This is page numbers 5641 - 5694 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'm going to get the Minister a ride on an e-bike. You know, the Yukon is really ahead of us. They allow for retailers to offer rebates directly to customers and online purchases in the Yukon are also eligible, so -- and we have at least one retailer of e-bikes in the NWT. But can the Minister tell us whether the NWT -- whether NWT retailers will be able to offer the rebate directly to customers and whether online purchases will be eligible for the NWT e-bike rebate? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, we are working on finalizing the program details with our friends over at Arctic Energy Alliance. I assured the Member we are looking into the potential for local retailers to be able to offer a rebate but no final decisions are made. I will keep the Member plugged in in terms of what we're doing as we know more. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Well, that's hard shoes to fill in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Anyways, I just want to mention that in regards to my Member's statement earlier about honorariums, I'm just thinking back in 1999, when I was a chief for Yellowknives Dene First Nation and back then our band councils were given $250 a day. And since then, 24 years later, you know, I'm sure the rates have gone up. But anyway, the current rate of honorarium is set at $250 a day and was last updated in 2009. Inflation has increased by 32 percent since then, not to mention our economy's being hit with the global recession and global pandemic and a supply chain crisis.

Can the Minister explain what policy hasn't been revised -- sorry, can the Minister explain why this policy hasn't been revised in the last 14 years? Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure if this question should go to the Minister of Finance or Minister Thompson. Since he's here, I'll direct my question Minister Thompson. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for the question. And the Member did bring it up to my attention and I did a little bit of research on that.

So the honorarium rate is set out with the financial administration manual with the Department of Finance. I can't speak on why or when the rate was set, but I can say that the honorarium is paid to individuals attending the meetings and other official businesses. But I'm willing to meet with the Minister -- with the Member and the Minister of Finance to get further information on this. And, again, I'd like to thank the Member for bringing this to our attention. Thank you.

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the GNWT recognize the value of traditional knowledge of Indigenous people in creating public policy because it's not very clear to me based on this policy. The question to the Minister. Thank you.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you ENR, through the traditional knowledge policy, recognizes Indigenous traditional knowledge as an essential source of information about natural environment and the relationship of people on the land and to each other. I can tell you our traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge helps us develop our policies. So, yes, we find it very important to reach out to our Indigenous partners moving forward with our policies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to revising the honorarium policy for traditional knowledge by doubling the base rate in addition to increase the base on inflation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more than willing to meet with the Member and then reach out to the finance minister to have those conversations. Again, this is the finance Minister's responsibility but I'm more than willing to work with the Member to meet with the Minister on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. So I guess I look forward to meeting with you and the Minister and to have that discussion as well. And I think that at the starting point, you know, at the bare minimum, based on inflation costs, you know, we're looking at probably maybe $500 a day for honorarium. But, again, it's something that we need to talk about and review. So I guess the Minister would be able to respond to this. Thank you.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like I said, I'm more than willing to meet with the Member and the Minister to discuss this. Traditional knowledge is very important. And, again, when we reach out to our elders, that's our foundation so their knowledge and information is very helpful. So like I said, I will work with the Member and to have that conversation with the finance minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're just a few short months away from having another class of Aurora College nursing graduates. And so I'm wondering if the Minister of Health and Social Services can tell us how many students she is expecting to graduate from Aurora College nursing program this year? Or how many -- sorry, how many are currently enrolled and may graduate I should probably ask. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. There are a total of 20 students in the final year of the bachelor of nursing program, and NTHSSA has made a conditional offer to each of them. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm very happy to hear that. That was going to be my next question for the Minister so that is wonderful news.

I'm wondering if the GNWT has also looked into potential LPN graduates that will be graduating this year as well and if there have been any conditional job offers offered to them as well. Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the human resources unit that deals with staffing for medical professionals in the NTHSSA is working to finalize the process for hiring licensed practical nurses from Aurora College, and we know that there are 12 possible hires in that group. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering what kind of a timeline Health is working with so that we don't risk losing these LPNs to other jurisdictions who might be already waiting with a job offer somewhere? Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the point of having the LPN program there is to provide a local workforce for the functions of that particular job. While I don't have exact timing for when their process will be complete, it's my expectation that it will be complete in time to offer the LPNs work in the NWT. We need them. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree with the Minister. So I'm wondering, given the healthcare staffing shortage that we are experiencing as well in the Northwest Territories, and the pressure on primary care in health centres across the territory and, in addition to that, the availability of nurse practitioners to work alongside physicians, is the GNWT facilitating temporary certificates for all nurse practitioner graduates so that they can work while they're waiting for their national exam results? Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services doesn't license medical professionals who are nurses. They are licensed by the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. And each graduating nurse would work with that entity to ensure they submit the necessary documents to be licensed in the NWT, whatever duration, whether they plan to be here on a temporary basis or full-time. So once they're licensed, they would be eligible for employment and to compete on long-term employment and competitions within the GNWT because they would be cleared for work here. Thank you.