Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Lands.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the Department of Lands' progress related to enhancing transparency and client experience for residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Lands is an active member in the Government of the Northwest Territories Open Data Initiative, which aims to increase government transparency and accountability by proactively making data available to the public, while respecting our privacy, security, and legal obligations.

In support of this initiative, the Department recently expanded the information and data related to land administration that is available to the public on our web-based mapping tool. As of March 7th, 2022, additional non-personal information on disposition term length, effective date, and specific land-use type was published on the Administration of the Territorial Land Acts System, commonly referred to as ATLAS. This enhanced information will help viewers better understand the activities and uses of public land.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT's evaluation policy states that the government will implement program evaluation practices to ensure program performance is measurable and informs sound resource allocation decisions.

In support of this policy, the department has established a performance and evaluation committee to enhance our performance measures process with the goal of improving departmental performance.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share that the department has developed and evaluated draft client service standards in response to feedback from our clients and stakeholders. The standards were initially developed, and the department piloted them prior to moving forward. The standards are being finalized before being posted to the department's website, which is anticipated later this month.

Client service standards are designed to increase transparency, predictability, and public understanding of both; the steps required to complete land transactions and the timelines for services. The timelines are an important inclusion as they provide clients with a commitment for engagement with the department.

The department plans to regularly review and improve our client service standard with intent to provide more information online and in-person for the clients.

The department will also track progress through performance measures reporting in our annual business plan.

Mr. Speaker, enhancing transparency and client experience is a process. The department is committed to improve services for the residents of the Northwest Territories and will continue to conduct business in a transparent and accountable manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, June is Senior Citizens Month, a time for us to acknowledge and celebrate the important role seniors have in our families and communities.

Seniors teach us about culture, tradition, and history. Their wisdom is integral to making wise decisions that will impact the future of generations of Northerners.

This Legislative Assembly has made a commitment to enable seniors to age in place, with dignity. The Department of Health and Social Services is working with Housing NWT and the Departments of Municipal and Community Affairs, along with Education, Culture and Employment, to ensure that seniors may live longer and healthier lives wherever they live now.

Mr. Speaker, these departments are working together to increase supports for seniors to make it easier for them to stay in their home community and in their own home if that's their choice. Funding is being provided to enhance inclusion and safety and remove community-level barriers to aging in place, along with initiatives to protect seniors from abuse.

Mr. Speaker, senior abuse and neglect are very serious concerns for this government. One of the challenges we face is the underreporting of abuse, making it difficult to get a complete picture of the problem. This issue is not unique to the North, or even to Canada.

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is an official United Nations International Day acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue around the world. Ministers Responsible for Seniors across Canada recognize the seriousness of this issue and collaborate at the federal, provincial, and territorial table to discuss it.

Mr. Speaker, a cross-jurisdictional work plan includes projects that identify gaps, challenges, as well as policy and program options to address financial and non-financial abuse of seniors. The GNWT is actively participating in this work and will implement the regulatory and service delivery changes required to protect seniors.

We are also working with our partners to launch a public awareness campaign focused on senior abuse, and to provide training to GNWT staff that teaches them how to identify signs of abuse.

The GNWT works closely with the NWT Seniors Society to support organizations, communities, families, and individuals confronted with senior abuse. They operate a 1-800 phone line to offer information, referrals, and support to seniors and their families. Questions about senior abuse account for about 20 percent of all the calls they received in the last fiscal year, so this is an important issue in NWT communities.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Seniors Society also delivers the Creating Safe Communities for Older Adults workshop to communities that want to increase awareness of abuse of older adults, learn how to identify the abuse, and take action.

Individuals experiencing abuse can reach out to the RCMP, call Alison McAteer House toll free, contact the five family violence shelters, or connect with a health and social service provider in their community for support to discuss next steps they can take to protect themselves.

Mental health supports such as community counsellors, the NWT Help Line, as well as various online resources are available to those who are affected by senior abuse, Mr. Speaker. I encourage anyone who wants to know more to reach out to the NWT Seniors Society or visit their website.

Enabling seniors to age in place requires an effort at the territorial level, at the community level, and within NWT families. Over the next few months, NWT residents, Indigenous and community governments, and stakeholder organizations, will have the opportunity to participate in community-based in-person and virtual engagement sessions, as well to complete an online survey to inform the work the GNWT is doing to enable more seniors to age in place no matter where they live in the Northwest Territories. And that survey is available at health centres and from the NWT Seniors Society in paper form.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the month of June, I encourage you to take a moment to honour the seniors in your life and in your community and remember that all seniors have the right to choose their own lifestyle, express themselves in their own language, and enjoy the same privileges granted to all residents of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Mr. Speaker, since becoming the Minister responsible for Housing NWT, I have repeatedly spoken on the theme of partnership. This is because the Northwest Territories is in a housing crisis that cannot be solved by any one government alone.

Mr. Speaker, it is crucial that Housing NWT works with Indigenous governments to increase affordable housing for residents, providing training opportunities, and supports the housing goals of Indigenous governments and communities while maximizing local economic activity.

Last fall, as part of our renewal strategy, Housing NWT committed to strengthening its partnerships with the Indigenous governments of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that Housing NWT is making progress on that. Housing NWT has recently signed a memorandum of understanding on housing with the Tlicho government. This provides a framework for intergovernmental cooperation on housing-related matters, including discussions on coordinated program delivery in the Tlicho communities. Working with the existing intergovernmental memorandum of understanding with the Tlicho government, this memorandum of understanding on housing demonstrates Housing Northwest Territories' commitment to strengthening this important relationship and to ensure that our cooperation will endure far into the future.

Mr. Speaker, stronger cooperation between the two governments has the potential to positively impact the day-to-day lives of the Tlicho citizens and the public, and to help us focus and maximize our collective efforts on housing.

Despite the promise of progress in the memorandum of understanding, there is still much more work to be done. Guided by the MOU, Housing NWT will work with the Tlicho government on providing effective housing supports for people most in need.

Mr. Speaker, while we may not always be able to agree, I want to express with this relationship, based on trust, recognition, and mutual respect, we will overcome any challenges. We will be better, we will do better to maximize our collective efforts for people we serve. I look forward to jointly working together and continuing to make this progress on matters of importance to both the GNWT and the Tlicho government.

In closing Mr. Speaker, mahsi to the Tlicho government for working with us to set a new model for housing success in the Northwest Territories. I also want to thank the staff of Housing NWT for making this a priority and putting their efforts forward. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is a little bit different. To begin my statement today, I want to share a quote from Gandhi when he described our modern western society as one of wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without mortality, size without sacrifice, and politics without principle.

Mr. Speaker, for my Member's statement today, I want to talk about logical decision-making and logical thinking.

One of the biggest things that I have noticed since becoming an MLA is that every single decision that government makes needs to be backed up by frameworks, action plans, studies, and strategies. It is very clear to me that public government is nearly incapable of making seemingly easy decisions on about anything. There is much talk about doing things in the future because of the need to wait for further studies. However, that provides for a lack of action for long periods of time when logical decisions about things that have been studied to death can be put into action. This way of doing things wastes valuable time, money, and resources that can be put to better use and actually gets things done in a timely matter.

Mr. Speaker, this way of doing things would never be acceptable when running a business as the business would likely fall into deep deficit, eventually go bankrupt, and never be able to accomplish any of its core mandate actions. For private enterprise, as the saying goes, time is money, so logical decisions and logical thinking about known and established facts on various matters usually prevails. However, that same principle does not apply to public government as government bureaucrats are always trying to cover decisions that should be made with good leadership in a timely effective manner to make a difference for the people of the Northwest Territories. I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, as the MLA for Thebacha, I am stressing that decisions should come from the heart. It should come from your knowledge of the subject. You should be passionate about the subject. And it should also accomplish positive changes. As leaders, we should also make sure that we are not making decisions that are not detrimental to the people of the Northwest Territories.

We need to learn to think outside of the box for the betterment of the people of the Northwest Territories. We must show strength and be proud of our decisions.

Many times I feel there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. The waters get muddy, and the whole idea of why we are here is sometimes being questioned by the people of the Northwest Territories.

So colleagues, think before you leap; think before you speak; think before you action; to make it easier for the people of the Northwest Territories to understand what we are doing here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am following up on my statement from last week on overpolicing and police brutality.

Since my last statement, several constituents have reached out to share their fears of the RCMP. Mr. Speaker, we should all be deeply troubled by this.

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous people face violence every day. This violence is rooted in colonization, residential school, the 60 Scoops, the Indian Act, and other racist policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous people.

Mr. Speaker, historically the RCMP was complicit in this violence. For example, many RCMP were involved in separating Indigenous children and youth from their families to attend residential schools. The policing of Indigenous children and youth began at a very young age. This is one reason why there is mistrust and fear of the RCMP.

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous women in the Northwest Territories and Canada face extraordinary rates of violence. In 2021, Statistics Canada revealed that six in ten Indigenous women report being physically or sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

These acts of violence are not separate from the colonial legacy of Canada. In fact, the colonial acts and policies I listed diminish Indigenous women. This has made them more susceptible to violence including violence from the RCMP. The RCMP's rough handling, harsh treatment, racist remarks, indifference, and cruelty towards Indigenous women is systemic discrimination and violence against Indigenous women. This is unacceptable.

For example, when charges are stayed against RCMP for police brutality, what message does this send to the Indigenous people, especially the Indigenous women? Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, in 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls final report was released with Calls to Justice. From that report, calls for police services, 9.1, reads, "Acknowledge that the historical and current relationship between Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people in the justice system has been largely defined by colonialism, racism, bias, discrimination, and fundamental cultural and societal difference. Acknowledge that going forward this relationship must be based on respect and understanding and must be led by and in partnership with Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people."

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous people across the territory are ready for a healthy and positive relationship with the RCMP based on respect. Reconciliation with, and the safety of, Indigenous people requires we implement the MMIWG for justice.

I will have questions for the Minister of Justice. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the East Three Secondary graduates who will be having their ceremony on Saturday, June 4th, in Inuvik. I would also like to congratulate the post-secondary students that will be having their convocation on June 17th at the Inuvik campus. As well as all those students that have completed their post-secondary this year with all the challenges that they have had to do to complete their studies throughout the pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, graduating in the Northwest Territories is a great achievement for those who are able to do so.

According to statistics, from ECE's grad rate fact sheet stats in 2018, show that the NWT graduation rate is 61.3 percent. And when it is broken down by regional centres, small communities, and Yellowknife, the stats are as follows: regional centres are at the highest with 83.1 percent; small communities at 33.1 percent; Yellowknife at 71.4 percent.

When we dive deeper into who is graduating and break it down even further between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, the stats are no surprise to most of us sitting in this room.

In 2018, only 48.3 percent of the Indigenous students graduated compared to 77.9 of the non-Indigenous students, Mr. Speaker. This saddens me. Do you know why this saddens me, Mr. Speaker? It's because there are so many systemic barriers and challenges that Indigenous students face, especially in the smaller communities, as my colleagues from the small communities continue to remind us all, that prevents them from achieving graduation, like poverty, lack of food, lack of shelter, addictions that some of these family are challenged with. Attending school and getting to school is much lower on their priority.

Mr. Speaker, we talk about a representative workforce in the North, and I do as well, but we need to really fix the root causes as to why we don't have a representative workforce in the North. And that is why I stand in this House, as long as I am as an MLA, to raise the issues of these root causes, to get the attention they need for a better future for all of our residents, especially our Indigenous residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what happens when a constituent finds him or herself with a disease that only one in a million people have? And then finds that disease is not on this government's antiquated list of specified disease conditions?

Mr. Speaker, I will speak about chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis, also referred as a CRMO. It is an issue that I promised a constituent I would bring forward on his behalf.

CRMO is a disease that affects mostly children and adolescents but can affect any age. It results in inflammation in around the bones with symptoms of continuous pain, inflammation, abnormal bone growth, bone deformity, bone fractures, joint swelling, and fever. It affects the person to the point that he or she is unable to work or participate in activities many of us take for granted.

Mr. Speaker, of all of the diseases present in the world today, we only have 50 shown on our list of specified disease conditions. Again, what happens when you have a rare disease and that disease is not on this government's list of specified disease conditions?

The answer is simple.

If you have private health insurance, treatment and medication may be covered. If you're relying on this government's healthcare system for support, you are in fact on your own.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has tasked this government with the responsibility and financial resources to provide healthcare to all residents of the Northwest Territories. What that means is we must do all we can to ensure residents have access to appropriate healthcare whether or not they can afford it. And in this instance, whether or not it is a disease that is not on this list of specified disease conditions.

Mr. Speaker, this government's Extended Health Benefits Policy, 49.07, states that government is committed to the realization and maintenance of health and well-being of the Northwest Territories residents. It also states that nothing in this policy shall in any way be construed to limit the prerogative of the Executive Council to make decisions or take action respecting extended health benefits outside the provisions of this policy.

Mr. Speaker, the second quote is particularly important as it is apparent the drafters of this policy anticipated that there would be instances where gaps would exist thus provided the Executive Council with the authority to address those gaps. As such, CRMO not being listed is an instance where a gap does exist. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, fixing an outdated policy is our responsibility. Providing healthcare is our responsibility. However, this government feels it would set a precedent and open the floodgate to others in similar circumstances. Making those debatable decisions in favour of our constituents are why we are here.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of helping this young man is approximately $20,000 per year. This will not cure the disease, but it would provide my constituent with quality of life, something we all take for granted.

Although the initial request on behalf of my constituent was denied, I would ask the Minister of Health to do the right thing and reverse her decision to provide the support that will improve this young man's quality of life, or at least place the matter before the Executive Council for their consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Child and Family Services Standards and Procedures Manual states the Northwest Territories Child and Family Services Act mandates the provision of protective and supportive services for children and families.

It goes on to state this mandate is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Services and regional health and social services authorities to jointly fulfill the obligations under the Child and Family Services Act.

Mr. Speaker, the main objective of the act is for the protection and well-being of children. It goes on to tell parents how to raise and handle their children free from abuse and harm and use of safe disciplinary methods.

Mr. Speaker, the document goes on to state that measures taken for the protection and well-being of children should, as far as possible, promote family and community integrity and continuity. It also suggests that communities should be encouraged to provide and develop their own child and family services but, I take it, within the rules of the Child and Family Services Act.

Mr. Speaker, there is perhaps a lot of education for parents and communities within the act which focuses on the protection of the children within the family unit. The problem with the Child and Family Services Act is that it is not front and center in our communities. Only when there are troubles for families that this act springs out of the dark and families are left scratching their heads wondering and realizing their worst nightmares, that their children are being taken away.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in every other jurisdiction in Canada, I can stand up in the House and ask a Minister what exemptions, what changes, and how the National Building Code applies in that jurisdiction - except the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker.

Right now, the answer to whether the National Building Code applies in the Northwest Territories is something like "part of it", "somewhere", "sometimes", Mr. Speaker. And we know this. We know this because we have sued ourselves over it, and we know this because there are numerous contractual disputes about when and how the code applies in this territory.

And, Mr. Speaker, there are many debates that need to be had by jurisdictions about what sections they want of the National Building Code. For example, the National Building Code is not only the standard. There's the Canada Safety Association Standard on Accessibility. Our Human Rights Commission has had multiple cases where they have said the National Building Code is not enough for accessibility. They have recommended that we implement higher accessibility standards in the Northwest Territories.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, right now in BC or Alberta or Ontario or Quebec, I could build a 12-storey mass timber building. Mass timber is one of those areas that has exceeded beyond the current building code and is recognized as the more sustainable and cheaper option for northern building. But that would be illegal, presently, in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, there is a very large debate about what energy standards we want to adopt in the Northwest Territories. Right now, we haven't really adopted any. Perhaps we need northern specific sections for building on permafrost.

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about single points of egress in four to six-storey buildings. I love single points of egress in four-storey buildings, Mr. Speaker. Ontario is looking how to adopt those because we recognize now that new buildings that are built with fire safety standards don't need a second stairwell. In fact, all that second stairwell is doing is driving up the cost of building and further increasing our housing crisis. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we can't have that conversation here because we do not have a Building Standards Act.

Mr. Speaker, the steps right now to get a building approved depend on which municipality you're in, and there are literally hundreds of steps and hundreds of points of approval across multiple jurisdictions.

I believe that implementing a Buildings Standards Act will pay for itself in streamlining the building process and it will help alleviate our housing crisis.

I'll have questions for the Minister of MACA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will be speaking to suicide today. Before I start, I want to give people an opportunity to turn down the volume or remove themselves from the Chamber if they prefer not to listen.

Mr. Speaker, I like numbers because they compel evidence-based decision-making, so here are some numbers.

The World Health Organization estimates one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Over 4,000 Canadians die by suicide every year. That's 11 people every day. 70 percent of mental health problems arise during childhood or adolescence, and 75 percent of children with mental disorders do not have access to specialized treatment services. Indigenous youth are five to six times more likely to die by suicide than non-Indigenous youth. And suicide rates for Inuit youth are among the highest globally, at 11 times the national average.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken in this House before about youth mental health emergencies. I explained that if a child broke their arm, they would be given an x-ray, a cast, pain medication, instructions for cast care, and told what to do if they need more support. But what happens when a child's injury is mental and not physical?

Through multiple anecdotes, I learned the typical emergency room response to a suicide attempt is to physically put the person back together and then request a call to the patient from the community counsellor. If it is a long weekend, that call is a minimum four days away, and the call back is the only support tool provided.

This is a gap, Mr. Speaker. Northerners need immediate aftercare in these traumatic moments.

The Health and Social Services mental health and addictions team brings together various support platforms, expertise, and grassroots funding, but these tools or programs are not communicated to Northerners in crisis mode. There is no space for designing safety plans or discussing next steps. The standard hospital emergent response to suicide attempts is not enough.

Mr. Speaker, many of our children are not okay. Suicide is a common conversation among youth across our territory and across demographics. In the NWT, roughly 160 to 180 people use hospital services every year following suicide attempts. Each of these instances are calls for help with the gift of a second chance.

If mental health is health, we need to ensure that mental health supports and immediate emergency aftercare is accessible at our hospitals and our health centres. We owe it to the people of the Northwest Territories not to waste these second chances. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. There are some issues that I would like to follow up on from the recent royal visit. My colleague from Yellowknife North started to raise some of these issues earlier in this sitting.

The first issue is the need for a new name for the territorial heritage centre and museum. I have raised this issue repeatedly, as has the Member for Yellowknife North in this sitting. I was very pleased to hear the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment say basically, on May 27th, that the only obstacle to renaming the museum is political inertia as there is no requirement or need for royal approval.

Here's a concrete step that our government can easily take towards reconciliation - rename our territorial museum.

The Member for Yellowknife North has also raised the need to rename some other places in the Northwest Territories to stop commemorating our colonial and racist roots. I support that call, which is also consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Article 13 says that Indigenous peoples have the right to "designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons" and "states shall take effective measures to ensure that this right is protected."

Clearly GNWT has some unfulfilled obligations in this regard, and I will ask the Minister how this right will be implemented here. I am hoping that the Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs will also take note of this issue and address it in their final report.

The other museum issue that I want to raise is permitted uses of the museum.

During the recent royal visit to the museum, there was a display of some Inuit traditional heritage items, including a stone lamp, or qulliq. Unfortunately, a current direction from the museum appears to preclude the lighting of the lamp. It's my understanding that a lighted qulliq has been allowed before within the museum without any adverse impacts so it's not clear why there is a new policy or direction.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on how we can fulfill our UNDRIP obligations with regard to place naming and also ensure that the museum supports culturally significant practices. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week, the Auditor General of Canada's report on addictions prevention and recovery services in the Northwest Territories was tabled in this House. Portions of the report speak of equitable access to supports as well as the need for culturally safe services. The auditor general reports that aftercare is limited or non-existent, and there are little to no formalized processes or communications to clients on other supports available to them, including from Health Canada.

Prevention. I've heard from several residents that they often cannot reach the Primary Health Clinic or obtain an appointment, with many people lacking a permanent family doctor. Primary care can be the first point of contact for someone trying to get help or resources for mental health or medical issues that may lead to addiction and/or relapse.

Immediate access to top quality medical care is crucial if we want to deal with our addictions issue. Adjustments to the current system for accessing healthcare and trauma counselling need to change. Some of this work has been started but it's clearly not enough as the mental health crisis looms on.

Recovery. People faced with addictions are often under-housed or homeless. Ensuring adequate housing and safe spaces is crucial to mental health and addiction prevention and recovery. The Departments of Health and Social Services and Housing must collaborate with Indigenous governments and communities to establish aftercare services and sober housing so people can continue their recovery in their home communities in a safe environment.

Furthermore, these spaces need to be in good repair, and there must be 24-hour supports in place to help those recovering in their journey.

Mr. Speaker, when reviewing the report, the biggest thing that jumps out to me is the lack of data collection and measurable outcomes on addictions in the NWT. Both the Department of Health and Social Services and the health authorities have failed to collect or analyze targeted data; data that could have been used to identify trends and provide information to support action to improve outcomes for Northerners.

Mr. Speaker it has been 20 years since the Department of Health committed to better coordinate the health and social services system to improve residents' access to services. And 20 years later, it appears nothing has changed. This government needs to develop concrete, actionable plans that lead to better outcomes. They need to build sober houses and hire respected elders and community members to provide supports in communities. Mr. Speaker, i seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

They need to build sober houses and hire respected elders and community members to provide sober supports in communities.

The ability to detox and recover in an environment that is safe and supportive is the right of all of our people, and the GNWT has failed to provide this. How can we say we are truly intent on reconciliation when we fail to see our people crying for help? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about mental health challenges in communities that I represent.

Recently, I have learned of several major -- sorry, there are several very serious medical incidents arising from chronic mental health conditions in my constituent communities. These tragic circumstances have serious impacts on the community that extend beyond one individual.

Our Indigenous people, our communities, are tight-knit and compassionate. We support each other through the best and worst times. We also suffer together. The legacy of colonialism and genocide have left our people deep psychological scars. The (audio) of general trauma continues to (audio) Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories, leading to depression, anger and violence, and suicide.

Mr. Speaker, I received a call from a council Member in one my communities I represent and was very distressed to learn it was about a young woman who was suicidal. This young woman had sadly attempted suicide by hanging herself but was thankfully seen by friends and family who brought her to the health centre to be assessed and hoped to see her admitted to the psych ward in Yellowknife.

The nursing staff kept her for a short time then released her with Tylenol pills. Even the RCMP were unwilling to have the young woman apprehended and admitted to the hospital, something made possible through the Mental Health Act.

This sorry episode is both moving and disheartening. The tremendous compassion and conviction of the young woman and family is inspiring, just the lack of care available in the community is heartbreaking.

Mr. Speaker, we know from the Offices of the Auditor General of Canada that the government is not doing enough to treat and prevent addictions. This is particularly true in respect to our small communities. I will quote from the report.

We were also concerned by the lack of coordination needed to connect clients with services that required (audio) though it's been 20 years since the department committed to better help coordinate the health and social service system to improve residents' access to services. The department and health authorities need to do more to deliver on their commitments to provide equitable, culturally-safe programs to help people impacted by addictions and access the care they need for their own well-being and that of their own communities.

Mr. Speaker, who is responsible for the safety of the individual who is a threat to themselves and others. Surely it's not the distressed family (audio) medical and police professionals for help. We can do better.

In that precious time, in that precious lives have been lost already, and my constituents cannot bear seeing any more of their sons and daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, consumed by the darkness of despair and suicide. It's time to take a serious look at the healthcare and mental health support in small communities and make this a real priority for the government and future governments.

I will questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Mr. Speaker, in February of this year, Ms. Sierra McDonald wrote all MLAs of the Legislative Assembly and acknowledging the need for a treatment centre and addictions support. Since my time in this government, I have seen and heard constant advocation on this issue. And I am pleased to see the progress as we start to make movement within our healthcare approach of new positions, workshops, and fundings for small communities and Indigenous governments to engage and support their efforts in addressing these important issues, trauma addiction and healing.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Sierra McDonald is here with us today, along with her grandmother, Ms. Mary Jane McDonald. Sierra will be graduating this year and will be attending Concordia University in Quebec and will be pursuing her education in political science. She will also be attending the World Youth Summit on Monday in Saskatchewan.

It is great to see our young people pursuing their dreams and aspirations. And who knows what this future may bring? You may see in the coming years MLA McDonald, Premier McDonald, Minister McDonald - we don't know. But you make our future look bright.

Thank you, Sierra, and thank you to her grandmother for being in attendance. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in December of 2020 we all received an email from a young lady, and she's in the audience. That young lady was Sierra McDonald from Norman Wells.

At the time she was a grade 11 student and was attending the FOXY Peer Leader Retreat, and she sent us an email as part of that program. And in that email, she posed four questions basically on treatment centres and why they are needed in the NWT. And it's an issue that we all struggle with. And my understanding, as Minister Chinna said, is that Ms. McDonald is off to university in the fall, and I wish her all the best in her studies. And I ask that she keep in touch with all of us because I think one day she'll be sitting in here, and Ms. Chinna's probably hoping it's not her seat, but.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

I'd like to welcome everyone, and it's always good to have an audience with us. Mahsi. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these questions are for the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm how, in the Extended Health Benefits Policy 49.07, a disease condition makes it on the list of specified disease conditions? How often is this list updated and what consideration is given to those diseases that are rare such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although I heard three questions in there, I think all of them belong to the Minister of Health. I'd like to defer it to the Minister of Health. Thank you.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for Hay River South for the question.

I want to start by saying this isn't the appropriate forum to discuss specific cases or conditions. It's important that we respect the right of patients to their health information.

That said, on the general topic of the specified conditions, the list, which has 58 conditions on it, was inherited from the federal government when we took responsibility in this area in 1988. Some conditions were added in 2011 through the medical director of the time.

The specified disease list is now the subject of a review by the Department of Health and Social Services. There will be public consultation in the summer, and we expect to have a new draft policy available for review by next spring. The purpose of redrafting the policy is that listing conditions is not a very efficient way of dealing with need for extra help with things like prescription drugs. It would be better to look at income and means testing to see what people have for personal resources and what they need in order to pay for the help they need through their specified conditions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm how constituents with diseases not currently listed on the specified disease conditions list are accommodated when it comes to provision of treatment and medication?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, medical treatment, as the Member knows, is an insured service under the NWT Health Plan. So anyone with appear at any of the health centres, or at Stanton, and expect to receive a diagnosis and treatment for the condition that they are presenting with. That said, we do not cover drugs on a universal basis. There is no universal PharmaCare here or anywhere else in the country at this point.

There is an understanding at our level, and at the federal level, that there is a need to develop a strategy around specified -- not specified diseases but extraordinary drug costs because what we're finding is there are more of these one in a million cases of disease, and often the treatments are extremely expensive. So there is an acknowledgement that this is a potential problem, and a remedy is in the works. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm what is the role of her department when it comes to persons who are indigent and without the financial resources to acquire treatment or drugs for a rare disease such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis? Thank you.

Yes, thank you. This answer really turns on the personal resources of the person. In some cases people may be able to access health benefits through their work or through their parents work if they're dependent children. It may be possible if they're seniors. It is possible for them to access support from the GNWT. Likewise people who qualify for Metis health benefits can have their drugs covered and those with the specified conditions.

After that, it may be possible for a person to apply for private health insurance. It may also be possible for a person to apply for income assistance and for a disability benefit if their disease prevents them from working. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituent exhausted all other avenues for assistance in covering treatment costs and now looks to this government as his last hope.

Mr. Speaker, clause 8 of the Extended Health Benefits Policy 49.07 states that nothing in this policy shall in any way be construed to limit the prerogative of the Executive Council to make decisions or take action respecting extended health benefits outside the provisions of this policy.

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm the purpose or intent of that clause, and does the Premier see it as a drafter's intent to address policy gaps? Thank you.

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

Thank you. Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, it's usually the Premier that would speak on Executive Council issues. So if you're all right, I'll take that question.

So the purpose of the provision in all -- actually in all policies in the GNWT are similar to that stating that the Executive Council, nothing in the policy shall in any way construe the limits or the prerogative of the Executive Council to make decisions to take action respecting a lot of policies.

And the reason is for that is because although Ministers have specific departments, it's the Executive Council, as a whole, that is responsible for the operations of the government. However, in saying that, we don't get into every single department. That's why we have departments and specific ministers for that.

However, the other thing that's important to say as well is that the matters that are put before the Executive Council themselves are subject to privilege. So I can't publicly actually talk to -- commit to whether -- to the Member publicly whether this would come to the Executive or not.

But I do want to say that we do recognize that there's issues with this policy, and I think that the Minister recognizes that as well, and that's why she is looking to do a review of the Extended Health Benefits Policy that's underway now.

I also heard -- I've had personal conversations with the Member as well, Mr. Speaker, and I also can say that, you know, it's heartbreaking to hear when people fall through gaps, and none of us want to see that. But with the Minister with her work on the extended health policy. And also Canada, there's a national pharmacy program -- care program that they're talking about as well.

So based on my conversations with the Member, Mr. Speaker, I will make sure that I bring this conversation up with my conversations with federal ministers, to the prime minister, and see how their PharmaCare program can actually interact with our own policies around healthcare. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are related to my Member's statement on the Child and Family Services Act.

I note the intentions of the act are to prevent child abuse within a family unit with the needed education of families to comply with this act. Education First Nations of the act is a win-win for the intent of the act.

Can the Minister advise if the education and awareness of this act has been made to First Nations organizations and has the department advised the organizations at a duly convened meetings of all the regional assemblies. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Member for Deh Cho for the question.

Just by way of background, the Child and Family Services Act came into force in 1998, and it has a provision to be reviewed every five years, and it is being reviewed this year.

The purpose of the act is, and will continue to be, to ensure that the best interests of the child are taken care of. What has changed is that there is more of a focus now on prevention rather than protection. So protection is still present, but prevention needs to be exhausted first.

So there are opportunities for counselling, parenting programs, services to improve housing, treatment if that's required, and any other service that may be helpful to the family to address the issues that they are having and to keep them together, to keep them whole as a family unit.

The act recognizes that the best place for a child is in the family home. And the reason to take the child out of that home is only because they are not safe in that home.

So using this new approach, we have been able to ensure that 92 percent of children who received child and family services are in their own home or in their home communities.

So the practice of taking children out of their communities and cultures is something that we're moving beyond in this era of reconciliation. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for what not answering my original question. But I appreciate her review of it and the fact that it's more on prevention.

Mr. Speaker, an act as such can lead to criminal charges to a family member depending on the seriousness of child discipline. This act has far reaching implications and presence including in the schools, which parents aren't aware of.

My question to the Minister is when are the communities going to be made aware of this act that will and can affect their families? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, this act has been in force for 25 years. And so child protection workers, social workers, have been using this legislation for 25 years. So it's not new.

In the time that I've been Minister and we've started this review of the Child and Family Services Act, I've been in frequent contact with Indigenous governments to ask for their feedback on what they would want to change in this act since we have an opportunity to make changes in this Assembly.

So I'm not sure what the Member has in mind by "making parents aware." If he has a specific case he would like me to look into, then I would encourage him to contact me privately about that. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I think what I've been alluding to in my first two questions here is whether communities are even aware of this act. Because I come from a small community. We never hear of the Child and Family Services Act in our communities, let alone the First Nations organizations who are accountable to their members and also all the regional First Nations organizations that I speak to, and they said they never hear of the act or anybody ever approaching their assemblies or meetings to make them aware that there is such an act in place.

And as the Minister alluded, I guess the act has been in existence for some time now. The Department of Health and Social Services has staff on the ground in the communities enforcing this act, but they're not going to our community leadership or the meetings or attending any of our functions.

Can the Minister advise if there are staff in many or all of the communities in the North? Mahsi.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member was not a Member in 2018 when the OAG reviewed the provision of child and family services. But that was a very distressing report, showing significant gaps in the provision of child and family services. The result was an investment of 57 new positions in child and family services across the NWT since 2018.

So I can say that there are, for example, two social workers in Fort Providence. Most communities have resident social workers. Some of the smaller communities are served from regional offices.

The other big thing that's happened is that the federal government passed Bill C92 which enables Indigenous governments to create their own child and family services law. We've had a number of inquiries about this act from Indigenous groups in the NWT. And the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation has already written its law and we are now in negotiations with them on a coordination agreement where we will provide services according to their law.

So I'm a little puzzled by the Member's insistence that nobody knows about this act. But I want to assure him that this is a topic of conversation in bilaterals and at Indigenous government tables often and that there is an opportunity now for Indigenous governments to take control in this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for her answer. When I asked questions of lots of my leadership, you know, they'd never heard of the CFS act. The only ones that know about it are the affected families who have been approached and their kids been taken away and then given back to them.

Mr. Speaker, I've been made aware that the CFS staff in Fort Providence will be moved out of the local health centre. I'm aware that they currently have two offices in the building. I see from the supplementary estimates that they will be moved into new leased space within the community.

Can the Minister advise why they need to move the two staff into another leased space when they have adequate office space in the current building? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a situation where the health centre simply isn't big enough to hold all the staff. I said two social workers. There's actually three social workers, a social work supervisor, and two and a half healthy family workers as well as one family preservation worker. So that's a total of 6.5 full-time equivalent positions providing social services in Fort Providence, and there simply isn't enough room in the health centre. And so they are going to move that staff group into another location. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The Minister said the only thing holding us back from renaming the territorial museum is ourselves. I'd like -- would like to establish what the position of Cabinet is on this issue and what, if any, priority it may have.

Can the Minister tell us whether this government supports and takes responsibility for giving the territorial museum a more regionally and culturally appropriate name within a reasonable timeframe; say, perhaps my lifetime. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't bind future governments but I'm confident that we will see a name change in the Member's lifetime. I wish the Member a very long life. But the plan has been to -- as the Member knows, we are working to address some of the infrastructure issues at the museum, some type of retrofit, perhaps a new governance model, and tied in with that would be a name change. Instead of just slapping a new name on an old building, we want to package it all together so it is a new -- there's a sense of renewal associated with it so it's not just we're doing it for the sake of doing it. We're doing it as well in conjunction with significant other changes. Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that, and I hope to be present during the renaming ceremony whenever it takes place.

I have to confess to the Minister, I like to hang out at the museum in the archives. He probably knows that.

When I first arrived in Yellowknife in 1985 and visited the museum, there was a full-time toponymist with a dedicated office and workspace. That's somebody who studies place names. It's not clear to me that we have the same resources dedicated to this important function.

Given UNDRIP article 13 and our government's commitment to implementation, can the Minister tell us how we can fulfill our place naming obligations? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And there is still a full-time toponymist which is now known as a cultural places officer, and that was renamed about ten years ago, so still 30 years after the Member first arrived here. And then that position does all of the naming work that the Member is talking about. And it is a busy office.

There have been hundreds of name changes and new names made official in the last number of years, and currently there are 424 new and replacement names that have been submitted by the Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, and 13 Indigenous place names in the Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve, and we are working to make those name changes happen. So I would say we're one of the leaders when it comes to indigenizing names in the territory, rather making sure their actual names are official names. Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Yes, and I too fully recognize the work that's being done by Indigenous governments and organizations, like the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute. They've done a lot of work on place names.

But I think that we need a concerted effort and a program to fully recognize and change colonial and racist place names here in the Northwest Territories. It's not clear, you know, whether we actually have such a program ourselves. So I want to ask the Minister whether he intends to fully implement UNDRIP article 13 and whether any additional resources are needed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No additional resources are needed. We are making our way through hundreds of names, as I mentioned. And we are fully staffed. I know that the Government of Nunavut has had some staffing issues with that toponymist position, but luckily we've been able to maintain staff and are making our way through that.

We do have a geographical and community names policy of the Executive Council, and that guides how communities and geographical features are renamed. And I don't think that there's any sort of, you know, policy adjustments required, any sort of additional resources required. What we need is community engagement and communities to bring forward these needs. It's not up to the GNWT to say what a particular place should be named. It's up to the communities, and the communities have been bringing forward those names by the dozen. And we have been making those changes as they're brought forward. Thank you.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Lastly, I just wanted to follow up on how our territorial museum can better support important cultural practices like the lighting of an Inuit qulliq.

Can the Minister explain whether lighted qulliqs have been allowed in the museum before, what the current policy is, and the basis for that policy for practice. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Qulliqs have been lit in the museum before, in the auditorium area. There could be arrangements made to have them lit in other areas but a bit of a head's up is needed to ensure that, you know, sprinkler systems are turned off so that we don't damage any of our artifacts and that smoke detectors perhaps are temporarily removed. And that's the situation we found ourselves in, where there just wasn't enough lead time given to make a change like that to allow for one to be lit. And it's an unfortunate incident, and I think there's -- we would have done things differently if we had known earlier. But I'll leave it at that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Justice.

Can the Minister of Justice tell us how many RCMP misconduct cases have been reported and investigated within the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When people bring forward complaints, they can bring them forward to the RCMP or to a civilian oversight group, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission.

In 2017-2018, there were 33 complaints. In 2018-2019, there were 32 complaints. In 2019-2020, 32 complaints. In 2021, there were 18 complaints. And in 2021-2022, there were ten complaints. As of May 13th in this fiscal year, there have been three. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if the RCMP investigates their own misconduct cases. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as I mentioned, citizens can bring their complaints directly to the RCMP in which case, depending on the nature of the complaint, it might be investigated internally by G-division. If it is a more serious complaint, an outside agency would be brought in to do the investigation. And if it's brought to the civilian review and complaints commission, they would be the ones undertaking that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the standard length of time that an RCMP officer stays in the community is usually about two to three years.

Can the Minister tell us how long a commanding officer of G-division remains in their position, and what is the criteria for hiring a commanding officer? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer to the question 3A is five years. And the answer to question 3B is about two pages long, so I will share that by email with the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe it is time that the NWT review its police service agreement with the RCMP. The RCMP are overpaid, underworked, and need greater accountability, transparency, and oversight on their conduct.

Does the Minister have the authority and the will to review the terms and conditions of the existing Territorial Police Service Agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Territorial Police Services Agreement is a 20-year agreement, and it goes until the year 2032. It is collectively managed by all provinces and territories. So there wouldn't be much utility in myself sitting down and reviewing this 80-page document. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to beyond helping somebody with any physical support that they need within an emergency centre, what is the protocol for responding to a mental health crisis or suicide attempt? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for Kam Lake for that question.

NTHSSA has a system-wide policy on suicide risk assessment. It's a 10-page policy which is available online.

The policy clearly states that the staff need to assess the risk and complete a meaningful safety plan. The risk assessment determines the level of intervention which could be minimum, moderate, or high. If the suicidal incident involves the hospital, there's a discharge meeting and a plan for which there is a template. And if needed, a multi-disciplinary community care plan is created. So this could include access to counselling, which is available same day although, as the Member noted, that's not seven days a week. Any mental health. And mature minors who have the capacity to understand and consent, don't have to involve their families in their hospital visit and their aftercare plan. But it would be good practice if that were the case so that there is a reliable person who can be part of this person's recovery. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can say that with the residents of the territory that I've had the opportunity to speak with that is not what has happened in their experience following a suicide attempt from a family member or from themselves. And so this is definitely a gap. And so I'm wondering if Health and Social Services tracks suicide attempts, and if they also track the response and the plan of care that is provided to each of those people who are travelling this journey because I will say that that is not the reality of the residents that I've had the opportunity to speak with. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly welcome the Member for Kam Lake to share specific cases with me to follow up. In terms of self-harm and suicidal ideation, information provided to the Member previously reveals that the number of self-harm or suicidal ideation incidents has, in fact, been developing over the years since 2016-2017, which is the first year in this five-year chart. Likewise, the number of people seeking counselling because of suicidal ideation, that is youth seeking counselling, has gone down as well.

That doesn't mean that there isn't a problem. There clearly is a problem with suicidal ideation, and we need to take that seriously. That's why we have made suicide prevention funding available to communities so that they can do their own suicide prevention training and awareness. Awareness and training. So that's where we're going with the prevention piece. And to reiterate what I said earlier, if the Member knows that the policy is not being followed, I encourage her to bring that to my attention on a case-by-case basis so that we can figure out what the gaps are and how to address them. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is me standing in front of the Minister identifying a gap. These services are not being provided at the hospital. When people present at the hospital with suicide attempts, they are not given the supports that they need before they leave. Before they leave, they are asked if they are physically okay. They are put on a list to receive a call home from the community counsellor on the agenda of the -- or schedule of the community counsellor. They are not provided with an aftercare plan. They are not provided with a safety plan. They are not connected to the resources that Health and Social Services spends a lot of money making available to people, and they are not provided with a recipe for success.

We are not using the second chances that we are being given by residents adequately, and I'm identifying this gap right now. So will the Minister provide immediate direction to Health and Social Services to fill this gap, please. Thank you.

Thank you to the Member for her comments. I will take them into account.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My next question was related to, hopefully, getting a yes to fill that gap.

Will the Minister be willing to table a solution, then, that she comes up with her department in the House so that everybody knows what's expected of one another and what kind of service they can expect in dangerous situations. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've heard the comments of the Member, and I will take them into account. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Justice shared that the RCMP has been tasked to focus on the MMIWG Calls for Justice and TRC Calls to Action.

I want to ask the Minister, can the Minister share some of the specific action the RCMP will take to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for police services as part of that renewal? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as everyone knows, the RCMP is a contractor. They are separate. I'm not privy to all of the operational details, and I don't have them on hand. So because of that, I will have to get back to the Member with a written response. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm aware they are federal jurisdiction but he is the Minister of Justice for our side.

Will there be a specific practices or policies implemented in regard to prevent police brutality and other forms of violence against Indigenous women? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, these are all very operational. I don't want to give partial answers. The Member's very good at soliciting information from Ministers through written questions and through these very complex oral questions. And so what I'm going to have to do is provide a written response once again. Thank you.

Thank you. Can the Minister share some of the specific actions that the RCMP will take to address to develop a healthier relationship based on respect with Indigenous people? Thank you.

Thank you. Once again, Mr. Speaker, with a bit of head's up I might have been able to come up with some of these answers and get these very specific operational details from the RCMP. But I will have to get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Okay, as our representative.

Are RCMP officers given cultural awareness and sensitivity training before they enter the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is part of the RCMP training. As well, G-division, the RCMP in the Northwest Territories, have requirements for new members to engage with the community once they become part of that community, to meet with elders, to participate in community events. And there's a number of other things that -- a number of other things that happen in the territory in response to the MMIWG and TRC that the department is the lead on, not necessarily the RCMP. The community safety officer pilot project, the -- there are community justice programs which we've had for a number of decades now, the community policing action plans, and the First Nation Inuit policing program, which emphasizes community policing as opposed to more traditional policing. So there are a number of things that are happening. And, you know, with the written responses that I'll be providing the Member, she will have all of the information that she requires. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now across every jurisdiction in Canada a process is occurring where jurisdictions have gotten advance copies of National Building Code 2020, and many are reviewing and deciding whether they want to implement it, whether they want to make any exemptions. As I stated in my statement, many have already taken parts of it, such as the sections on mass timber, and implemented them.

And my question for the Minister of MACA is whether we are doing any of this work, whether this is work that the GNWT does at all, or simply do we just go to the Fire Prevention Act regulations and change 2015 to 2020 when that comes into force? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT is currently using the 2015 National Building Standards or the National Building Code. The code permits construction of mass timber buildings up to six stories. The 2020 edition that the Member's talking about was released in March of 2022, and the fire marshal's office has up to two years, or until 2024, to adopt it. But I'm happy here to say it to this here in the House and for the people out there that the fire marshal's office will be adopting it in the first quarter of the 2023 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's news to me. I'm glad to hear that we will be adopting NBC 2020.

I guess my understanding though, is we don't actually adopt it wholesale; we just adopt the small section of it that applies to fire prevention and then the fire marshal approves that. The rest of it is kind of left up to municipalities.

Also in one of the exemptions that a number of jurisdictions are exploring is whether buildings of four to six stories need two stairwells. I know this is a highly technical exemption but a number of jurisdictions have said that if you get rid of the second stairwell requirement, you see the nature of cities change, you see more buildings built in a different style. I'm just wondering if this is something at all that we have considered? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NBC 2015 requires at least two exits, and there must be arranged so that they are clear, visible, identifiable, and accessible.

For public safety reasons, we cannot facilitate a single means of exit, the current adoption -- or adopted code, as well as the 2020 code, requires two exits to ensure that at least one exit is available during emergency evacuation if one is blocked due to fire or smoke. I do not want to be the Minister that has only one exit and we have a fatality going out there. So we are going to follow the code as it is and follow the recommendations as it will have to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I guess this gets to kind of the heart of implementing building codes, as I can assure the Minister there are buildings all across this territory with one exit, and there are buildings all around this territory that don't meet the code because they were built a long time ago. And, you know, it's whether how we enforce those standards.

One of the specific standards beyond the National Building Code I'd like is the Canadian Safety Association Standard B561, also very technical. But the Human Rights Commission has said that in order to prevent a building from a discrimination case for not being accessible, this is the standard that we should adopt. The territory should be designing buildings to be accessible for disability standards.

I'm wondering if the department is looking into any work to be done so we could adopt that accessibility standard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the standard's already in place in the NWT as referenced in the current adopted edition of the National Building Code 2015. Many additional changes are incorporated in the 2020 edition of the NBC to further improve the accessibility design. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up my questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services concerning standards of care being offered in small communities.

On May 31st, 2022, the Minister stated I had the opportunity to go to six different NWT communities, and you had a lot to say about healthcare and delivery to them.

Can the Minister tell us which communities she visited, and what issues she heard from the residents? And Mr. Speaker, I don't need specifics, just a broad policy recommendation that represents the privacy of the healthcare clients. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.