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 1132-20(1): Speech and Language Pathologists
Oral Questions(reversion)

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's answer, who will get back to me on that particular thing. I just want to return for clarity.

When a young person is being served between the ages of one and four and they time out of support and services, then they're timed out. That means their time is gone. Just like question period at the end of it.

Mr. Speaker, the issue is, is if they're on the list and approved to get supports but supports aren't available, can the Minister change the policy to make sure that those young people aren't lost in the system because the system is unable to rise to the need or is just incapable. Thank you.

Question 1132-20(1): Speech and Language Pathologists
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, they would just -- everybody would remain on the list to be seen and assessed based on their assessment. I believe that we work collaboratively with doing the assessments and then within the schools, they might make recommendations, if the support is being provided in the school what those supports will continue to need. However, as I stated before, that with the staffing levels that we have and the vacancies that we have, we continue to try to manage all of our waitlists within the Northwest Territories. We pull from the different regions and so if there's a higher need, we may send our speech to a region that may need them. However, we will continue to, you know, triage the list. So those that are higher needs, swallowing and things like that, will be assessed first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1132-20(1): Speech and Language Pathologists
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Shauna Morgan

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'd like to ask some questions of the housing Minister. I know we're all concerned about safety and security in our communities, and I know there's a lot of concerns too about safety and security around public housing units and within those units of the people that live there. And so we see in the Housing NWT business plan that one of the things to try to address safety and security related to public housing specifically is something called safe growth training and a safe growth program.

I wonder if the Minister can actually explain what that safe growth training and program actually involves and how it would enhance security either for residents in public housing or anyone else in the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Yellowknife North. Minister of Housing NWT.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for the question. Safe growth training is going to be instrumental in this territory over the next number of years. We've begun with three communities and three communities that are facing a lot of illegal activities within their community. So we pulled in safe growth to work with our LHOs as partners within the community with the RCMP, with the local housing organization, with the municipality, with Housing NWT and the district office, to work together on identifying issues within that community and how we can prevent that or how we can look at things in advance so the community is not faced with a lot of the issues that are currently faced with today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Shauna Morgan

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I wonder if the Minister can explain, does this have to do with just, like, changing protocols or behaviour, or are we changing physical structures or arrangements? Is this, like -- is this an infrastructure changing program or just sort of sitting people down and changing policies and protocols? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now our local housing organizations are faced with a lot of violence within housing, and these are staff that are not necessarily trained with crime and crime prevention but they're facing it every day in our communities. And it's a really tough situation, especially for our local housing organization staff. In terms of safe growth, it's more about policy and protocol, what to do next in certain situations, how do you work with partners like the RCMP or the sheriff or the rental office or the local housing organization. But we are also expanding how we look at our future designs for housing. What are we looking at in terms of infrastructure builds and how do we prevent -- like crime for example, what are we building and how are we building apartment blocks for crime prevention and environmental design. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Shauna Morgan

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So which communities have these trainings or this environmental design work -- which communities has it been completed in already and will it be expanded to more or even all of the communities in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what we've begun with is we found that Hay River is hit with a lot of illegal activities. Considering the situation, the geographical location and the highway system, Hay River is hit with a lot of legal activities. We see a lot of illegal activities within our public housing. So we began with Hay River. We've reached out to Fort Smith to begin the work there. Again, a highway system. We're having discussions with another community. We haven't finalized that community yet, Mr. Speaker. We were thinking perhaps Fort Resolution. We have to do more discussions with local chief and council to see if they'd be up to having those conversations about safe growth within their community. But I think the work with safe growth is going to be instrumental in how we think about housing and how we think about community, especially around illegal activities and just making sure that the local housing organization staff and also the district office understand that policies and protocols are in place to keep them safe, to keep the tenants safe within the units, but also to keep the community safe. And that's why the crime prevention for environmental design, looking at the Hay River build, the 30-unit build, how we're building that. Instead of having hallways, you know, inside the building, we're looking at exterior access. So that's really important to have as part of our crime prevention for environmental design. I think of, like, when we look at parks around housing units, to make sure that they're properly lit. That exits -- when I first went into Bigelow, my experience here in Yellowknife with Bigelow, I was really struck by a lot of the hidden entrances and exits. So housing is looking at that as part of our territorial expansion with infrastructure build, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

February 27th, 2026

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Yay, Best Speaker ever, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some easy questions for the Minister of housing but they're critical, Mr. Speaker. That's the problem right there, Mr. Speaker.

So, Mr. Speaker, when there's a new initiative in a community, is it normal to invite the housing authority that will be overseeing or managing, running or coordinating the programs involved with those particular initiatives? Because there was two recently worked on and developed, the Aspen building down from the bowling alley, and the future Tony Whitford building. So I look forward to the Minister's answer. Thank you.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Member from the Yellowknife Centre, Minister of Housing NWT.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, of course, we work with the local community in partnership. We have consultations with town councils, city councils, hamlets. Just to have conversations around build development permits are instrumental in our building and design. So these are all conversations that we have at the local level to make sure that everything fits in place and is appropriate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's all fantastic. Can the Minister confirm that the local housing authorities are a standard invitee in any of these types of initiatives when it comes to public announcements, public tours, public engagement. Thank you.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't confirm at this moment because I don't know if it's absolutely true or not, So I can't stand here and say I can't confirm. But as the Minister and as working with the president and working with Housing NWT, we are strong believers in collaboration and partnership and that means at the local housing level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't try to get the Minister in a pickle on this one. But I will say, can the Minister guarantee that all future events that involve, you know, goodwill, cutting ribbons, talking about programs, those types of things, will she guarantee and direct the department to ensure that these local housing authorities are involved in that process, because they deserve to be part of the initiative. Thank you very much.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure what the Member is getting at. I talk about partnership and collaboration and working together. I can't make any guarantees. I am not the one operating Housing NWT. But, again --

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

-- you are the Minister.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

I am the Minister but I am not the daily operator of housing. But we work together in partnership and collaboration, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Oral Questions(reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Shane Thompson

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Colleagues, our time is up for oral questions.

Oral questions. Written Questions. Returns to Written Questions. Mr. Clerk.

Return to Written Question 26-20(1): Application of Waters Act Provisions to the Sale or Tender of Mining Assets
Returns To Written Questions

Clerk Of The House Mr Harjot Sidhu

Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 26-20(1) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on February 6th, 2026, regarding the Application of Waters Act Provisions to the Sale or Transfer of Mining Assets.

The Member asked what legislation, regulation, policy, or best practice supports the Department's stated position that the applicability of financial testing under the Waters Act depends on whether a transaction is structured as an asset purchase or a share purchase.

Section 39(1) of the Waters Act is clear that financial testing only applies when there is "a sale or other disposition of any right, title or interest of a licensee in an appurtenant undertaking".

In a share purchase transaction, there is no sale or disposition of the undertaking itself, only the ownership of the licensee changes. As a result, a share purchase does not constitute an assignment of a water license.

The Member also asked the Minister to explain how Section 39 of the Waters Act is applied in cases where mining assets change ownership through a share purchase, including situations involving a change in controlling shares.

Section 39(1) of the Waters Act does not apply to any share purchase transaction even if the transaction results in a change in control of the company. The applicable land and water board is responsible for administering section 39 of the Waters Act when that section applies.

Further the Member asked the Minister to provide either publicly, or confidentially, to Members, any existing analysis by the Department on how Section 39 of the Waters Act has been applied thus far to sales or transfers of mining assets, over the last ten years.

Section 39 of the Waters Act is administered under the responsibility of the applicable land and water board. The Department is not aware of any existing analysis undertaken by the Board on how it has applied Section 39 of the Waters Act historically.

Return to Written Question 28-20(1): Medical Travel
Returns To Written Questions

Clerk Of The House Mr Harjot Sidhu

Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 28-20(1) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on February 6th, 2026, regarding Medical Travel.

The Member asked for a status report on the Referral Coordination Project identified by the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority in its 2023 Deficit Reduction Plan as an initiative to improve the coordination of air ambulance and medical travel, including information on the project's objectives, timelines, activities undertaken, milestones achieved to date, and any measured impacts on service coordination and costs.

The objectives of the Referral Coordination Project were to achieve a coordinated approach to referral management, optimize travel clinic appointments to streamline medical travel for specialty services, and develop a user interface or dashboard to illustrate waitlist pressures. The project was focused primarily on outpatient specialist physician services provided by Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Successes include the creation of waitlist standard operating procedures, and the piloting of centralized territorial waitlists in selected specialities. As well, the project gathered data for future implementation of a waitlist dashboard, and applied improvements related to 'max packing', for example, scheduling coordination of appointments across multiple specialties.

The project encountered several challenges that will inform future improvement work and system development. Challenges included patient safety risks that exist as a downside of the 'max packing' approach, for example, higher acuity patients cannot be bumped to allow for appointment coordination. Data challenges were also recognized and will need to be resolved through the future Electronic Health Record to support a dashboard creation.

The project officially ended in 2024 when the Territorial Health Investment funding for the project manager sunset, and the Healthcare System Sustainability Unit was established. Standardized formats and processes for waitlist data entry are still being expanded to support high-quality, analyzable data along with guidelines for travel clinic operations are also being implemented.
The Member asked for a detailed policy rationale which links the outcomes of the Referral Coordination Project to the proposal in the 2026-2027 Main Estimates for three new Medical Travel Case Managers, including how these positions will operationalize referral coordination, reduce duplication or rebooking, and improve patient experience.

The introduction of Nurse Case Managers in the Yellowknife Region primary care is for a two-year initiative. This expands Referral Coordination Project work to patient case management and a focus on out-of-territory care. The Nurse Case Manager pilot offers a proactive strategy that includes coordinating with providers and programs that frequently refer or receive patients for out-of-territory care, evaluating opportunities for virtual care alternatives, and helping patients receive care closer to home whenever possible. While these roles may generate broader system insight and impact across other areas of case management, the priority focus is on medical travel as a cost driver and patient burden.

The goals of the initiative include guaranteeing real-time case management to ensure travel is necessary and that virtual options are considered as well as timely redirection of patients to in-territory options when clinically appropriate. Work will include the development of best practices and data on how to reduce travel-related expenditures, improve patient navigation, and achieve cost savings to the system.

The Member asked what performance measures the department will use to assess the effectiveness of the referral coordination project and the proposed medical travel case manager positions, specifically which indicators will be used to evaluate outcomes. The key performance metrics for the nurse case manager pilot are still under development. However, the indicators being considered include the volume and type of referrals reviewed, the number of cases redirected from out-of-territory travel, the number of medical travel episodes avoided, estimated cost savings, the number of bundled appointments created, patient experience and satisfaction, and staff feedback regarding workflow impacts.

Return to Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans
Returns To Written Questions

Clerk Of The House Mr Harjot Sidhu

Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 30-20(1) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on February 9th, 2026, regarding the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans.

The Member asked the Minister to provide the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority's 30-, 60-, and 90-day action plans referenced during the December 4, 2025, public briefing to the Standing Committee on Social Development.

The 30-60-90-day action plan that the Public Administrator referenced during the December briefing was specific to the Dehcho Cabin Community Patient Journey Mapping work. Later today at the appropriate time, I will table the 30-60-90-day action plan.