This is page numbers 2121 - 2162 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.

Topics

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

A call for expressions of interest will be released in April. Any proposal will be looked at by a men's healing fund committee based on the application guidelines that we are developing. That work is under way.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

In 2016, there was a men's A New Day evaluation report done. I am wondering if there will be an evaluation report done on the work that has been done by the John Howard Society since then and if either of those reports will be used in order to form the terms of reference for the financing going forward.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

This is still quite early in the process. Of course, we want to use the results of reviews to inform how we want to go forward. I think that it has been maybe six or seven years now that this program has been running in different forms. Still, a lot has been learned. I think we can see that there have been some issues with the program over the past few years. We have seen the length of it is a problem. It's probably not the best program to be run in the North. We will try and avoid those pitfalls. That being said, we want this to be community-driven and really empower local communities to come up with some local solutions and assist where we can.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if the Minister will commit to consulting with the Standing Committee on Social Development for the terms for that expression of interest, so that local, community-driven MLAs can have some input into that. Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I can send those off and request feedback from the standing committee, but the plan right now is really to have it community-driven and not have it necessarily dictated. That being said, there has to be some sort of structure around it, so we can definitely collaborate in that sense. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, our time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the Commissioner's address. Item 11, petitions. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of returning Fort Smith Regional Airport runway to former specifications.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 550 signatures, including 127 electronic signatures and 344 written signatures of Northwest Territories residents, and Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories return the main airport runway at Fort Smith airport to its former width for reasons of public safety and economic growth.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I have a short presentation. Further to my Member's statement earlier today, this petition was started in January of 2021, and it contains a total of 550 signatures. There are 352 handwritten signatures, along with 198 electronic signatures, and 79 signatures came from people residing outside of the NWT, though I will add that most of the outside signatures came from people who used to reside in Fort Smith or were born and raised in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, I must admit that today, as I present this petition, I am feeling a sense of validation in my ongoing efforts to restore the Fort Smith airport runway to its former specifications. As I said in my Member's statement, I am no longer the lone voice vocalizing support to restore the Fort Smith airport runway. I am now joined with the support of 550 people who agree with my efforts. During our caucus retreat last year, Mr. Speaker, a meeting was held on August 31st. I just want to recap that meeting. This email was sent that very night after the meeting by Brian Harrold, who is the owner of Northwestern Air Lease.

It says: "Dear Frieda, just a quick recap on our meeting today. Thank you for inviting Minister Simpson and for listening to our concerns. As I had mentioned at the meeting, the narrowing of the airport has had several impacts on the town and Northwestern Air Lease. When Northwestern Air Lease had decided to start a flight training school, we had predicted some of our mitigations for a safe operation at a 200-foot-wide runway. This allows the students significantly more room for error on takeoffs and landings. As we had discussed, by narrowing the runway, the number and type of large aircraft that could be used in the event of an emergency evacuation has been severely limited.

"I understand that the Boeing 737 manufacturer states that the Boeing 737 aircraft can operate from a narrower runway. However, both WestJet and Air Canada have procedures that will not allow their aircraft to land on any runway narrower than 149 feet. This is why Fort Smith is no longer usable as an alternate airport due to bad weather. This means that the only 737 aircraft that can take part in an evacuation would be the Canadian North 373-200. This will limit the aircraft that would take part in an evacuation and would leave the evacuation to the military and Canadian north for the large aircraft, and the rest would have to be with ATR's Dash 7s and Dash 8s. This could mean a large number of aircraft trying to depart or arrive in poor conditions." This was an excerpt from the whole email that was sent by Brian Harrold.

Mr. Speaker, there is one aspect of this petition that was particularly concerning for me and for several other interested people who considered to sign this petition. I was told by a number of Government of the Northwest Territories employees that their supervisors had discouraged them or were trying to prevent people from signing this petition. Upon hearing this, I reached out to the Minister responsible for Human Resources and asked her if this was, in fact, true. She told me that there was no such direction given. This indicates a serious lack of clarity from the Department of Human Resources about the Government of the Northwest Territories signing this petition. This petition is not going against any government policy. This petition is about the safety and economic wellbeing of the community of Fort Smith.

My duty to present this petition to the Government of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly on behalf of the amazing community of Fort Smith is an honour. I appreciate all the support I got from the community and will continue to work extremely hard to find solutions to this unnecessary situation with the airport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Petitions. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Justice.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 4-19(2): Report on the Review of the 2018-2019 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report;" "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 5-19(2): Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 559-19(2): FASD Support Services in NWT Correctional Facilities." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 502-19(2): Seniors Housing;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 538-19(2): Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Safe and Secure Housing." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, motions. Item 17, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act; Committee Report 8-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020; Committee Report 9-19(2): Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election; Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co‐Investment Fund; Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 167-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; and Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, with the Member for Hay River South in the chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. O'Reilly.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, with Health and Social Services. Mahsi.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

I will call the committee back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Minister of Health and Social Services have any opening remarks?

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, Mr. Chair, I do.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Please proceed.

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here to present the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $74.8 million or 14.3 percent over the 2020-2021 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the department while continuing to meet the Government of the Northwest Territories' fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

  • $34.6 million for the COVID-19 Coordinating Secretariat;
  • $13.1 million for initiatives, which include resources to increase front-line capacity in Child and Family Services, resources to continue with the establishment of the NWT school and community child and youth care counsellors in our communities, and resources to expand Healthy Family programming;
  • $10.7 million to address forced growth;
  • $9.2 million for projects in partnership with federal agencies such as Indigenous Services Canada, including the Northern Wellness Agreement and the First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care agreement; and,
  • $8.5 million to fund 24/7 operational staffing costs in Health and Social Services programming, forced growth at Avens, and the expansion of the dialysis unit in Hay River.

The department is also planning for a $558,000 decrease due to sunsetting agreements with funding partners.

These estimates continue to support priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly by:

  • increasing supports for meeting health and wellness needs and priorities of Indigenous people;
  • supports to increase mental health services to youth in schools and communities throughout the NWT;
  • increased supports for mental wellness and addictions recovery; and
  • improving early childhood development indicators through expansion of the Healthy Family Program to support expecting parents and parents with young children.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

The committee has agreed to consider the activity "COVID secretariat" first. Does the Premier wish to bring witnesses into the House?