This is page numbers 5695 - 5762 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, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is working with the Beaufort Delta District Education Council, the BDEC, to look at space for the community to use as temporary classrooms until the Magalanik School expansion and renovation is complete. I hear the Member wanting to work together, look at space, so, I mean, we can have that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, you know, four portables being brought into the community, I think that could be utilized as a -- when they're done with them, they could be put into the housing stock, something we all need, more houses.

Mr. Speaker, what support can the Minister of Infrastructure provide to the students of Tuk on temporary houses to students that construction is underway to make sure that we're trying to work with IRC and IDC to get these -- it should be the contractor's responsibility to get these portables, and I'm calling them out today. And I want to work with the Minister to make sure that happens, to bring in four portables, because this is supposed to be a good news story but now, Mr. Speaker, it's nothing but headaches from my mayor. I hear it from my mayor; I hear it from TCC. What's the plan; what's happening? We're already utilizing stuff that's -- we're wearing down our own stuff, like the community hall, the church, you know, everything. We need to bring in something new. If we could do it for down in Yellowknife, we could do it for up in Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has worked with the contractor to get a new project schedule moving -- for moving the temporary classrooms outside of the gymnasium so that we can allow the gym to be open at start of the school year, which is in September. I do want to say that we don't have any portables that could be deployed to Tuk. And as well, Mr. Speaker, we don't really have the budget to be able to accommodate and purchase the additional portables. So I just want to be upfront with the Member that, you know, we are trying to get the school opened in September but the project does continue, and we are working with the contractor to be able to get an updated schedule so that we can share with the community. And, you know, I've heard from the community leaders as well. The mayor has reached out and just wanted updates, so we are working to be able to provide those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, with the four portables that we're asking for, would it be able to ask the contractor to bring them in and sublease them back to BDEC, I guess. I seen a tender that went out to the community yesterday asking for rental space in the community. Why is it so hard to get four portable units into the community for no more than 16 students, and there's four classes that has to be brought in. So how hard can that be to work with the contractor. They got $35 million. They must have been saving. And everybody wants to blame COVID yet in regards to the price cost. So why can't this happen, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned we are working with BDEC, the GNWT, Department of Infrastructure as well as Education, Culture and Employment, to look at some solutions on how we can accommodate the students. The timeline to procure, construct, and deliver portables to Tuk doesn't really align with the timelines to be able to get the gym opened for school year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, like I said before, you know, we could get those portables brought up. You know, they're already pre-made in the south if need be. But the thing is the biggest thing it has a rippling effect on my students and the community. There's no gym. Mental health issues. It's ripples right across for the community as a whole having no gym. And I really wish that the Minister -- I know she will work with me to get it done but, you know, having a joint meeting with the Inuvialuit Development Corporation and the contractor, with myself and my leadership from Tuk, to go over the plan and what's happening and a timeline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know the Member is very frustrated about the timeline and getting the school in Tuktoyaktuk open. You know, we have been -- we've reached out to the contractor to be able to provide the Department of Infrastructure, as well as the community, with updated plans on what we're doing to ensure that we get this school open for the kids in September, Mr. Speaker. We will work with the Member and be able to come up with timelines and perhaps, you know, if we need to have meetings with the Member and the leadership, that's something we can do. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide some insight on the reasons why an evaluation of the child and youth counselling program was initiated recently? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. 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. It's the practice of Health and Social Services to evaluate programs once they're up and running. The last segment of this program was introduced in the last school year. So the timing was right to conduct an evaluation of the program now. Thank you.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what the scope of the evaluation of the CYC will be and what the intended outcomes are for that review? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the CYCC program was developed with feedback from a wide variety of people, including students, parents, health authorities, and others. And so we're going back to that group and asking them what they think the strengths and weaknesses of this program is, and particularly the extent to which it is achieving its goal of improving access to mental wellness supports for youth. So the evaluation -- there was a portion of it that began last year with staff who were leaving in the last school year and continuing on now with the public engagement period. And rather than waiting for the whole report to be done at the end of August, myself and the Minister of ECE have committed to make changes that will be in place in time for the new school year where those changes seem to be of benefit to the program. Thank you.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain the type of feedback the health department has received to date from students, parents, and educators on the impact of the CYC has had in schools so far? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the only formal feedback we've had to this date is from individuals who accessed the child and youth care counselling program that was captured in the 2021 community counselling program client satisfaction questionnaire. That questionnaire showed a 78 percent satisfaction rate with CYCC services. But it's important to note that the response rate for that questionnaire was low, and so rather than relying solely on that we are now inviting parents, students, teachers, and community members to give us their views on how the program is working. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, with the introduction of the CYC, there were several former student counsellors in all regions of the NWT, including in Fort Smith, who lost their jobs because they didn't have the education, qualifications, required for the new positions. Given this program evaluation, can the Minister tell us if there's a potential for former school counsellors who lost their jobs under CYC to have their old jobs reinstated or reconsidered? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this evaluation is not at that point and this is not the forum for HR. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. Given that we have had these recent flooding events that are really highlighting the vulnerability of our infrastructure and that we're likely to see more coming, can the Minister tell me if the Fort Simpson diesel plant is being moved or completely replaced given its current location? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the flood happened in Fort Simpson, there was big concern from the community. The mayor reached out and was concerned about the flooding.

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation reached out and received some federal money to replace the plant, and we received the funding and then the flood happened and so we've had to go back and, you know, look at what we need to do because it is a big concern. We know that. We've found location off the island. So this is something that we are working on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess then from hearing that, it doesn't sound like there's any plans to do anything with the plant on the island but rather to look at the new location where the LNG plant was proposed. It's my understanding that the original LNG plant proposed was only supplemental but now needs to be a full plant to populate -- sorry, to power Simpson. So what is the cost for that entire LNG plant that would be needed to power the entire village? Thank you.