Thank you, Madam Chair. These 22 actually address 22 of 23 of the smaller communities. There is one community that is not interested at this point. We would have expanded it, but at this point, they did not want it. At this point, we are not really looking at expanding it to 33 communities, and the reason why is that we are looking at the integrated case management model. If that works, then that would be the new initiative for the government versus having it a one-stop shop. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Debates of Feb. 11th, 2021
This is page numbers 1945 - 1988 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
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Can I just clarify? Is it the integrated case management model, or is it the integrated service delivery model? Are they thinking of taking kind of the ICM shop and expanding that throughout the territory, or is it more of a service delivery model for the entire Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. It is called the integrated service delivery model. At this point, we are just looking through it and seeing where we go with it, but it has shown success so far. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I got very excited there for a second, thinking we were putting ICM everywhere. No. I definitely a hundred percent support the initiative for the integrated service delivery model to be expanded throughout the GNWT and used with all of our front-line services. That's a big change, and that is going to take time, to change the way that all front-line services deliver services to the people of the Northwest Territories. In the meantime, would EIA be willing to, in communities that are willing to accept one, put a GSO so that people have an interim position that can help them navigate government systems? Thank you.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this point, we are not looking at expanding our government service offices except for the communities that are in it, unless the one small community was interested. At that point, we would look at it. Again, we are looking at different service delivery models. Madam Chair, the smaller communities do not have the resources; they do not have people, and so that was our priority. The larger communities have NGOs; they have many different departments. At this point, with 22 priorities, expanding that would not be a priority at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I will respectfully disagree that, even though we have services here in Yellowknife, people have a really hard time navigating them and don't necessarily find open doors and don't necessarily find the right doors. While there are services here in Yellowknife, they are not always being able to be accessed by people. I agree we do have 22 priorities, but I do believe that people being able to access government services helps us achieve many of those priorities. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I just get some more explanation on what the government service officers are allowed to do? Are they also cross-appointed as Income Assistance officers; can they approve housing; or do they simply just bring you to the services and help you fill out the forms? Do they actually have the authority to approve applications for other departments? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. They aren't multi-faceted that they would do the housing applications and the income support. That's a whole bunch of skilled things here. Actually, the referral person, it's basically for smaller communities. It's to help people such as our elders who struggle with English, struggle with accessing services. They will tell people what services they might be able to qualify. They will get them the forms to apply. They will help them apply and fill out the forms if they're needed. They will do faxing, et cetera. They are not income support or housing workers, so they send them to the departments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's also my understanding that government service officers also help with Service Canada and they are, in fact, partially funded by the federal government. Can I just get an update whether we are still getting federal government money for these positions? Thank you.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. Actually, that was a really exciting thing that happened, I believe it was last year or the year before. Yes. Currently, we are still getting the funding from the federal government, again, because the federal government access to programs is probably even a little bit more complicated than the Government of the Northwest Territories. They have worked in partnership with us, and now those government service officers have the ability to assist people in smaller communities to access federal programs, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. Has there been a recent labour evaluation of the government service officers? I think we kind of just put a lot of half-time positions and a few full-time positions in communities, and there wasn't really any evaluation done of how much work. I know some of the community workers are extremely overworked, and I think that, perhaps, it's time to relook at some labour adjustments here. Is that work being done? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Committee Motion 76-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department (page 137), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1960
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will turn that to our deputy minister, Martin Goldney.