Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
Debates of March 11th, 2025
This is page numbers 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 know.
Topics
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I just got a note of thanks for my content warning for earlier, so I'll make it again for my questions. I will be speaking about sexual trauma and abuse.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what harm reduction supports exist for people who may recognize that they need help to not commit acts of sexual abuse? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now the community counselling program, which provides mental health support to all residents, could be available to support individual needs of support to preventing acts of abuse as community counsellors can work with individuals to provide individual counselling but also to provide support referrals to other treatments and options of care as applicable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister and I have corresponded in the past about what may be needed for specified treatment services for folks struggling with the results of their own sexual trauma. There are specialized programs such as the sexual behaviours clinic at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto that could help. Can the Minister explain if she can review whether this would align with insured health services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while I can't commit to a review on a specific topic, I can commit to reviewing approaches to specialized health services as part of the larger system sustainability work that's underway. The Department of Health and Social Services and EIA are in partnership with the health sustainability unit, and Members are aware that this work is taking place to establish an inventory of core and insured services, and type of specialized mental health services could be considered as part of this work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I appreciate that commitment. Even if it's not a review, making sure it's in the scope of what she's reviewing as a total mental health approach is very much appreciated.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that local and culturally-sensitive solutions are the best path forward. So can the Minister look into what available services with justice could be feasibly offered within the lens of health and social services with adequate training as a pilot program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about culturally sensitive solutions, you know, I want to just state that here on the floor, and with everybody, we've been told time and time again that government needs to respectfully, you know, work with Indigenous governments, work with those that are providing care. We've created the community wellness and addiction recovery funds. You know, and those are some of -- they can use towards trauma healing. I know there's been some really good programs even up in my region. Most recently, the Gwich'in Tribal Council had a men's camp. You know, so there is work going on that is based in their culture. And so for us as GNWT, working with justice, you know, we can always look at what they're doing and what we're providing and see how we can work together but also incorporating Indigenous values, you know, for those that are struggling with issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 623-20(1): Harm Reduction Supports
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Aurora College has said closing the CLCs will save $8.29 million. Can the Minister say what it would cost to keep the centres open.Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the college identified a total of $8.29 million that they would, first of all, have for their staff retention policy; second, the delivery of their online programming; and then third, further work to be done on reinstating their bachelor of education and social work programming that we've heard a lot about in this House as well. And so I would have to assume that maintaining the CLCs would continue to cost upwards of the $7 million figure. Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you for the information. Can the Minister say what plan is in place with the Department of Infrastructure to maintain the CLC building after programs stop in June? Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is absolutely right. These are still assets of the GNWT, the ones that are owned by the GNWT. The Department of Infrastructure does have asset policies so that if there is a need to pass the facilities on to another owner, there is a policy for that. And infrastructure and ECE will be working together on this work, and we have had some phone calls already from Indigenous governments or NGOs that are wanting to have a role to play in the future of the CLCs and have identified that. Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister say whether students in small communities without computers will be able to continue working in the learning centres once everything moves online? Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't comment as to what those facilities will become used for down the road, and so certainly if it's a situation where an Indigenous government chooses to have a facility like that, then that would certainly be an option depending on what that choice down the road is. My understanding through the presentation from Aurora College president and the chair is that in order to support students across the Northwest Territories through online learning that they would have wraparound supports not only for student life but also for student learning. They would be set up with the hardware required for online learning and have access to somebody who would show them how to use that hardware as well. And that would not just be a computer, it would also be headset, it would be internet. And so Aurora College intends to ensure that students have access to the technology that they would require. Thank you.
Question 624-20(1): Physical Assets of Aurora College Community Learning Centres
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions
March 11th, 2025

Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this afternoon we received -- Standing Committee on Government Operations received a briefing on the Indigenous employment policy. Mr. Speaker, one of the concerns I've heard, one of the main concerns, is from families with children schooled in the NWT returning to university who are concern their opportunities for employment will now be limited. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister discuss how students who previously benefitted from P2 status will still have opportunities for employment with the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, will we still be prioritizing our northern students in our hiring? Thank you.
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so the Indigenous employment policy does apply to the internship and the summer student program so all students who are Indigenous -- Indigenous Canadians that are students would certainly have access to that. And to be a member -- or to have access to the student programs, that does continue to have the ordinarily resident eligibility to it. So for young people or anyone who's applying for an internship or a summer student position, they would have to have a connection to the Northwest Territories as an ordinary resident just as they would also if they were utilizing our student financial aid programs.
And, Mr. Speaker, one other part of the student programs, we do create a bank of students so when people put their names in, they are then matched with available opportunities. So we encourage students to reach out to members of the public service to help identify potential opportunities, to identify potential placements, identify the kinds of work they might be able to do, and, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker folks who have grown up here, who have family here, who have connections here, are obviously much better placed to do that and to make those matches and those connections much more quickly. Thank you.
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions

Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, during the presentation, the department hired -- highlighted a number of areas which still need more work, for persons with disabilities, women, long-time Northerners who are now left out of the new policy. Can the Minister discuss how the department plans to address diversity and inclusion and prioritizing northern hires under this new policy that they've just approved. Thank you.
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the affirmative action policy also had groups and people who were not recognized who may have been left out from some sort of priority status, and it really was one policy that was being used to solve a multitude of different problems rather than what we've now tried to get to which is a place of having multiple different policies that are, you know, all being used as a suite within the department of human resources -- or Department of Finance and human resources. So the Indigenous employment policy looks at priority hiring for Indigenous Northerners and Indigenous Canadians. The diversity and inclusion framework is the way in which the department is approaching the importance of ensuring diversity, of accommodating diversity, of recognizing diversity, supporting people to be in a workplace that recognizes diversity. And as well, Mr. Speaker, we now have greater deal -- greater planning on succession planning through a strategic approach to human resources. And last but not least, Mr. Speaker, we continue to -- I mentioned earlier the summer student program and continuing to improve our recruitment and retention efforts. So, really, all of these are different ways that we're looking to improve that process. We want to get to a place, Mr. Speaker -- and I would note for folks, for whom this might matter, where right from the minute that someone applies, diversity and inclusion and the duty to accommodate applies right from that moment so that if somebody does have an identifying feature or aspect that they need to see accommodated, that that would be part of that process right from day one and they wouldn't even have to ask, ultimately that that's just part of the culture that we want to have developed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 625-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy
Oral Questions

The Speaker Shane Thompson
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.