This is page numbers 709 - 738 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 going.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 711

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my constituent Sophia Lagenais(ph) for being a Page in the Assembly during this sitting, and I would like to thank all the Pages for the work they've done for us. Thank you.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 711

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I rise to welcome my Pages from Sachs Harbour, Tony and Rylan. Thank you for doing a good job here this week. I really enjoyed having them in the House, here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 711

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. If we have missed anyone in the gallery, I'd like to welcome you all to the Chamber. It's always great to have an audience with us today, and thank you to all the Pages for all the work you've done over the last week. A lot of help you've been for the Members, and we really appreciate it. Thank you. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I rise again in regard to COVID-19, and the concerns that I have for my constituents in Nunakput and across the Beaufort-Delta, and across the territory. Will the Minister be giving direction to the district education authorities to shut down two weeks after the kids are back from their spring break? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is following the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer, and the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer is not to shut down the schools. I don't even have the authority to shut down the schools. I can't tell the DEAs or the DECs to shut down the schools. Legislatively, it's just not in my toolbox. The DEAs and DECs do have the authority, though, to close schools temporarily for public safety issues, so if they believe that there is a public safety issue, then they have that ability, but it's not being recommended at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

That's not what I want to hear. We have [inaudible] like they do in the South, here. We have to make a stand in regard to this COVID-19. People are worried; people are panicked. The thing is, I'm not trying to put people into a panic, but I'm just making sure that, when the teachers are coming back from the South, or anybody coming back from the South for spring break, if the DEA says, okay, we're going to shut down the school for two weeks after, making sure that the teachers get paid and the Minister supports the local DEAs on that call.

Question 198-19(2): COVID-19 and School Closures
Oral Questions

March 13th, 2020

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

It doesn't matter if I support them or not. They have the right to do that. I just want to let everyone know that this is a very serious concern. I take this very seriously, as do all the Cabinet Ministers. This has been our lives for the last little while, now. This is what we're focused on, is making preparations for this. There are a lot of concerns about blanket closures of schools. It can't be overstated, the types of socioeconomic impacts that closing a school can have on a community. There are childcare concerns. It would mean people would have to stay home from work. Some of those people might be healthcare workers, and they might not be able to go in and do the work that they need to, right now. So there are a lot of factors to consider, and I don't want to say that schools will be open forever. There are situations where they could be closed, but that is not my call to make. We are relying on the advice of the chief public health officer.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Well, I'm making a stand right now. As MLA for Nunakput, I am going to be talking to my local DEAs and requesting them to shut down the school for two weeks for the self-isolation when the people come back from the South, to self-isolate. Will the Minister commit today that there will be no harm in pay, or anything? Will the Minister support this? Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I can't overreach my legislative authority. Education is delivered by the education councils. That's one of the reasons why I'm looking at reforming the Education Act so that, perhaps, if this happens again, I would be able to stand up here and say I have the authority to do some of these things that the Member is asking.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I didn't get the answer I wanted. Will the Minister support the local DEAs on their decision that they make? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Like I said, we are relying on the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer. If the DEA makes decisions in line with that advice, then I would fully support it. If not, we'd have to look at it on a case-by-case basis. This is not something I can just stand up here and say, "yes" or "no." There are a lot of variables here. This is not a black-and-white situation. My number one concern is the safety, not just of the children, but of the community, because it's not necessarily the children who are affected by COVID-19; it's the elders in the community. I think that, as a government, the discussions we've had, we are doing everything in our power to ensure the safety of the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to continue on some of the questions for the Minister of ECE. I just want to know if the department of education has reached out to the Beaufort Delta Education Council and the DEAs or their staff to have a plan for next week when the teachers start returning, and the families. It's not just teachers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a meeting today, I believe at 1:30. The deputy minister and the departmental staff are going to be having a meeting with all of the superintendents, including those from the Beaufort-Delta. There has been contact over the past few days, as well. Those conversations are happening. I'm making sure they're happening.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Can the Minister also tell me how the department will ensure, if the schools aren't closed, that the most vulnerable are kept safe? For example, we have a lot of elders who work in our school. We have a high number of people who have chronic illnesses, students and staff. What the plan is for them, as well, if they're working in the school?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

That is what is being worked on as we speak. Those are the kinds of plans that we're putting in place. There were protocols in place for the H1N1 outbreak years back. Those are being updated. I know the elders are especially vulnerable. I can't speak for the Chief Public Health Officer, and I'm not going to give medical advice, but I would imagine he would want elders to stay away from places where they could contract this virus.

All of the work is being done. This has been a very fast-moving situation, and nothing is off the table right now. Looking forward, I'm willing to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure safety.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

The question that I also have is: will the Minister work with the department of health to make sure that there is somebody in each of the communities who can educate the DEAs? Because the DEAs are regular people in the community. If they are having to have the power to do this, to make this decisions, or our regional council, they need to have some one-on-one time with a health professional who can actually give them the education to make the call. I would like to see if the two Ministers will commit to having that conversation with our DEAs in the regional board.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

The superintendents work with the DEAs and the DECs, and we have been working closely with them to get that information out so that they can disseminate it. The deputy ministers are meeting on a daily basis regarding this, and they are taking advice from the Chief Public Health Officer, and they are disseminating that advice through the proper channels. I can't commit health staff to do one-on-one work with all the DEAs because I'm not sure what the health staff are up to, but I can talk to my Cabinet colleague. Getting information to the people who need that information is a priority.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you. That's not really a commitment to me. I just feel that there needs to be somebody. I know the Beaufort Delta Education Council can set up teleconferences if they had somebody there where the local DEAs or the regional chairs could sit and ask those questions, because they may have more questions than the information being provided. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.