This is page numbers 4727 - 4770 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 know.

Topics

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I'm here, Madam Speaker, in regards to our youth in our communities.

Our sporting events like we used to have back in the 90s, that fell short because of funding, I think what we really need to do is, because we have so much suicide that's been going on, we have to catch them at an earlier stage in life, for our youth and our young adults that are coming up. What I really want to see is working with the Minister of MACA, Madam Speaker, is to get that rejuvenated in all 33 communities again. So Inuvik would do basketball or hockey or soccer, and Aklavik will do soccer, Tuk will do floor hockey, and vice versa. Ulukhaktok will do ping-pong. You know, something that's easy to travel with. But we had these up to about five or six years ago, then it all fell short. Money and that pot of funding dried up. We really need to be looking at this right now, Madam Speaker, in regards to working with our youth and giving them alternatives other than doing drugs or drinking and giving them that outlet of physical activity, ice hockey, making sure that, you know, we're bringing -- being able to bring in youth for our tournaments and stuff like that. Just bringing a broader look, a little bit money spent, and this is our future. Everybody likes to say oh, the youth are our future but they never back it up, Madam Speaker. They don't. We have to start making a stand for the youth that can't be in here that are asking for this. We need to really get all 33 communities, I guess, active again, getting off our phones. You know, that's the biggest thing. Everybody plays sitting around here and looking at their phone half the time. But, Madam Speaker, I am just really urging our government, and I'm urging the Minister of MACA, to find ways that we could work with all our 33 communities and our district, our regional districts in regards to, say, Inuvik district and Yellowknife and everybody, to bring the communities in to work with our youth and to get something going but positive. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Madam Speaker, as other provinces cap recruitment bonuses across the country to reel in new healthcare professionals, NWT healthcare staff waited for the same bait. As of September, the GNWT is now using the labour supplement policy to attract select healthcare professionals with bonuses of $5,000 to $7,000. This is one piece of the GNWT's push to recruit healthcare staff in the wake of a national shortage. But, Madam Speaker, I was surprised that the fall's announcement of recruitment plans for NTHSSA made no mention of one of the NWT's strongest healthcare success tools - the Aurora College's Bachelor of Science in nursing. So I have three suggestions to improve the NWT's recruitment strategy.

First, the GNWT applies a large budget to healthcare worker recruitment efforts with no guaranteed rate of return on our investment while at the same time students in southern Canada are looking for financial support to pursue post-secondary education.

Madam Speaker, the GNWT has a beautiful opportunity to invest in education of new nurses in exchange for years of service equal to their years of education. This type of support, education and exchange for residency, is already in place under the Student Financial Assistance Program.

Madam Speaker, for four years, a student could potentially come to the NWT to study nursing, experience the North, settle in, and work with the incentive to stay and work in the territory for another four years after graduation. This is a minimum of eight years of residency of students, and potentially their families, in exchange for an education and service as a northern nurse. This is also a potential avenue to increase healthcare staff in small communities.

Second, Madam Speaker, the GNWT needs to commit to conditional employment contracts delivered in January to potential nursing graduates. Employment contracts offered in June mean our students have already been headhunted by southern jurisdictions.

And third, the GNWT currently employs public servants interested in a career change but are being denied education leave for nursing as it does not fulfill their home department's mandate. The GNWT needs an all-of-government approach to education leave for public servants who want to pursue nursing.

Madam Speaker, the GNWT is falling short to aggressively attain educated NWT nurses and missing the opportunity to not only attract new ones but grow our own. This is an opportunity to let the success of Aurora College's nursing program play a vital role in addressing our nursing shortage. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, Grace Leona Berreault was born on the 5th of October 1980 to Mabel McLeod and Lawrence Berreault. She passed away on May 29th, 2022, in Fort Liard. Today Madam Speaker, I am getting to share part of her eulogy that was developed by her best friend Alana.

Grace was truly extraordinary. Her life could be all kinds of chaos, but she never wore it on her face. She was a true fighter and an energy force to be reckoned with. Grace could and would steer focus towards the lighter side of things, always finding the humour. This is a trait she had at a young age, and she would teach others to apply it in their life.

Alana spoke about the love of baking and cooking they both shared. This was thanks to Grace's mom Mabel, her aunties Sharon and Kathy, and her uncle Ernie. Alana spoke about their close childhood friendship where they had the most memorable memories as they grew up together. They loved the country music, Johnny Depp's Crybaby, and of course BBQs.

Madam Speaker, Grace was a hard worker from a young age and excelled in school. She was competitive in sports and a great big sister to her siblings. Even if it was carrying her sister kicking and screaming as they went to school. Grace, when she was really tired, she'd make sure she treated others as they were precious gems. She always had a voice, even if she didn't agree with her, she made sure people understood where she stood, sometimes fighting tooth and nail for others who did not have a voice.

Madam Speaker, she was strong, resilient, and yet beautiful in all her ways. She was a life that shined brightly just so the path of others could be illuminated. With matters that had to do with all-things-life, she was exceptional yet her multi-paths were sometimes wild, the outcomes have brought us nothing but joy with the children she has brought into all our lives. I had the honour of knowing three of her older children, and I can say they are a great reflection of her.

Sometimes in life, you needed the itsy bitsy or the full nudge from a loved one who sees in you what you could not see for yourself. From someone who believed you can, even if the circumstances dictated others. Grace was the person that would always be there for you.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I will use Alana words, It brings us great solace knowing that so many of our late family were there to meet her on the other side. She will be missed. We will miss her tenacity, compassion, and selflessness as we go on to others. Madam Speaker, she will be sadly missed. She will be missed by us all.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Speaker, I'd like to recognize two of the pages from Thebacha here today, whom I'd like to recognize. Their names are Bowan Kent and Noah Leroy-Gauthier. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you recognitions of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm a bit blind so I'm not sure if there's nobody up there. Okay, I am just going to recognize the person who was here yesterday that I missed, and that was Twila -- I'm not going to say her name right -- Etchinelle, of Tulita, and I just wanted to say that I missed her and I'm sorry I did. Thank you.

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madam Premier.

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Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to recognize the page from Range Lake, Ace Jumbo-Murdoch, and we're really excited to have him in the House. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Minister of Housing.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to recognize two pages from my riding, Kora Ann MacCauley and Perry Pierrot from Fort Good Hope. You've done an awesome job this week, and mahsi and safe travels home. Mahsi.

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to recognize the page from Yellowknife North, Mr. Logan Doll. You're doing a great job, thank you

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Madam la Presidente. I wish to recognize a couple of pages from the Frame Lake riding, Kayden Halliday and Deagan Lacome. Thank you

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today my Member's statement was on youth, youth and sport in regards to the communities, all 33 communities, getting, I guess, a revamp and looked at again for sporting events across our territory. But the one I'm really looking at is the Beaufort Delta, for our ridings. So I'm just wondering if Minister Thompson would be able to find in regards to -- I know we have the Arctic Winter Games coming up in January 29th. I'm just wondering if we could try to piggyback with that sporting events with the monies that they do have coming, are we able to use that to bring in kids for other sport, younger youth and young adults? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So what the Member's asking is to piggyback with Arctic Winter Games. Arctic Winter Games are very -- trials are very focused on the competition to get the teammate up for NWT. However, the opportunity, if communities want to work and provide opportunities, these communities can work together to provide that opportunity and if they are able to put it in the same weekend, they can do it. Right now the Beaufort Delta recreation association does have money for opportunities to give youth to have competitions within the regions. So they can have that opportunity. So if the communities are willing to work together on that, and they can reach out to Josh McDonald, our recreation development coordinator. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you for that, Mr. Minister. We've been -- two years now we've been getting through the COVID pandemic. Now we're pre-COVID, I've been asking for this 18 months ago, in regards to trying to do something for our adults, for our elders, for our youth, our young adults. So I think that if the funding is there, why aren't they doing it themselves? Why do we have to come forward and do the job for them? If they're able to -- the monies that they do get, Madam Speaker, for the territorial trials, it's territorials before you go for the main -- for the Arctic Winter Games. So it could be spread around a little bit and making sure all communities and all students that are able to come in to do that, making sure they're able to come, the commitment from the Minister for that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Arctic Winter Games trials are for the Arctic Winter Games. It's like Team NWT. However, what the Member is asking is there's opportunity to piggyback on other regional events, other regional opportunities, then that is something that the regions and the communities work together on. So the money is for the communities to decide how they want to do it. We as the government and we as the department don't tell them well, you got to do hockey, you got to do this. Again, the recreation association, the communities work together, come up with a plan to do what they want to do.

Unfortunately, COVID had an impact on us previously, but we are starting to work together. And so if the Member wants to reach out to me, and we can sit down and have the opportunity to talk with the recreation development coordinator and with his communities and see what we can do, work with Sport North, Aboriginal Sports Circle. We're willing to work with the communities to see what opportunities are available for the residents, for the youth. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think what we have to do -- I look back, back in the 90s when we were younger, when we were able to travel around with the education, through the education system, having, like, a -- putting it into the schools and having a -- if you're good attendance and if you're able to go with your attendance to give them incentive to go to school, to do travel. And that's what they used to do with us. And I think with the education, I think with the -- would the Minister be interested in working with the Minister of Education on this as well? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm more than willing to work with whoever we can get our youth engaged on, whether it's the education system, whether it's the schools and communities, the local sports groups. I do kind of disagree with the Member about making sure attendance and that. Sometimes the only reason our youth are coming to school is to be part of the sporting team. I can tell you from my experience as a coach, we lost youth because they didn't make -- didn't have their attendance. It wasn't 70 percent. It wasn't 60 percent. And what did we do? Those youth -- when we went and travelled, those youth were making bad choices. So if the youth are wanting to be part of the team, I think we really need to work with them and work with the system to get these youth engaged, because once we got them hooked, as the Member said, once you're hooked you want to go to school. You want to be engaged into the sport recreation activities afterwards. So I'm more than willing to -- make a long answer shorter, I'm more than willing to work with the Minister and the Member on this. Thank you, Madam Speaker.