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.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

[Translation] When we are speaking in our language, without the interpreters, if we don't use our language, we will lose our language. I would like to ask the Minister at this time [Translation ends] [microphone turned off] ...partnerships in the past over the years, even through the Language Bureau back in 1990s, what is the responsibility of Indigenous governments or organizations on the language interpreter training? I understand that there are set allocated funds to these groups. Are there set targets on an annual basis, five-year, 10-year plan, to produce these qualified interpreters from the region?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I don't believe there are target numbers. It's a difficult area to create those sort of metrics for. There is money that flows through ECE directly to Indigenous governments, and they are free to do what they wish with it. They use it for language training, all sorts of different events. We don't have control over what targets they might set. We do have our action plan to help revitalize languages. In that, we lay out a number of steps we want to take to help get to that point.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

The Minister alluded to an action plan. Obviously, I would like to see that plan of action from ECE, more specifically on interpreter training that is available to us. On another note, I talk about short-term, long-term goals of this ECE department with respect to working with the Indigenous governments' organizations. Question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: I understand that there is a five-year language plan. What is the status on this plan?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I can get back to the Member with more specifics on that. I actually have the second half of my languages briefing scheduled for next week. I know that we are partway through that plan. It was only a few years ago that the department really put together this division and created this NWT Indigenous languages framework and action plan because we recognized the need for concrete action. There are languages that, within 10 years, could just be not spoken anymore unless we take some serious action.

There are a number of things that have been done. We have scholarships for students who wish to learn languages. We have a mentor-apprentice program to help partner people together with fluent speakers to help them gain fluency. We are looking at additional programs that we might be able to develop. We have a partnership with the University of Victoria, which has a long history and a lot of experience in developing language programs, to help us get to that next step, as well. We support language programs in communities. I know in Inuvik, there is the Gwich'in immersion program. There are immersion programs in Fort Providence. There are immersion programs in the Tlicho area. There are multiple things going on around the territory.

This is one part of the department. There are some people who say that culture should be its own department; Language and culture should be its own department because it is very important. I want to assure the Member that it is an area I am focusing on. I think it's vital to the success of the territory as a whole. Language is the foundation of culture. I am fully committed to doing whatever we can to help revitalize it.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Minister is recognizing the importance of language and cultural preservation. It should be. I fully support a stand-alone department. My final question, basically, is: we do have interpreters here in our booths, as you know, with so many years of experience. Most of them are on the verge of retirement. I would like to know if there is a plan in place, either now or if the department is working on one, that can be provided to me. In the next five years, next 10 years, how is that going to look? We have valuable services here. They are going to be retiring sooner than later. We need to be ready for that for the community. Is there a plan in place, or is the department working on that, as well? Masi.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

There is a plan. There is an action plan. I can get the Member more information. Just to let you know, the department is very supportive of this. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the GNWT provided $20.4 million for Indigenous language education initiatives, and 5.9 of that was federally funded. The vast majority of that comes from the territorial government. A quarter of the funding was distributed directly to regional Indigenous governments for language revitalization initiatives; $9 million was committed to implementing NWT action plan that I spoke of earlier; and $11.6 million was allocated to implementing the Indigenous language in education policy, which supports the development of Indigenous languages in schools. There is a lot of work that is happening. I wish we could say we were further along. One of the important things we need is partnerships. We need speakers. We need people to want to get into these programs and learn the language. Part of this is talking about the importance of it and trying to get our youth involved, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, with over 2,800 units, is by far the Northwest Territories' landlords. My concern is: should the COVID virus become a full-on pandemic with outbreaks across the Northwest Territories, I do not want to see people getting eviction orders when they have been told to self-isolate. I think, if this should become a pandemic, we are going to see increasingly people struggling to pay their rent. My question is to the Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation: should we have a pandemic with cases across the Northwest Territories, is the Housing Corporation prepared to stop evicting people?

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation has taken an approach as an emergency effect right now to deal with the COVID-19 virus. We are working as a government, together as one. We will find solutions for these situations going forward. We will be looking at the eviction notices, as well. In case we need to find alternative units, we will have to end up looking at hotels for our applicants going forward. Right now, we won't be evicting anybody. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

I am very happy to hear that. I do hope that we do not get to that point where this is a pandemic across the Northwest Territories. I leave that up to the facts. My next question is: I am also concerned there is an issue with homelessness across the Northwest Territories, and our most vulnerable may also be our most immunocompromised who may not be able to find a place to self-isolate. Can the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation speak to the plans to address our homeless population should a full pandemic occur?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Member, for bringing up your concern, because we have to think of something very quickly in emergency plans going forward. It's something that we are working strategically at and within our approach. We are looking at the homeless population, as well, and we are going to try our best in what solutions we come up with, and how we could possibly be able to accommodate our homeless population. We are paying very strong attention to this concern, and we will be taking it to the next level.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

I guess my question is: should a pandemic occur across the Northwest Territories, has the Housing Corporation and the Minister reached out to shelters? If possible, is it possible to secure hotel rooms for the homeless population?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

We are looking at solutions throughout the Northwest Territories, and we are looking at the smaller communities, as well, where we have limited accommodations and actually nowhere where we can actually put the clients in right now. Looking at the hotel rooms that are available, we need to start gathering and getting those numbers together, because I am not sure right now at the moment at what the availability is. I will follow up with the Member with those numbers.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have many seniors in my riding of Yellowknife Centre, so I would like to ask the Minister of Health what kind of precautions the department has advised for organizations, including the Department of Health, who provide long-term care for seniors. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we speak, our Chief Public Health Officer is currently meeting with the seniors and reaching out here in Northwest Territories to Avens and other places to have a discussion on the importance of ensuring the visitors and the people who are coming in and how important, you know, to sanitize, and it is just really important. I mean, you look at this virus, and it is our seniors who are most vulnerable, so we are taking precautions and we are reaching out to our seniors, as it is very important. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you to the Minister for that. Is it the case, then, that there could be special precautions put in place to protect the people who are most at risk from this disease?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

You know, we need to ensure that there is limited access. I mean that is so important when we have people wanting to come and visit our elders who are in their facilities and, you know, it is our nature, it is our people who want to go and visit their elders, make sure they are okay. Our department is just reaching out to ensure that these places have limited access. I mean, although we do want to ensure that there is family who are able to come and continue meeting with their seniors, we just want to ensure the limited access piece.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. As we sit here in the House, we are getting all kinds of messages as well about this whole COVID-19. One question I have is: we have cancelled most or all the trips outside the NWT, but we still have people coming into the Northwest Territories. Is there a plan in place to deal with that matter? I am not sure if it will be to Health or Justice or the Deputy Premier, Mr. Speaker; I will leave it to you. Masi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. Deputy Premier.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This COVID-19 virus is an interdepartmental approach, and we are all working hard with our teams and we have messages that are just, we need to be consistent. I just want to defer the question over to our Minister of Justice and Finance to talk about what is some of the work that is being done in regard to the virus. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.