Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cannot commit every department, but what I can commit is providing the Member with a list of the health legislation where the forms that are included in the legislation that aren't inclusive and that we will, you know, as we're looking at a lot of the legislation and making sure that we're reviewing those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of June 11th, 2024
This is page numbers 981 - 1020 of the Hansard for the 20th Assembly, 1st 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 housing.
Topics
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Oral Questions
Page 986
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Oral Questions
Page 986
The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Oral Questions
Page 986
Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Cabinet can expect a bunch of BFs.
Mr. Speaker, having to correct your gender to multiple locums on an ongoing basis can be demoralizing. Can the Minister speak to further changes that can be made to electronic medical record systems and patient charting so to be as more inclusive of gender diverse folks? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Oral Questions
Page 986
Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Member, you know, the demoralizing for the folks that have to go through this. And yes, we do see a lot of locums and, unfortunately, at this time that is not possible in our electronic medical records to, other than the male/female genders. But the requirements that are going to be -- the things that we are working toward in the new EMR will include that -- like, for the system to be able to do that. But, and, you know, thank you that we've had these discussions between the Minister and the Member is that knowing that I've worked in the systems and, you know, there are other things within our EMR that can help to identify. So in the meantime, we can work with the authorities to find a way for -- our current electronic medical records have like an alert or some sort that can -- they may have to identify, but I can't guarantee that this will be across board as it is a temporary fix until we get a new EMR. Thank you.
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Oral Questions
Page 986
The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
June 11th, 2024
Page 986
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'll direct my questions to the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, the Premier, but I know that homelessness is an issue that spans across departments so I'll leave him to redirect if necessary, and this kind of illustrates part of the conundrum we're in with the issues spanning across different mandates and departments here.
So the Salvation Army believes that we need a bigger and purpose-built shelter facility operating 24/7 in Yellowknife in order to meet the growing needs to be more cost efficient and offer wraparound services. So will the proposed Yellowknife wellness and recovery centre be designed to meet those kinds of needs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's no conundrum here. We all work together. And the Minister of Health and Social Services can answer all of the Member's questions, so I would like to redirect it to her. Thank you.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the wellness and recovery centre is intended to replace the temporary day shelter and the sobering centre, and the capacity is approximately about 85 people during the day with an overnight capacity of 31 designated sleeping spaces, which currently we only have 22, so that increases that. But the facility is also built to be flexible and the ability to provide approximately 35 additional sleeping spaces if necessary. Thank you.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Okay, thank you for that. Can the Minister explain whether the sleeping spaces are specifically designated for those in the sobering centre or they're for anyone who's needing an emergency shelter whether, you know, they're intoxicated or not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time the plan for the wellness and recovery centre is to provide services to those who are intoxicated because as the -- some of the other shelters aren't able to accommodate them, so that is what the wellness and recovery centre will accommodate. Thank you.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister explain what she might be able to do now to help non-profits who are operating emergency shelters be able to cope and address the growing crisis that we're facing here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are currently working to streamline the funding sources to reduce reporting burdens and increase training opportunities to strengthen the overall capacity. And through the implementation of the integrated service delivery, we aim to increase efficiencies and wraparound supports for our most vulnerable residents to ensure that they are getting the services, supports they need in a timely manner and ensuring that NGOs are part of this process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So can the Minister tell us when will we be able to see more transitional housing units planned for Yellowknife to help those who are currently on the street struggling with addictions and trauma? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, currently, we have one transitional housing program for addiction recovery planned for Yellowknife. It will have the capacity of five individuals at a time. This is a new program. And so we will be monitoring it closely to better understand the need before we consider any possibly expansions. You know, we have one going in in Yellowknife, we have one going in in Inuvik, we have two in the queue that have put forward their proposals. So, you know, there are many other communities that are also requesting these types of facilities. So what we want to make sure over this next year is that once we get the two operating, that we do a fulsome review that if there's things that we need to change in the way that we're working together with the NGOs to support them or, you know, we need to make sure that before we expand it out even farther. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Oral Questions
Page 986
The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope the Premier had a chance to read the statement from yesterday because I'm continuing with my statement from yesterday on Chief Jimmy Bruneau residents. So this is a question for the Premier.
Can the Premier explain if there have been any discussions with the federal government regarding residential school settlements and the residential school historical record in the NWT? Thank you.
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I've not had a chance to review the Member's statement. I just flew back into town this morning, so I won't have good answers to the Member's questions. I apologize. Thank you.
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
I will continue because there are some he can answer, and I will do a written question as well.
So can the Premier describe why the residents or boarding homes associated with the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School are not recognized as part of the residential school system?
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to go back because this was an issue that I dealt with as the Minister of ECE. So I would have to go back and look at that. But I imagine it might have something to do with the fact that it was the -- I believe the Dogrib Divisional Education Authority that was actually overseeing those residents. They weren't GNWT run in the same way that they were elsewhere, or church run. Thank you.
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you. Has the GNWT discussed residential school settlement for the NWT residential school survivors with Indigenous leadership? Thank you.
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Oral Questions
Page 987
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of any of those discussions happening. Thank you.