Debates of March 3rd, 2020

This is page numbers 437 - 482 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.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Promoting Importance of Oral Health

Trades Apprenticeships

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Policy on Rent Scales

Whati Housing Plan

Affirmative Action Policy

Health System Navigator

Regulatory Change to Improve Preventative Oral Health

Implementation and Promotion of Environmental Rights Act

Indigenous Languages Promotion and Revitalization

Ms. Green's Reply

Trades Apprenticeships

Rent Scale Policy Review

Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) Legislation

Process Convention

Affirmative Action Policy

Promoting Indigenous Official Languages

Oral Health Report

Arnica Inn Transitional Housing Project

Review of Rent Scale Policy on Income Verification

Full-time Psychologist for Children and Youth for Treatment Centre

Written Question 6-19(2): Educational Facilities

Tabled Document 47-19(2): "Our Ever Awesome NWT Brushing Song!" Book by Richard Van Camp and Neiva Mateus

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Justice - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice

Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, carried

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Justice - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

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Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. One of the discussions we had late in the last Assembly was about the possibility of rewriting the standards of space provided for childcare, in order to make it more accessible. As the Minister may recall, the standard for childcare space is akin to hospital space. It's a very high quality of space that is required. Not all communities have space available in that quality of building, so is there any development at all on the idea of making the space requirements for childcare more attainable? Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. If you'll indulge me, I will go back to the Member's previous comments about the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement annual report that is done by the department. That was tabled in the last Assembly, the last year of the last Assembly, so that should be readily available. In terms of the Member's present question, yes, we are doing that work of looking at the spaces available; what type of spaces we can use; you know, looking at whether or not we can use government infrastructure, looking at how, in conjunction with the Housing Corporation, homes can be used for spaces. We have to commit to ensuring that these spaces are safe. That is the primary goal. I would not say it's akin to hospital space, but there are high standards. That being said, we are always open to looking at those standards, re-evaluating those standards. Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. At this point, we will call a 10-minute recess or break.

---SHORT RECESS

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Members, I will now call the committee back to order. Next up, we have the Member for Nunakput.

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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Education is very important across the North. Our education rates, our inclusive schooling needs across the territory, but over the course of this government's term, we will spend over $70 million in forced growth for our UNW collective bargaining compared to our $25 million that we have set aside for all of the 22 priorities that we put as 19 Members. It's only a third of what we're spending in the salaries of increases that are going to happen. You know, some of that money would have been much better and needed in early childhood and school services. Mr. Chair, it's more of a comment, but I think we have to take a step back and take a good look at what we're doing here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you to the Member for the comment.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Member for Nunakput.

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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

No. At least the Minister's hearing me loud and clear. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. The next will be the Member for Thebacha.

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Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to ask a question to the Minister with regard to the territorial support team, and how many times they go into the communities. Because it's a territorial support team, I would like to know how many times they come to the community of Fort Smith?

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. It's on a referral basis, so it's not scheduled visits. It's based on the needs of the community. For some detail, I can go to the deputy minister. Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister.

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Mueller

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The territorial team is available to all schools and all education bodies. It is based on referrals. What they do is they indicate through their superintendent a particular child that they would like to have help and support with. Often, it's initiated by the principal, and the program support teacher, and the classroom teacher. That support comes in a variety of ways. If the team is needed onsite, they'll go onsite. Often, they're helping through video conferencing and through teleconferencing as well, so that's daily. They might have multiple meetings with different schools, talking about different supports for various students. Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Member for Thebacha.

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Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I guess a territorial support team, they're very hard to find qualified people like psychologists and a whole team to go into, to have a team in every community which is ideal and that will never happen, but if the territorial support team is only done by referral, I think there should be a more organized group. The group should actually be doing every month or every two months, at least, into the community. When they're not there, I'm just wondering if the special needs children, the autism and all the special needs that we have at schools, are being financially looked after in a different way.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. I appreciate what the Member is saying. It would be nice if we had the resources to send the team out to the regions on a regular basis, but the fact is, they just don't have the time. We don't have enough people. This is intended to augment what's already going on in the community, not to replace that. It's not the only service that these students would be getting. It's valuable. For the students who need it, it's very, very valuable for the students, the parents, and the teachers. I would love to do what the Member is asking and get them out into the different communities on a regular basis, but the fact is that we just don't have the power to do that, the number of people that we would need to do that. Thank you.

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The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.

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Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I'd like to ask the Minister: how could you call this a territorial support team if they're not able to go into the communities?

Debates of March 3rd, 2020

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