partner arrangement in that we work with the University of British Columbia on three components and we also work with the University of Victoria. The University of Victoria has a pretty comprehensive policy around it, but, in saying that, we need to do more.

Once we are done the visioning exercise across the Northwest Territories to look at what our polytechnic university will look like and then that work is brought into the polytechnic university, we need to make sure that we have a strong policy around Indigenous languages and our Truth and Reconciliation.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It is good to know that there is progress made in preserving the knowledge of Canada's First Nations and Peoples. My next question: how does the Aurora College Bachelor of Science in Nursing program ensure TRC recommendations are integrated into the curriculum of the program?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I am not sure what the terminology was, but earlier today I had heard somebody say, sorry if I get it wrong, but, basically, that our nursing program is a cornerstone of Aurora College. I agree that the nursing program is an example of what we should be doing and what we can be doing. The nursing program actually is one of the leaders on bringing in our Truth and Reconciliation. Things that they do: right now, it is reviewed regularly, on an annual basis, to make sure that we are taking in the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations. In year one, students take part in either an experiential based blanket exercise or a circle in the box workshop that is similar to the blanket exercise, so that is year one. In year two, our students learn on the land with elders to gain traditional knowledge skills that support cultural competency and cultural safety practices. In year three, the Bachelor of Nurses program offers the elective course; it is an elective though: Indigenous People of the Northwest Territories, and the course is 45 hours. In year four, the program works with an array of Indigenous knowledge keepers and elders who share traditional knowledge in various classes, and then right throughout the years, the students engage in their practicums, working with elders in the hospitals and care facilities. Right throughout, from the first until the fourth year, our nursing students are actually engaged in it. They are a model that we need to look at.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Having attended residential school myself here, I am glad to hear those replies from the Minister. My third question: what are the some of the learning activities that demonstrate Aurora College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing integration of TRC recommendations?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Like I had said earlier, our nursing program is actually a fine example of what we should be doing and how we can actually improve our college. Although I have to say that Aurora College is viewed by its partners as a leader in integrating our cultural competency and safety through the recommendations of the program, that may speak to the amount of speakers that we still have in the Northwest Territories and our vibrant culture that we still have, recognizing that we are losing it quickly. It is something that we need to expand on and that we need to work on, but at least we have something to build from. There are a lot of jurisdictions that are not where we are, and so I think we are a model across the country, and I hope that we can make that best practices across the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I was asking questions for the Minister responsible for WSCC, and I would like to follow up on some questions with him here today. Can the Minister responsible for WSCC explain why occupational health and safety is under the board's responsibility and not another department? What is the rationale for this alignment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Minister responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All of our departments, as a government, as I mentioned in my response to the Member's questions yesterday, we do have a focus on promoting health and safety as well as providing care and treatment for anybody who is injured that we do work for. We also have a governance council that is made up of members from both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

I just want to inform the Member of a little bit of history. Back in 1993, the safety unit was transferred from GNWT to the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission. They have been doing some great work. The staff has been working very well with our counterparts in Nunavut to make sure, as I mentioned, our mandate is to promote health and safety and provide the care and treatment for our employees and the people that we do work with. I think the rationale is that we are sticking with our mandate. All departments do have that best interest of the employee in mind, and we will continue to have WSCC and the governance council work in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I agree, and I think that the government does a great job with the occupational health and safety, and so does WSCC. Can the Minister explain if this is the common practice, to have the occupational health and safety division located within this type of organization in other jurisdictions?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

I want to thank the Member for his comments and comments towards the government and WSCC and the work and services that they do provide. In reality, Mr. Speaker, there is a mixture right across Canada. Some governments, departments, agencies, some of them are stand-alone with funding through their workers' compensation boards, and then there are some that are similar to structures as we provide here in the Northwest Territories. There is a mixture right across Canada, and I believe what we are doing here in the Northwest Territories, working with Nunavut, is a good model.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yesterday, I talked about the rates and that that the organizations and the companies have to pay and the government does. Can the Minister advise: are these rates to help pay for occupational health training courses, or is it just to deal with the administration of injured workers?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Currently, WSCC is funded through payroll assessments and investment revenues. Program development, codes of practice, educational resources, and tools are funded from the fund. The only two things that are fully funded from WSCC are first aid and WHMIS I don't want to speak on behalf of all employees, but I think, as an employer, we do provide the adequate care, treatment, services, and programs for all our employees and partners that we work with.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I'd like to thank the Minister for his answers for the first few questions. My last question: can the Minister advise us, have they done an evaluation of WSCC recently, or when is the last time it has been done?