Mr. Speaker, public servants can improve the lives of Northerners if they are empowered to do so. Yellowknifers have told me they experience frustration navigating government department, especially during high stress, multi-dimensional life changes. Housing and Education, Culture and Employment income assistance are the two areas causing the most frustration for my constituents. Earlier this year, Justice released the integrated case management social review on investment report. Women were slightly overrepresented at 54 percent of the program participants, while 78 percent self-identified as Indigenous. One in four participants were homeless; 80 percent unemployed; 89 percent had housing needs; and 83 percent required with income assistance.
The most common challenges clients faced were mental health, violence, food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty. The ICM social review found that common barriers to services in the NWT included cumbersome program requirements, late payments from income assistance, lack of person-centred approach, lack of communication among service providers, lost or missing documentation, delays in response from front-line workers, and service gaps. At the end of the day, much of the success of the ICM program can be traced to a public service ability to refer clients to the right programs with respect, fair access, and a client-centred or trauma-informed practice.
Mr. Speaker, government must always strive to improve its service delivery. Making the ICM program available in every community is one way to do this, but more needs to be done. Front-line staff must be empowered to do their jobs well. They must have processes for dealing with clients that need to cross departmental boundary. They must be trained in a corporate culture of help, respect, facilitation for client, rather than as gatekeepers. This changed approach in customer service also has a direct impact on our bottom line. One Canadian study found that malnutrition cost the healthcare system an additional 16 to 76 percent per year per person. Based on this estimate, food insecurity in the Northwest Territories could increase healthcare costs from $2,080 to $9,880 per person per year, ensuring that public servants administering housing and income security programs are empowered to work together is imperative to our health and fiscal success.
The NWT has a long history of government acting as the gatekeeper for access to information, program, and services. I believe that my colleagues on Cabinet want change in the system as much as I do, Mr. Speaker. To achieve this, Cabinet must ensure employees are empowered to apply discretion in their job, that the correct processes are in place, and that the public service knows its top responsibility is to provide service to the public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.