This is page numbers 1035 - 1054 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 health.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate there is a steering committee and there is a process. My concern here is that, if you go look at the budget right now, there are published graphs and reports that no doubt someone created with underlying data. Every time I see one of those, I have to request, "Can I get that underlying data that actually make up this chart?" I'm not asking for information that's not already public. The way that this would be done, in my opinion, is: we have an information management and technological policy manual. It requires all sorts of things: translation, same look and feel. Every single report we have has numerous requests. It would simply have a policy in there that, when data is published in a final format, the underlying data is included. Will the Minister include a policy like that? I know there are some details to it, but I'm looking for a commitment that such a policy will be developed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

I would love to give another really quick answer. Let me go so far as to say "yes, probably." However, what I'm concerned about is: the example being given is the budget, which is certainly numerical, very quantitative, and in that regard, probably much easier to simply turn around into excel spreadsheets. In speaking about whenever the government puts out information, that opens up a door that I'm not prepared to make that commitment to. In some regard, yes, there should be a policy to make government information more accessible, easier. When it's quantified like a budget, that's not a problem. I'm not going to extend that quite entirely to being every single time there is a report made. Certainly, to a certain degree, I do agree with the position that some of this information needs to be made more accessible. 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. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. In the fall, I questioned the Minister and the Premier on an action plan for the NWT. Yesterday, it was confirmed that they are waiting for a national action plan. Last night, Crown Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett was questioned in the House of Commons about the inaction of a national action plan. I quote her, "All the provinces and territories are working on their plans that will be lifted up into a national action plan." My question is: I ask again, will the government begin work on an MMIWG NWT action plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have read the report and saw the article. We have a special advisor who reports under the EIA, the Office of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. We are working closely to ensure that we get on the calls for justice. We have a plan that is called doing our part. This is something that our government needs to take seriously. This is something that, as Minister responsible for the Status of Women, is something that I will bring to Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

With the Northwest Territories being a leader in a lot of areas, will the Northwest Territories lead this, and will the GNWT prioritize the calls for justice by finding staff, even within, to accomplish this work?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

This is something that I will bring to Cabinet. It's something that, if the Member would like to have a discussion on how we, as a government, can go about supporting this, there is a working group. The Department of Justice, Department of Health and Social Services, housing, EIA, we have a working group that continues to acknowledge the action plan. It is something that we will look at.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Yesterday, the question was asked, and there was commitment on an annual report. We're going to need staff. We're going to need someone to put this report together. Will you be able to have these staff in place to present an annual report of progress on this file for at least our October sitting?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

This is something that we can work with the department of EIA. I agree that we do need supports. It will take a lot of work to pull together the report. This is something that, if we need to go back to EIA and request additional support, that is something I will do.

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. My last question will be: as a working group, who is going to lead this working group, and will you, as a Minister, lead this working group so that we can commit to ensure that we have an NWT action plan before we are done our four years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

We have a special advisor, and I will work closely with her. I am also the Minister of Health and Social Services going through a pandemic. That's no excuse. I will put a lot more effort into the status of women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, monsieur le President. Early in this sitting, I raised the issue of a pan-territorial travel zone with the Premier. Today, on CBC, it was reported that the Nunavut Health Minister, along with the Chief Public Health Officer in Nunavut, announced that there is going to be a travel bubble between the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. We had the Minister of Health on the floor of this House today say that there is not going to be a bubble with the Yukon, because they're going to open up with BC. I would like to ask the Premier: what's going on with all of this, and why are we finding out about this in the media and on the floor of the House, instead of being informed as Regular MLAs, about this pan-territorial travel zone? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Honourable Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were negotiations going on. There weren't negotiations; there were talks going on. That is the problem with having different tables, Mr. Speaker. I was talking. I brought it forth to the Premiers at our northern Premier meeting. In reality, I hadn't yet spoken to our Chief Public Health Officer. The Chief Public Health Officer has the whole authority over the borders. I'm clear with that; it can't be fettered. I thought we'd start this discussion just by bringing to the Premiers, and then I would bring it to the Chief Public Health Officer. At the same time, though, unknown to me, Mr. Speaker, the Chief Public Health Officers were also meeting with the three territories because someone else, I guess, had put it in their head. The decisions had been made through the Chief Public Health Officers, but in honesty, Mr. Speaker, Premiers have just found out today. I just found out, as well. My staff are working on an emergency call with the northern Premiers right now to discuss it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I am sorry that I had to put the Premier on the hot spot, but when I am finding out these things on the floor of the House and in the media, there is a lot of public interest in this. Can the Premier, then, explain what is going on? Is there a travel bubble now with Nunavut, and what is the situation with Yukon?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Again, I am just actually finding out myself what's going on with it. The Chief Public Health Officers have been working closely together. It is the Premiers who have to have those discussions. We only meet once a week, and sometimes, that doesn't work with the Chief Public Health Officers' meetings. We had negotiations or talks at the table to see if there was interest. There was interest in all three. Since we had that first discussion, though, Mr. Speaker, there was a new revelation that Yukon -- as we were talking about three territories, all three territories had locked down borders, and then the Yukon actually announced that they are now having to deal with the BC government, which put a different spin on it. Those are discussions we still have to have as Premiers, although recognizing it is the Chief Public Health Officer's authority. I can't remember the rest of the question, so I will sit down.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I want to thank the Premier for that. It sounded a lot like her response to the first question I had. I guess what I want to know clearly from the Premier is: is there a travel bubble through the public health order process between Nunavut and Northwest Territories, and what is the situation with Yukon?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

My understanding from the Chief Public Health Officer report is that it will be with Nunavut. It's not with the Yukon at this time. There will be an announcement next week on it. However, the opening of the borders actually will take a little bit more work. It's not something that you can just do in one day. There will be background work that needs to be done to open up those borders.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier for that. What I would like to seek now is a commitment from the Premier that she is going to provide us with an update following her emergency meeting with the other two Premiers that she says she is going to have this evening. Look, I understand that the Chief Public Health Officers are independent. That is what we want; we want them independent of everybody, including Cabinet, quite frankly, during a pandemic and an emergency. I would like to seek a commitment from the Premier that she will provide an update to us as Regular MLAs, perhaps later this evening after she has had a chance to chat with her colleagues on either side of our border. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

There are a couple of issues. I will provide the MLAs an update, but I can't commit to it being this evening. Two issues, Mr. Speaker: one is that my staff are still trying to arrange that emergency meeting. I'm not sure if the Premiers are just finding out because of this meeting here. The other thing, Mr. Speaker, I'm going through some family stuff, serious family stuff at this point, so I will not commit. I need to have a day off after I have this meeting to deal with my family issues, and I will deal with you tomorrow. Serious family issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.