Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Just to be clear about what's happening here, the CPHO provides medical advice, and the Department of Health provides policy about how to implement that medical advice. As you know, people can apply to ProtectNWT or call 811 and ask for some kind of exception to the orders as they are written now, such as no long-term isolation, that they can go to work during the day, or that they can go to a community that is not a hub community, and exceptions of that kind. Those are given to her office, and she makes a choice on an item by item basis by assessing the risk. That's her primary measurement.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thanks again to the Member for Monfwi. The budget for the on-the-land healing program is $1.8 million. The budget for the southern treatment is $2.3 million, so there is a difference there of $500,000. The on-the-land treatment program was last increased last year in the last main estimates. There is a robust amount of money available there. As I mentioned before, that fund has not been completely spent. On the contrary, only a couple of Indigenous government organizations have applied for it. I really encourage everyone who has connections with on-the-land healing to make applications to this...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you to the Member for Monfwi for that question. The departmental budget for addictions treatment this year is $2.3 million. There has been a decrease in the number of spaces available, which is why the department added two more facilities so that there is appropriate distancing during the pandemic. We know that 45 people have attended in-patient treatment in the first six months of this year. Fifteen of them have completed their program. We're going to be low on numbers this year, there are more typically around 200. The last treatment centre we had open in the NWT was Nats'ejee Keh on...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you very much. I don't have a ready answer to that. I know that it's only recently that this money has been increased to $1.8 million and, given the pandemic, I wonder if there will be a carry-over this year because, at this point, we've only spent about a third of it. I can, however, get you more specific information and provide that in a written response.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you to the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh for that question. The total budget for on-the-land funding is $1.095 million and the mobile treatment after-care funding, and these are often pooled together, is $729,000, so the total is $1.8 million. Of that, $482,631 has been spent, and the two IGOs with agreements in place are the Dehcho First Nations and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Each IGO is allocated the same amount. The on-the-land funding available to each IGO is $125,000, and the mobile treatment after-care funding is $66,350. I can make a copy of this page, and I can make it...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

The department right now is working on adapting the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons physician standards, and those standards include a telehealth standard. What the department is doing is adapting those to NWT circumstances, step one. Step two, engage the key stakeholders with the content such as the NWT Medical Association and the Health and Social Services Authority so that they can provide their input into that. Finally, there may be a need for a legislative change in the Medical Profession Act, and if that's the case, we would certainly expedite work on that.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The particular focus of the virtual care work is between in-territory providers, health providers, and in-territory patients. There has been some work done, although COVID-19 reorganized priorities, and that work has slowed down. We already have a head start because the secure messaging will be through the territorial EMR system, which is available in every health centre and cabin that we have, so there is widespread availability once the secure messaging is developed for application across the NWT. The only other loose end is that we need to continue work with...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you for the question. Yes, the CPHO is fully aware that outdoor funerals, if not already over, will be over in a matter of weeks because of the temperature outside. It's my understanding that the protocol that's in place now will remain in place but she is actively reviewing the funeral protocol, and that there is a possibility of revised public health orders next month, and that this would be the time we hear what she's decided about funerals.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. This is before my time over here, but my understanding is that, yes, Cabinet did have a chance to review the plan before it was made public. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you for the question, Member for Monfwi. The situation with facility-based treatment is to provide a range of options. Poundmaker’s is one of the six. Aventa, which is for women, is another; Edgewood in B.C.; Fresh Start, which is for men in Calgary; and an Indigenous Healing Centre called Renascent in Toronto and another called the Thorpe Healing Centre in Lloydminster. There are a lot of different choices there for people to make. This is a matter of public policy that affects all residents of the NWT. Also, more particularly for Indigenous organizations, there is on-the-land healing...