This is page numbers 1111 - 1152 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

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake, did you have any further questions? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. The Member for Kam Lake already asked some of the questions I had for the mental health, so thank you for that. I do know that, for mental health and wellness, it's so important for these monies to be allocated the way they are. We still have lots of people who are suffering. We have kids helpline. We have residential helplines and stuff. I'm just wondering right now how this is going to be allocated in terms of are there going to be helplines? Is this going to go towards helplines in the North?

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I assume we're still talking about the $280,000. With respect to that particular item, I don't have any information that helplines, in particular, have been targeted for funding through this program. Rather, again, that it is meant to support the meeting costs within certain 15 communities as well as some community training so that they can be better placed to provide those group meeting settings. I don't have any information about any helpline funding specifically. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

[Microphone turned off] ...Madam Chair. For me, like I said, this kind of hits home for me. I've lost a couple of uncles to suicide and stuff like that. I wish we had these back then, but we didn't. We do now, which is really good. It's good to see some of these proactive measures taking place. I'd just like to know how much overlap would be, say, with residential healing. They have a lot of helplines and monies being allocated through Health Canada. I know that's being put in place. I'm just wondering how much funding is being put into these programs from the federal government and how much help are we getting from the government for these programs?

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, this $280,000 specifically is entirely GNWT funded. That certainly isn't to say that there is not funding that is already existing within the Health and Social Services system for mental health that is from the federal government. I don't know that I would have all of that here available in front of me, but I can certainly convey to the Minister of Health and Social Services that we might want a bit more information on that exact issue. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Did you have more questions? No? Member for Kam Lake, since you didn't use up all your time.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you for letting me double dip, Madam Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister can please provide just an outline of what recommendations they plan to be able to implement from the healthy families program for the $600,000? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. The intended actions that would flow from this money are expected to include the development of a Healthy Family Program framework and implementation plan, which will include a made-in-the-North curriculum, so Northwest Territories focused quite specifically. As well, Madam Chair, expanding the Healthy Family Program and Early Childhood Intervention Program so that there are five additional communities who will now benefit from that program. That will hopefully be happening over the next four years, including three regional coordinator positions. Finally, that the new curriculum, of course, we'll need to provide training. Once that new curriculum is in place this will also support establishing training for staff who are working with child and families in those communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake, anything further?

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Just one final question, I promise. The Minister mentioned that there would be now be five additional communities that this would be expanded to. What is the total number of communities that this is present in? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, we were just conferring on this side, and we think it may actually only be in Yellowknife at the present moment. If I'm wrong, Madam Chair, I will correct myself in due course. I think right now it's actually still just only in Yellowknife or possibly Inuvik, too.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. All right, do we have any further questions, comments under this section? Health and social programs, not previously authorized, $8,413,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

[Microphone turned off] ...we started with quorum, we still have quorum. [Microphone turned off] ...as long as we start with quorum. Long term and continuing care services, $7,391,000, not previously authorized. Questions? comments? No questions, comments. Long term and continuing care services, not previously authorized, $7,391,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Total department, $16,209,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, committee. We will now turn to page 9. We are now considering the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, and will proceed to the detail on this page. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2020-2021, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, activity, economic diversification and business support, not previously authorised, $450,000. Questions? Comments? Seeing none. Economic diversification and business support, not previously authorized, $450,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Member

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Minerals and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $360,000. Questions? Comments? Member for Frame Lake.