The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, with the new year ahead of us, I am pleased to highlight the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission's new strategic plan, Paths Towards Safety 2023-2027, which is available for everyone to view on the WSCC's website. This document, along with the ongoing input from employers, partners, and workers, will guide the Commission's work over the next five years. Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission's mission is to promote workplace health and safety while providing no-fault insurance to employers and care for injured workers. The new strategic plan provides a roadmap of how the WSCC will move forward by identifying the short-, medium-, and long-term goals during the five-year strategic cycle.

WSCC's three priority areas are:

• Advancing safety outcomes to eliminate workplace disease and injuries. WSCC has an ongoing commitment to support safe workplaces, to continuously raise awareness of safety rights and responsibilities of both workers and employers, and to prevent and reduce workplace accidents and injuries.
• Delivering quality services by enhancing processes and empowering staff to provide timely, accessible, understandable, effective, and culturally safe services and clear communication to northerners. Quality services incorporate WSCC's organizational values of respect, engagement, integrity, openness, cultural safety, excellence, and stewardship, are a foundation of our mission. And,
• Ensuring financial sustainability so that every injured worker is cared for now and into the future. The WSCC maintains the workers' protection fund, which covers injured worker claims costs by using a fiscally responsible funding mechanism that is fair to all employers.

A high level of transparency, accountability, and engagement is critical to the success of the Commission's work. Each section of this plan describes the performance measures that shows progress. WSCC will use these measures to guide their annual corporate planning process and to report on progress each year.

There is no single path to achieve the WSCC's vision to eliminate workplace disease and injury. However, Paths Towards Safety represents that many different approaches that they take to make workplaces safer every day, as well as the diverse paths many employers across all communities in the Northwest Territories take to improve the safety culture at each worksite. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, at long last, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the members of the new Aurora College Board of Governors have been selected. I would like to welcome and congratulate the following individuals on their appointments:

• Joseph Handley of Yellowknife;
• Lorraine Tordiff of Fort Smith;
• Lucy Kuptana of Tuktoyaktuk;
• Rebecca Plotner of Yellowknife;
• Tom Colosimo of Hay River;
• Jack Rowe of Hay River;
• David Hurley of Yellowknife;
• Kevin Antoniak of Fort Smith;
• Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox of Yellowknife;
• Richard Boudreault of Quebec;
• Student member, Cayla Gillis;
• Instructional staff member, Wanda Roberts; and,
• Non-instructional staff member, Xiaoyi Yan.

---Applause

Thank you, colleagues. The board of governors is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Aurora College Mandate Agreement, which is an agreement between the Minister and the board that sets the shared strategic priorities and the scope of activities to be undertaken by the college. The first mandate agreement was released on March 1, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, the commitment to transform Aurora College into a polytechnic university was first made in the 18th Legislative Assembly. The selection of the board represents an important step we are taking towards shifting this institution and establishing a fully-accredited polytechnic university in the Northwest Territories.

I also want to note another critical milestone. The Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Social Work programs have been reviewed and will be offered once again beginning in September 2024, along with a new general arts and science program. These made-in-the-North degree programs will allow students to complete their education close to home, stay connected with their culture and land, and help fill critical gaps in the labour force.

Although the timing of certain critical milestones related to the transformation have been adjusted, all commitments are still on track to be fulfilled by October 2026. This includes the planning for the establishment of the Indigenous Knowledge-Holders Council, which will ensure an Indigenous lens is applied to all aspects of the college. I encourage everyone who is interested in the transformation or the new timeline to visit the Aurora College transformation website.

Mr. Speaker, there is still a lot of work to do. I would like to thank the champions of the polytechnic university for their continued efforts, and I look forward to keeping Members and NWT residents informed along the way.

In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Denny Rodgers for his nearly six years of service as the administrator of the Aurora College. Mr. Rodgers provided stable and consistent leadership during a time of significant change, across multiple Ministers and presidents, and through a worldwide pandemic. I have enjoyed working with him, and his efforts and contributions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Caroline Wawzonek will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend the Prospector and Developers Association of Canada's convention in Toronto, Ontario. Also, Mr. Speaker, I will be absent for a portion of today's proceedings to participate in a meeting with honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, too often residents are receiving notices of physician shortages in Hay River. And without physicians in the community, proper health care cannot be dispensed. This may mean turning away those who are in need of emergency care, routine appointments, palliative care, detox services, and mental health services. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that the community of Hay River is having issues with staffing of physicians for the Hay River Regional Health Centre. This issue has been ongoing for some time and continues to affect timely access to healthcare and degrades the quality of services expected by residents.

Mr. Speaker, the catchment area for the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority includes a population of approximately 5,000 people. Canada has an average of 2.41 physicians per 1,000 population - a statistic that would translate into approximately 12 physicians for Hay River. At present, we have one locum in the community when, in fact what is needed as a minimum to provide proper and timely healthcare services, is 5.6 FTE positions.

Mr. Speaker, Hay River is fortunate to have dedicated permanent healthcare staff in place; however, without physicians and a full staff complement of healthcare workers, we may well see many of those employees leave to seek employment elsewhere. Working with limited physician support places stress on staff and management. When I say stress, I am talking about frontline staff and management working in an environment where they are unable to provide consistent, quality, and timely healthcare to residents.

These frontline workers are hearing and feeling the frustration of residents who are seeking timely access to a system that appears to be crumbling around them. Mr. Speaker, except for physicians, the Hay River HSSA recruits all other medical staff. But for some reason, and consistently, Hay River is without a full complement of physicians or, for that matter, any physicians at all. This is placing residents' health and life at risk. Although we welcome locums, our reliance on their services may result in their unfamiliarity with patient files, local cultural differences, medical staff, and processes, all which may affect one's diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up visits.

Change is needed in how physicians are recruited at HRHSSA. After all, we have a department with a $600 million budget whose sole responsibility is that of providing and delivering timely and quality healthcare to residents - and with that budget, we are failing those residents in Hay River. Thank you.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some would say you can't put a price on Indigenous knowledge that has been passed down since time immemorial. But that's exactly what the GNWT has done with their honorary policy. It is a pittance. The knowledge passed down since time immemorial when Indigenous elders is the foundation of our northern society. Indigenous knowledge is a set of complex knowledge system based on our world views, it reflects the unique culture, language, values, histories, governance and legal system of Indigenous people. It is based on cumulative and dynamic First Nation, Inuit, and Metis communities' whole knowledge system that involved living well and being in a relationship with the natural world. These systems build upon the experience of earlier generation and informs the practice of current generation and involving contemporary society.

Mr. Speaker, I am calling on this government's ongoing disrespect and undervalue of the Indigenous knowledge-holders who are requested to share their expertise. Not much has since the duty to consult with Indigenous people was checked, the consultation box, and the government not really wanting to hear from us.

This is slowly shifting to actively learning and listening but for far too long, the GNWT has set aside standard rates as a fixed honorary of $250 a day for Indigenous knowledge-holders. $250 day is taken advantage of Indigenous people. It is insulting and it is clear, and it stems from colonization and constant evolving of our Indigenous teaching and wisdom.

The events that shines the light on inadequate compensation is upcoming for a fur forum planned for the end of March. We all know that the fur industry has been steadied attacked and for decades by so-called animal rights activists and demand for fur has been on the downward spiral since. What was once a thriving economic livelihood for Indigenous people is almost non-existent. Now, finally in 2023, the Indigenous government is planning to bring together those who have taken a stake in these resurgence and revitalization of the NWT fur industry. Make no mistake, we have something very marketable to the world economy here. Wild fur harvested by Indigenous trappers is culturally appropriate and harvested in a humane manner. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Trappers are the knowledge-keepers with the equivalent of PhD in this industry. The artist of business owners working with fur hold integral knowledge to moving this industry forward. Their world view and Indigenous knowledge are vital to the success of this government's efforts. We need to the shift our mindset to understanding the immense value of knowledge-holders in the participating of informing government direction and policies. These contributions to public policies are more than valuable. They are integral for reconciliation and collaboration. It is time that we ensure that these knowledge-holders be fairly compensated and respected for their vital contribution and service to our territorial economy. I would have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we speak, Mr. Speaker, as of 5:30 this morning, Sachs Harbour is under level 2 emergency for the power. The generators being used to power the community are having difficulty to restart. The Minister reassured me that they have a power crew going in to work with the community to get the power back up and running and get the work done but unfortunately the situation is that our backup generators, our the last line of power in the community, are not working either.

Mr. Speaker, Sachs Harbour is the most northerly community in the Northwest Territories and the farthest north, the coldest tonight; it is minus 40. The power in the community for extended period of time, and it is a matter of survival. There is no other generator in regards to powering up and heating homes for the community, Mr. Speaker. This is far too cold for our elders, our young families, and just for anyone to go without power, Mr. Speaker.

In 2019, nearly $10 million was secured to replace Sachs Harbour and the 43-year-old diesel plant. But Mr. Speaker, this is almost four years now later, and it still hasn't been complete. NTPC reports that the construction and the new diesel plant in Sachs Harbour will begin early 2020 but unfortunately the community is still waiting, and it's not done. Mr. Speaker, now we are barely hanging on to our backup generators in place. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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