This is page numbers 1843 - 1902 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

Medical Detoxification
Members' Statements

Page 1845

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I am tired. At times, I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. Daily, I speak with residents of this territory, my constituents and others, about the declining state of their mental health and their struggles with accessing help from the system. These calls and messages start first thing in the morning and can go until I fall asleep at night. Last night was no exception.

Yesterday, I spent hours talking with a resident who works in addictions. Their client, a chronic alcoholic at the end of their rope and shaking, spoke those words every addictions counsellor wants to hear: I am ready to get help. Off the counsellor went, and they arrived at the emergency room to get help. After several hours, close to midnight, the client was admitted to emergency, but the nurse tells the counsellor, "We can't admit them to the hospital. There are no beds. They will be discharged at 6:30 a.m. I am sorry. The system is broken."

While COVID-19 has caused so much tragedy around the world, with people unable to spend time with their loved ones, and so much death, the indirect impacts of the disease are only amplifying the cracks in our fragile social network, cracks that are quickly becoming vast sinkholes. The consumption of alcohol and drugs has increased across the territory over the last year, and in the last month, the NWT lost access to three southern treatment centres due to COVID outbreaks. No one treatment centre fits all, so we had people who desperately needed an inpatient program and could not get it. Had we already established our own northern in-patient treatment program, this needless suffering would not have occurred.

To make matters worse, it is a requirement of some treatment programs that patients be medically detoxed before patients are admitted. As I discovered last night, patients are often left on their own to take this important, medically critical step; a step that, if not done correctly, can lead to seizures and death. Unless they can prove they are a threat to themselves and be admitted to the psychiatric ward, our vulnerable people are given an office number to receive non-medical supports, open during standard business hours, Monday to Friday.

When will this Minister acknowledge that we have a medical crisis at hand regarding addictions and mental health? How can we continue to encourage people to seek help only to leave them unsupported when they do? Every time the system fails our vulnerable population, it erodes any trust that may have been developed and only drives our residents deeper into the cycle of addiction that they cannot escape. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Medical Detoxification
Members' Statements

Page 1846

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Eulogy for Susan Deneyoua
Members' Statements

Page 1846

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to honour and remember a constituent from Fort Simpson, Ms. Susan Marie Deneyoua. Susan passed away on December 16, 2020. I would like to thank her niece, Sharen Mandeville, and her sister for helping me put this together.

Susan was born on January 10, 1966, to Henry and Bella Deneyoua. She was to celebrate her 55th birthday this year. Susan had four brothers and five sisters. She went to school at Bompas Hall and TSS. Susan was a hard worker all her life. Growing up, her mom would ask her to sew, even though she was left-handed. She had a hard time holding thread, but she was ambitious and very determined. She enjoyed sewing uppers for others. She was one of the lucky ones who was taught the proper way of tanning a moose hide by her mother and father. It was hard work for her parents to scrape and twist the moose hide, and she was right there helping them.

She has a son, his name is Brandon, who I had the pleasure of coaching. Brandon and Nelsonia Lacorne blessed Susan with a grandson, Branson, who is now three years old. She cherished and loved her grandson a lot. She loved the outdoors. Picking berries was her favourite in the fall. Susan and her niece Sharen would get buckets full of berries and compete with each other.

Susan met Rufus Sanguez from Jean Marie River, and they worked together doing contract work at Sambaa Ke Park in the summers, also cutting and hauling wood. She was a very hard worker and couldn't sit down very long. She loved cooking and washing and hanging clothes outside. She used a thing called a wringer washer, can you believe that, still to this day.

There are so many fond memories of Susan. Her niece shared memories of them cruising around in her truck, and she would be teasing her. She'd slap her leg and say "how sick" and burst out laughing. Her laughter was infectious, and they'd laugh till they both said their stomach was sore. I had the pleasure of talking to Susan numerous times and she spoke her mind, and she was always about the people. Mr. Speaker, with deep regret, I will have to say that Susan will be sadly missed by us all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Eulogy for Susan Deneyoua
Members' Statements

Page 1846

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Eulogy for Maurice Edward Mendo
Members' Statements

Page 1846

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and honour the life of a truly inspirational mountain Dene Indian elder, Mr. Maurice Edward Mendo. Born in 1932, from the time he was born until he had passed away January 25, 2021, Mr. Mendo embodied in every way what it meant to be a Dene person. At every chance he got, he was on the land hunting, trapping, and educating others. If he wasn't on the land, he told stories and reminded the Dene people of their traditional history. For example, in a virtual exhibit by the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, on the celebration of Yamoria, the legends, Mr. Mendo contributed three powerful stories about the life and spirit of the Dene people.

Mr. Mendo taught himself to read and write in Slavey, which speaks to his intelligence and dedication. Mr. Mendo was a great elder who carried the spiritual backbone of the Sahtu people. He was always a strong believer in his faith, which was reflected in both his love for singing in the church and prayers for others. When others needed help, he was always there to provide support in whatever way he can.

Mr. Mendo was also a loyal and hard-working individual. He had retired from Imperial Oil after 20 years of service of excellent work. He was a board member of various organizations, of which he worked tirelessly for the Naats'ihch'oh National Park in Tulita located along the Yukon border. With his wife, Stella, they were committed to passing on Dene culture to their children, their grandchildren, more than 40 godchildren, and to the community, not just about things on the land, but also about dignity, kindness, spirituality, equality, and much more.

The death of Mr. Mendo meant we lost a unique way of how to think and navigate in this world. I know that he will be deeply missed by his family and the community. I myself will be forever grateful for him, as he had shared his knowledge and influenced the people of the Sahtu for generations to come. During his time, Mr. Speaker, he had shared with me the equality of being in leadership and the fairness of being in leadership and working together as one, to be a stronger North representing our people. He had a lot of great messaging to share with people. He had also been very influential with the younger generation.

As you can see, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Mendo is someone who deserves our greatest recognition and appreciation in this session. I also was very intrigued and very touched by the Tlicho leadership who had attended his funeral and by the Chief of Wekweeti. Mahsi cho to his friends and family. He was an exceptional person who made the Sahtu Dene people a much stronger people and a much stronger region. He will be greatly missed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Eulogy for Maurice Edward Mendo
Members' Statements

Page 1846

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the community. Members' statements. Item 4, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 5, replies to budget address. Item 6, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 7, reports of standing and special committees. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is pleased to report on its review of Motion 5-19(2): Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020.

[English translation not provided]

Background

The Legislative Assembly makes interpreters available in most Official Languages when Members are sitting in the Chamber. On March 10, 2020, a Tlicho Interpreter was not available due to a last-minute cancellation. The interpreter scheduled had cancelled for personal reasons. The Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty, rose on a point of privilege. He said the lack of interpretation impeded or prevented him from performing his parliamentary functions as a Member and asked the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings.

The Speaker took the matter under advisement and the proceedings continued. On March 11, 2020, when a Tlicho interpreter was available, the Speaker heard debate on the matter of privilege. Following debate, the Speaker ruled that the matter did raise a question of privilege. He entertained motions on the ruling, and Motion 5-19(2) was referred to this committee for consideration.

After several in camera meetings on the topic, committee held a public hearing on November 17, 2020. Committee received a presentation from Mr. Batiste Foisy at this hearing. In addition, committee received written submissions from Mr. Jackson Lafferty, Member for Monfwi; the Dene Nation; the Gwich'in Tribal Council; the Yellowknives Dene First Nation; and Ms. Mary Rose Sundberg. These written submissions are included as Appendix 1 of this report. Committee thanks all those who made submissions for sharing their views on this important matter.

Official Languages in the Northwest Territories

Since 1990, the Official Languages Act has included Indigenous languages as official languages of the Northwest Territories, giving them equal status within the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly. The act recognizes the many languages spoken and used by people of the Northwest Territories and is committed to the preservation, development, and enhancement of the Indigenous languages.

The act recognizes 11 official languages: Dene Suline Yatie, Nehiyawewin, English, Francais, Dinju Zhuh K'yuu, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtuot'ine Yati, Dene Zhatie, and Tlicho. Nine of these official languages are Indigenous languages that belong to three different language families: Dene, Inuit, and Algonquian/Cree. The five Dene languages are Dene Suline Yatie, Dinju Zhuh K'yuu, Sahtuot'ine Yati, Dene Zhatie, and Tlicho. The three Inuit languages are Inuvialuktun, Inuinnaqtun, and Inuktitut. The one Algonquian/Cree language is Nehiyawewin. The revitalization and use of Indigenous languages are important aspects of reconciliation. In their submission, the Dene Nation states, "The acceptance, use, and respect of Indigenous languages is a critical component to the effective reconciliation between the Dene people and the Government of the Northwest Territories."

The 19th Legislative Assembly has identified implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a priority. It is included in the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories for 2019-2023. Article 13 of UNDRIP states:

"Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop, and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems, and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons.

States shall take effective measures to ensure that this right is protected and also to ensure that Indigenous peoples can understand and be understood in political, legal, and administrative proceedings, where necessary through the provision of interpretation or by other appropriate means."

In their submission, the Dene Nation states that article 13.2 of UNDRIP "is practically facilitated through the consistent use of translation and interpretation services for all of the territory's official languages in all legislative proceedings."

Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn it over to the honourable Member for Nahendeh to continue the report. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Using Official Languages in the Chamber

In ruling on the matter of privilege, Speaker Blake referenced a similar situation that arose in the 11th Legislative Assembly. On October 26, 1989, day 7 of the 5th session of the 11th Assembly, the Member for Rae-Lac La Martre spoke in an official language for which interpretation was not available. Another Member rose on a point of order. Then-Speaker Nerysoo adjourned the House until such a time as interpretation could be provided. In his decision to adjourn for the day, Speaker Nerysoo noted that the rules of the Legislative Assembly at that time expressly provided that a Member had the "right to speak and be understood in his own language."

Our current rules are silent on the right to use and be understood in our official languages. However, the Official Languages Act provides that everyone has the right to use official languages in the debates and other proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. Committee believes that the right to use official languages in the Assembly, as provided for in the act, necessarily implies the right to be understood by those Members who do not speak the language. In the submissions received by committee, many agreed with this position. The Gwich'in Tribal Council noted, "If what is said is not understood, then speech is essentially equivalent to silence." Further, in their submission, the Dene Nation stated:

"The speakers of these languages deserve the ability to fully participate in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly as elected representatives of their communities, free from discrimination... the use and recognition of the NWT's Official Languages sets important precedents for the ways in which language is used and adopted across the territories."

Recognizing the importance of our official languages to the speakers of these languages and the cultures they represent, committee believes that our rules should be amended.

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended to clearly state the right to use any official language when speaking in the Assembly, and further, that this right necessarily implies the right to be understood by those Members who do not speak that language. Further, committee recommends that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended to reflect the right of Members to receive interpretation of any official language.

Recommendation 2

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended to clearly state that documents in any official language may be tabled in the Assembly.

Using Official Languages in Committee Meetings

The public hearing held by committee on November 17, 2020, related to this matter offered simultaneous interpretation in French and Tlicho. In recent years, it had been uncommon to have interpretation for committee meetings, other than for public hearings on legislative or other initiatives, taking place in smaller communities. Rule 92 of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly states, "The Rules and Procedures of the Legislative Assembly shall be observed in committees insofar as they are applicable." However, committee recognizes that it is not currently feasible to provide simultaneous interpretation in all official languages at committee meetings. The reasons for this include physical limitations of the Legislative Assembly building and its committee rooms; the number of and availability of qualified interpreters; and the number of committee meetings held, some of which are frequently scheduled on short notice.

Committee recognizes that Members and witnesses appearing before committees have the right to use an official language. Until such a time when it is feasible to provide simultaneous interpretation of all committee proceedings, committee believes interpretation should be offered to Members and witnesses in advance of any meeting. Committee believes that a one-week notice of request for interpretation for any committee proceedings is reasonable. Committee also believes that efforts to provide appropriate interpretation should be increased for public standing and special committee meetings taking place outside of the capital.

Recommendation 3

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that simultaneous interpretation of committee proceedings into any official language should be made available to Members or witnesses appearing before committee, with a one-week notice and, further, that the availability of this service should be communicated clearly with Members and any witnesses.

Recommendation 4

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Assembly should increase efforts to provide interpretation into regionally appropriate official languages when standing and special committees hold public meetings in Communities outside of the Capital.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to turn the report over to the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Competing Privileges

Parliamentary privilege can be a difficult concept for many people to understand. However, it is a concept fundamental to the smooth and effective functioning of the Legislative Assembly. Parliamentary privilege is the sum of the rights or privileges enjoyed by the Legislative Assembly as an institution and by its Members individually, without which Members could not do their jobs as legislators and which are not possessed by other institutions or individuals. For our Legislative Assembly, Rule 20(1) outlines the privileges of a Member as:

  • freedom of speech;
  • freedom from arrest in civil matters;
  • exemption from jury duty;
  • exemption from attendance as a witness in court while the House or a committee is sitting; and
  • freedom from obstruction and intimidation in relation to their duties as elected representatives.

The privileges of the House include:

  • the power to maintain order and to discipline for breaches of privilege and for contempt of the House. Contempt of the House may include disobedience to its orders, misconduct before it, affronts against its dignity and authority, and any act or omission which impedes or obstructs the House or its Members in the performance of their duties; and
  • the right to regulate its internal affairs, including the right to set its own rules and to exercise control over publications.

The point of privilege raised by the Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020, suggested the lack of interpretation impeded or prevented him from performing his parliamentary functions as a Member. Committee believes this represents an imposition upon the privilege of the Member for Monfwi. The remedy sought by the Member was an adjournment of proceedings. This, it would appear, conflicts with the right of the Assembly to regulate its internal affairs. The Assembly has by law limited its own privileges. Section 1 of the Official Languages Act clearly identifies the "government institution" to which the act applies includes the Legislative Assembly. Further, Section 6 of the act provides that "everyone has the right to use any official language in the debate and proceedings of the Legislative Assembly."

Committee does not recommend any further limits to the privilege of the Assembly. Committee recognizes that the Speaker has the ultimate authority and responsibility to make decisions regarding the proper functioning of the Assembly. However, committee makes the following recommendation.

Recommendation 5

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that, should a comparable situation arise in the future, the Speaker give strong consideration to a recess in, or adjournment of, proceedings until such a time as adequate interpretation can be provided.

Mr. Speaker, I will say a few words in my language. [English translation not available] Mr. Speaker, continuing back in English.

Recommendation 6

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Speaker and Board of Management develop a rights-based official languages policy for the Legislative Assembly and that the policy come into effect prior to the end of this Assembly.

In keeping with the Official Languages Act, any forthcoming official languages policy must recognize the right to use any official language in the Legislative Assembly. It must also lay out the operational procedures and policies that will be developed and implemented to preserve and enhance the use of our official languages. The policy should highlight the role of the Legislative Assembly as a champion of official languages, including, but not limited to:

  • a commitment to provide simultaneous interpretation of House proceedings into all official languages to the greatest extent possible;
  • recognition of exceptional circumstances, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which may result in an inability to provide simultaneous interpretation in all official languages;
  • recognition of the challenges that can be faced in finding qualified interpreters into all official languages, that the challenges may become more pronounced as the current complement of interpreters retire from the profession, and clear definition of the best practices and reasonable efforts that must be undertaken in trying to do so;
  • a plan for a stepwise expansion of official languages services within the Legislative Assembly;
  • a plan to incorporate interpreters and official languages services into the orientation program for Members of future Legislative Assemblies;
  • a plan to engage interpreters in regular and ongoing training on the proceedings of and terminology specific to the Legislative Assembly;
  • a plan to seek regular feedback from interpreters and speakers of our official languages on the quality of interpretation services provided;
  • a plan to develop and implement training for remote interpretation, which would allow interpreters to provide effective services from their home communities;
  • a plan to standardize the hiring practices and contracts for interpreters employed by the Legislative Assembly;
  • a stepwise plan to make the majority of Legislative Assembly publications available in all official languages, beginning with the Orders of the Day and the Votes and Proceedings;
  • a plan to make translation services in all official languages available to Members of the Legislative Assembly; and
  • a plan to allow the inclusion of all official languages other than English into Hansard by allowing Members of the Legislative to submit typed text of any statement made in the Assembly in any official language, which is consistent with this committee's recommendations in its Report on Remote Sittings.

Further, any official languages policy should be available on the Legislative Assembly website in all official languages. Committee recognizes that a thorough official languages policy is a significant undertaking and it may not be possible to fully implement all aspects of such a policy during the life of this Assembly. Committee also recognizes that, as technologies evolve, new issues raised, and new solutions identified, it will be necessary to update any forthcoming official languages policy. To that end, committee envisions an official languages policy that will be regularly updated and shared with the public and future committees.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I would like to turn the report over to my colleague for Nunakput.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Operational Changes

In addition to the development of an official languages policy, committee believes operational changes should be considered at the Legislative Assembly to improve the delivery of official language services. Since 2019, the Legislative Assembly has benefited from an increased budget related to official languages, such as:

  • Interpretation services were extended from a two-hour period from the start of a sitting day to full-day coverage;
  • Facilities were upgraded to allow the number of official languages being interpreted on a daily basis to be increased;
  • Broadcasting in official languages other than English was increased;
  • YouTube channels were created to share proceedings in interpreted official languages; and
  • Some professional development for interpreters has been introduced.

Committee recognizes that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is not currently possible to provide simultaneous interpretation of proceedings into all official languages due to the physical and technological limitations of the Legislative Assembly. Committee appreciates the ongoing efforts to provide simultaneous interpretation into the greatest possible number of official languages and encourages the Assembly to continue these efforts.

Following the pandemic, or when it is possible to overcome the current physical and technical limitations faced by the Assembly, committee encourages full simultaneous interpretation of House proceedings into all official languages where:

  • interpretation is provided for the entire sitting day;
  • a minimum of two interpreters should be scheduled to provide service in each official language, in keeping with best practices;
  • to the greatest degree possible, the Assembly should hire interpreters from multiple communities to ensure that regional dialects of official languages are adequately represented in the Assembly; and
  • efforts should be undertaken to identify on-call interpreters who are able to provide service on short notice if there is an unexpected cancellation.

As recommended in the Languages Commissioner's special report, this committee believes there would be value in recording statistics regarding the use of official languages in the Assembly. Further, committee believes these statistics should be incorporated into future annual reports of the Legislative Assembly. Statistics to be recorded may include:

  • the number of translation and interpretation requests made by Members of the Legislative Assembly and turnaround time for this work;
  • the number of Assembly documents translated into official languages;
  • the number of committee meetings for which interpretation is provided;
  • the number of hours of House proceedings interpreted into each official language as well as the total number of hours of interpreted proceedings; and
  • the number of Ministers' and Members' statements made in an official language other than English.

Prior to the public hearing of November 17, 2020, committee distributed a stakeholder letter seeking input on this matter. Attached to this letter was an active offer to provide the letter in any official language. Committee believes that the Legislative Assembly should develop an active offer page, making use of the appropriate spelling of each language, and it should be included with the following documents:

  • Votes and Proceedings;
  • Rules of the Legislative Assembly;
  • Code of Conduct for Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly;
  • News releases;
  • Annual reports and other reports of the Legislative Assembly; and
  • Committee reports.

The active offer should also feature prominently on the Legislative Assembly website. In addition, committee believes the Legislative Assembly should strive to produce the Votes and Proceedings, the official record of the Assembly and Committee of the Whole, in all official languages.

During the public hearing, Mr. Batiste Foisy remarked on the inability of the Legislative Assembly to provide interpreted audio in a timely manner, which can impact the ability of non-English media in reporting on the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. Committee understands that this shortcoming is, for the most part, due to limitations of the hardware currently in use. In the longer term, committee believes that the Legislative Assembly should consider the official languages requirements when upgrading audio and video equipment related to broadcasting, web streaming, and in-house audio systems.

Recommendation 7

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the above suggestions be investigated by the Office of the Speaker, the Board of Management, and the Office of the Clerk in an effort to make immediate improvements in the provision of official languages services. Further, if any of these suggestions are found not be feasible at present, committee recommends that a plan to realize these outcomes be included in the official languages policy.

Mr. Speaker, I hand it over to our committee chair from Frame Lake. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members, before we proceed, I think our interpreters are having a little difficulty with how fast we're reading here, so just a reminder. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President.

Review of the Official Languages Act

In their written submissions, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and Ms. Mary Rose Sundberg indicated a need to reinstate interpreter and translator training programs. Both submissions advocate for a decentralized approach to providing this training that will allow for accreditation in the field. Ms. Mary Rose Sundberg indicated a need for the Government of the Northwest Territories to re-open a languages bureau. Committee believes these are issues worthy of consideration but recognizes these issues are beyond the scope of this review.

Recommendation 8

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Standing Committee on Government Operations consider the issues of interpreter and translator training and accreditation and the possibility of a future Government of the Northwest Territories languages bureau in the context of its review of the Official Languages Act.

CONCLUSION

[Translation] The committee finds the lack of interpretation in Tlicho on March 10, 2020, impeded or prevented the Member for Monfwi from performing his parliamentary functions as a Member. The committee has made recommendations that it believes will assist the Assembly in avoiding any similar situation in the future.

Committee thanks Mr. Batiste Foisy for appearing at the public hearing on November 17, 2020, and thanks Mr. Jackson Lafferty, Member for Monfwi; Dene Nation; Gwich'in Tribal Council; Yellowknives Dene First Nation; and Ms. Mary Rose Sundberg for their written submissions on this matter. This concludes the committee's report on its review of Motion 5-19(2): Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020. [Translation ends]

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake, and thank you to the committee for all the work that they have done. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that 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, be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions?

---Carried

The report will be moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you. Reports of standing and special committees. Item 8, returns to oral questions. Item 9, acknowledgements. Item 10, oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Question 521-19(2): Midwifery
Oral Questions

Page 1849

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2017, the Department of Health and Social Services released a report titled NWT Midwifery Stakeholder Engagement. The report is 75 pages long, and it concludes with a list of ten recommendations for the Government of the Northwest Territories. In relation to recommendations 1 through 5, can the Health Minister tell us when the Department of Health and Social Services will fund the additional positions that are required to strengthen and expand midwifery in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 521-19(2): Midwifery
Oral Questions

Page 1849

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Member Health and Social Services.

Question 521-19(2): Midwifery
Oral Questions

Page 1849

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are planning for the expansion of the midwifery program in a number of areas. Specifically in Hay River, there is the beginning of engagement with community, starting with Fort Resolution and then the communities of the Deh Cho to consult people on what they consider to be the most appropriate ways to extend midwifery care to families there. There are also preliminary discussions taking place between NTHSSA and the Tlicho Community Services Agency around the best ways to expand access to midwifery care for families in Behchoko. There is also, as of a year ago, a new territorial midwifery manager who is working at the territorial level looking at how services can be expanded, and a second position will be accompanying that initial one. The anticipated hiring date is the fall of this year. Thank you.

Question 521-19(2): Midwifery
Oral Questions

Page 1849

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Could the Minister tell us when the Department of Health and Social Services will fulfill all ten recommendations found within the 2017 Midwifery Stakeholder Engagement?

Question 521-19(2): Midwifery
Oral Questions

Page 1849

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you to the Member for that question. What we have done to date with that report is completed five out of ten recommendations. To follow up on the information that I just provided, we will commit to providing an action item update on all ten recommendations in June of this year.