Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, mental health and addictions continues to be a serious issue in the NWT, which is why this government has committed to increasing the number and variety of culturally-respectful community-based mental health and addictions programs. I rise today to update Members on the work to meet this mandate commitment.

Mr. Speaker, we adopted the Stepped Care 2.0 approach to mental health supports to ensure individuals and families have access to the right level of care when and where they need it. This approach provides both modern and traditional supports, like smart-phone applications, to offer residents options to choose from, regardless of where they live. The goal of this recovery-oriented approach is to empower residents to offer more choice and reduce gaps in service. We want to be responsive to the needs of clients entering the system.

With the implementation of Stepped Care 2.0, we have improved access to community-based counseling by reducing wait times and adding same-day services. Prior to this change, the median wait time for a counseling appointment in the NWT was 19 days. Mr. Speaker, with this shift to a Stepped Care approach, the median wait time is now just four days.

Since 2020, we have increased the availability of e-health options. The Strongest Family Institute supports individuals and families who are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges. BreathingRoom is an online program for youth that offers new perspectives and practical strategies to manage stress, depression, anxiety, and strengthen their coping skills. The Wagon app is a virtual addictions aftercare program that offers an abstinence-based approach to sobriety. It enables clients to develop a personalized plan for recovery and maintenance after they complete addictions treatment. It offers residents weekly two-hour virtual group therapy sessions with registered clinicians to build on the skills developed during treatment.

Mr. Speaker, offering effective and culturally safe programs and services is a priority for this government and for the health and social services system. Since 2020, we have enhanced the On the Land Healing Fund by increasing funding specifically for mobile addictions treatment aftercare. We have also added three new funds that support Indigenous governments and community organizations to deliver mental wellness and addictions recovery programming.

The Community Suicide Prevention Fund supports these organizations to deliver and develop culturally-safe programs by increasing community wellness and reducing stigma. The Addictions Recovery Peer Support Fund helps these organizations provide their own peer support programs such as AA or Wellbriety. The Addictions Recovery and Aftercare Fund funds the establishment of local community-based counsellors to support individuals working towards recovery and to provide addictions aftercare programming.

Mr. Speaker, we are also taking steps to create a territorial model for medical detox and managed alcohol, as well as establishing transitional housing for people returning from addictions treatment. The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority has established a working group to lead the development on the medical detox model which will incorporate both inpatient and in-community offerings.

Lessons learned, through the distribution of alcohol during the pandemic, have been used to inform the development of standards to serve as the foundation of a Managed Alcohol Program in the NWT in the future.

An expression of interest for transitional housing programs was issued in December 2021. Four community organizations and Indigenous governments applied. Staff are working with these groups as they develop specific program models.

Mr. Speaker, to ensure that we are integrating cultural sensitivity into the delivery of services, we have also increased support and training opportunities for frontline staff in the community counselling program. Staff are receiving training in cultural safety, addictions recovery, and key components of Stepped Care 2.0.

Mr. Speaker, while I recognize that there is still a great deal of work to do, I also firmly believe that we have made and will continue to make progress. These initiatives will make a meaningful difference in the lives of NWT residents, and that is what this government strives to do every day.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for NWT residents. The public health restrictions have affected our ability to gather, to participate in the activities that bring us joy, and to travel and visit with loved ones, to the detriment of our mental wellness. The department has been tracking social indicators throughout the pandemic, and while the total number of people accessing services has not increased, the reasons why they are accessing services have changed. Lately, we are seeing that the reasons are more frequently related to anxiety, stress, and substance use.

Even as the public health emergency and associated orders come to an end, Health and Social Services recognizes the effects of the pandemic will not be short-lived. People are going to need support to recover from what has been a very difficult time. The health and social services system will continue to monitor trends, shift service delivery as required, and actively promote our programs and services so NWT residents understand how and where they can get the support they need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

Monsieur le President, one of the beautiful things about living in the Northwest Territories is the diverse range of cultures and languages that reside here. Our Francophone community, made up of approximately 4,200 residents, is an important component of our society and a significant contributor to our social, economic and cultural development.

That is why I am proud to celebrate our Francophone community during the 24th Annual Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. This nation-wide event, held every March, is an opportunity for Canada's 10 million French-speakers, and all Canadians, to celebrate and promote French language and culture.

The theme for this year's Rendez-vous de la Francophonie is Traditions. This theme will highlight the ties that connect past and present generations, communities and cultures. Rendez-vous de la Francophonie gives us an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and celebrate the richness of the Canadian Francophonie in all its diversity.

Monsieur le President, as we celebrate Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, I would like to acknowledge the work done by the Francophone Affairs Secretariat. In the last year alone, the secretariat translated more than 3 million words that have allowed Francophone residents to access important information in French. [Translation Unavailable]

In addition, the secretariat launched the annual Francophone Community Satisfaction Survey in February to help ensure that the Francophone community is aware of the Government of the Northwest Territories' French language communications and services, and is satisfied with their delivery at Points of Public Service in French.

Finally, Monsieur le President, the GNWT has been working diligently to improve its French active offer and delivery of French services. A French active offer is a way of greeting the public to inform them that they are welcome to communicate in either English or French. The secretariat has updated training videos for employees and, this month, is launching a video campaign to promote our French language services to the public and inviting feedback on the quality of these services.

Monsieur le President, our diverse French population adds a cultural richness to our communities. I am proud of our ongoing efforts to support our Francophone residents and to strengthen the diversity of our territory. Merci, Monsieur le President. [Translation Ends]

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Service facilities, military installations, hospitals, communication infrastructure, residential buildings, airports, utility infrastructure, and much more. There have been approximately 18 attacks on healthcare facilities with the latest assault being a children's hospital and maternity ward.

Mr. Speaker, an attack on a hospital is a war crime under the Rome Statute the International Criminal Court provided they are not military objectives, which come with consequences.

Mr. Speaker, an unnecessary death toll is mounting on both sides of the conflict. Destruction of infrastructure is growing, the number of people displaced is rising, there is no indication it is about to let up. Because of this, Ukraine requires supports from other countries, which include military equipment, medical staff and supplies, temporary shelters, emergency funds, and basic supplies such as food, drinking water, and clothes - support required not only for Ukraine but those bordering countries taking on refugees.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier announced that this government would match donations up to $50,000. This is a fantastic way to encourage people to donate and support the needs arising from the conflict in Ukraine. However, the $50,000 in matching donations, if not received, then my expectation is for this government to contribute the $50,000 regardless. Although it may appear to be a small amount, it will help efforts in Ukraine and show our support as Northerners.

Mr. Speaker, what else can this government and the people of the NWT do in support of Ukraine - people forced to flee from their homes and country.

We must continue to denounce the action taken by Putin government against Ukraine and encourage the federal government to do everything in its power to support Ukraine while not ruling out military support. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government must be willing to welcome Ukraine refugees to the NWT. We must continue with the boycott of Russian-made goods coming to the NWT and not just limited to alcohol products. For the people the Northwest Territories, we can provide financial support directly to organizations delivering humanitarian efforts on the ground. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I'm going to speak about the land lease fees for people who own cabins on lands in the NWT. This is a topic which I have discovered that the Minister of Lands seems to enjoy speaking about. In fact, the Minister asked me recently if I was going to ask him questions about this anytime soon. Well, here it comes.

Mr. Speaker, I once pointed out that the Minister stood up 72 times during the 18th Assembly, talking and asking questions about land leases. He later told me that it was likely more times than that. Well, I went back and checked Hansard, and he was right. I would like to amend that number to 83, that he stood up and mentioned land leases in the previous Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I have not done a Member's statement on this topic since November of 2020. That has given the Minister of Lands and his department plenty of time to work on the Public Lands Act and enough time to hopefully advance the whole issue into a positive direction for the people of the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the last time I spoke about this, the Minister admitted that the main reason lease rent fees had increased was to create more revenue for the government. Therefore, the previous government had decided to increase user fees for rent on leases rather than cut costs elsewhere or find revenue from other sources. So in essence, these fees and lease rent increases are a money grabber for the government. It's time we be honest and say that.

Mr. Speaker, at the time when inflation is at a 31-year high, these increased land leases are hurting regular people more than ever. It was nice that the lands department had waived all lease fees for the fiscal year 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic as that did offer some reprieve for people; however, I think that same offer should have been extended for another year for the fiscal year 2021-2022 as the pandemic was still ongoing during that time.

I did ask the Minister to consider that via email but he declined to pursue that. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Minister of Lands knows in his heart of hearts that the new rent minimum for cabin lease costs had gone up too much and too soon for the people of the NWT. To get up 83 times and talk about cabin leases and lease fee increases, I have to believe the Minister shares my concerns that the increases were too much for people to absorb in such a short time span. I understand that lease rent and fees had not increased in 20 years, but I urge the government to have some compassion for people's pocketbooks.

There are some people who are on very fixed incomes, and there are others living paycheque to paycheque, so these high cabin-rent increases are having a very negative impact for many people in my riding and across the NWT. I can go on, but I will leave it at that for now. I will have questions for the Minister of Lands later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I made a statement almost two years ago about the lack of a clear process for developing regulations by this government. I had to dig deep, very deep - in fact, to appendix 4.11 of the executive council submissions handbook - to find anything public after repeated requests to the Premier on this subject. In that three-page appendix that was signed off by the Premier on March 11th, 2021, there are some vague guidelines on leaving virtually all of the discretion over any public and even standing committee engagement around regulations to each individual Minister and agency.

This appendix called Cabinet operational guidelines, publishing proposed regulations, was finally posted publicly in April 2021 with no public announcement and no consultation or engagement with standing committee before the fact. I contrast that with Cabinet taking more than a year to negotiate the legislative development protocol with the intergovernmental council to develop regulations and legislation. This came after repeated calls for involvement in the development of regulations and post-devolution resource management legislation from the last Assembly that left most of the details to the regulations and whims of future Ministers with no checks or balances.

I will give this Cabinet some credit as there have been a little over ten public engagement opportunities on proposed regulations since the beginning of this Assembly. These can be seen on the "Have your Say" web pages. However the first, and perhaps only time in this Assembly when a standing committee recommended public engagement on a proposed regulation, the response from Cabinet and the Education Minister was "no".

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommended, based on public input, that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment undertake public consultation to develop prescribed emergency provisions under the Employment Standards Act. The department went ahead on its own and took three months to develop these so-called emergency regulations that did not come into force for another months. Four months is hardly the kind of emergency timeline that should have precluded public engagement.

I will have questions later today for the Premier on how our government is going to put into practice its open government policy with regard to regulation-making going forward and public engagement. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just two weeks ago, our own Department of Health and Social Services put out an advisory of laced cocaine after two overdose deaths. And, Mr. Speaker, this certainly wasn't the first time. In fact, every few months the public, both across Canada and across the world, is warned of an increasingly toxic and poisoned drug supply. And Mr. Speaker, the sad reality is we are only going to see more deaths in this area unless we take serious action. And there is no enforcement way out, Mr. Speaker.

The Northwest Territories spends more per capita on policing than anywhere else in Canada. We've spent millions of dollars on very sophisticated wiretap drug operations, and all that we see is new drug dealers emerge with a more poisoned and toxic drug supply each time, Mr. Speaker.

It is long overdue that Canada decriminalize drugs, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, the conversation around decriminalization is not complete without mentioning the Portugal model.

Over 20 years ago, Portugal decriminalized drugs. It stopped arresting and putting people in jail for possession of drugs. Instead, it made an administrative penalty and provided them with treatment, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this model is proven to work. The number of HIV cases went down. The number of hepatitis cases went down. The number of drug users went down, Mr. Speaker. And they have consistently remained lower than their European counterparts in Portugal, Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, decriminalization is a federal responsibility, and it is not a silver bullet solution. Any decriminalization must be paired with increased treatment options and a safe supply where the drug supply is poisoned. However, Mr. Speaker, a government cannot arrest addicts on one hand and then ask them to come to that same government for treatment. Decriminalization removes the stigma and encourages people to get help.

Mr. Speaker, the Association of Canada Chief Police have asked for decriminalization; countless public health officials have asked for decriminalization; the Premier of BC has asked for decriminalization. There is safe supply operating in BC, Ontario, and Yukon. We have years of experience with providing people with methadone treatment, Mr. Speaker. This is not a new area. It is long overdue. If we want to save lives, we have to add our voice for the call for the decriminalization. I will have questions for the Premier whether she will join that voice in asking Canada to partner with us and decriminalize drugs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, housing is a human right. Many in this Assembly are working hard to uphold this right but face a housing stock and housing repair deficit in their communities and unnecessary policy barriers to access housing.

Mr. Speaker, I speak often about policy barriers in this House. They don't always require millions of dollars and they have the potential for great change. Removing policy barriers requires political will, the ability to weigh the unintended consequences with the original goal, and the creativity to find solutions. Policy changes, Mr. Speaker, will open doors to alternative housing solutions that work.

The Spruce Bough, operated by the Yellowknife Women's Society, is a breakthrough example of an alternative housing solution. It started as a place for people to isolate but evolved into a community of Northerners from across the North, many seniors who now call Spruce Bough home. The Minister of Health and Social Services has herself stated that the Yellowknife Women's Society is running great programming at the Spruce Bough and that their work not only provides housing but also supports the healing journeys of residents.

To continue operations, alternative housing solutions like the Spruce Bough require stable, consistent, multiyear funding. Policy changes are needed to bulk fund the income assistance rental benefit to NGOs that provide alternative housing solutions.

Currently, tenants receive their housing benefits with income assistance on an individual basis in separate intervals without alternative solution. This means inconsistent and unstable funding for programs like Spruce Bough and jeopardizes the future of solutions like this expanding outside of Yellowknife.

But bulk funding policies aren't the government's barrier to alternative housing. The rent benefit requires people to have their names on the public housing waitlist. First residents need to go to the Housing Corporation to add their name to this waitlist. Second, many Northerners are unable to do this because of arrears and past evictions so either people need a grace period to get their name on the list while they are still moving their rent benefit application forward or, better yet, stop forcing Northerners onto a housing waitlist when the government knows there is not enough housing. This policy is clearly based on an assumption of available public housing but we all know housing Northerners is reliant on partnerships, market rentals, and housing alternative.

Mr. Speaker, the need for housing is too great and too urgent to pass on any and all policy interventions that can make a difference. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions are for the Premier. I'd ask the Premier what discussions, if any, are taking place between this government and the federal government on what supports are being offered to Ukraine and those countries supporting humanitarian efforts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Canada's taken the lead on international relief efforts for Ukraine. There are discussions taking place mainly around immigration planning, donation matching, and sanctions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to providing the $50,000 in support of Ukraine regardless if matching funds are received or not as it is the right thing to do? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Northerners have always been really generous so we're pretty confident that the 50,000 will be matched by people. We will be also promoting it within the GNWT as well. So the other thing that we're doing is right now we have a portal that's now online. It will be released this afternoon so that we can track the donations from the NWT. But again, like I say, I have no doubt that $50,000 will be donated. And if not, at that point, then definitely I'll look at it. We're committed to helping the Ukraine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to setting up a support desk that would provide various information for displaced Ukrainians entering Canada and who may be looking at the NWT as a place to relocate and work? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.