Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What was really apparent in the Auditor General’s report was the disconnect between the central headquarters, or Health and Social Services, and the regional authorities. It came to the point there was a bunch of affected communities; call it zigzags in terms of reporting. In some respects, structures were working in isolation of themselves. So it’s an immediate thing that the department has to check in terms of accountability. Who is accountable at the end of the day in terms of the children and families that have to go through the system? So it’s essential that we...

I think it’s an acknowledged fact and reality that the biggest factor, in terms of determining the vibrancy of the economy, is just the cost of infrastructure, and one of them is in terms of the fuel prices. At some point government has to step in on behalf of, of course, its citizens, and so I wanted to ask the question: What steps is the government taking to standardize fuel pricing? The Minister has outlined some complementing initiatives such as biomass as one example.

At some point will the government look at standardizing fuel prices for the NWT?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services provide quarterly updates to the Standing Committee on Social Programs on improvements to child and family services; and further, that these updates replicate indicators associated with Exhibits 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Auditor General’s report pertaining to the following areas respectively:

conducting investigations;

addressing confirmed child protection needs;

attending to children in care of the director; and

screening and reviewing foster care homes.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The past previous winter, I think, was on record as the coldest winter we’ve experienced, and likely as the trends towards global warming continue, likely we’re going to see more cold winters up here in the NWT. Of course, colder winters have an effect on people’s homes in terms of their heating costs. My question is to the Minister of Public Works and Services.

How does this government help NWT consumers control the fuel pricing?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services build stronger linkages with Aboriginal governments pertaining to child and family services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that health and social services authorities, in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Services, assist child protection workers in identifying and accessing prevention programs available to children and families; and further, that the Department of Health and Social Services should also ensure that prevention programs, such as the Healthy Family Program, are offered to families in need. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services investigate the feasibility of territory-wide expansion of family preservation workers to provide in-home, individualized intervention services in order to promote the well-being of children and families. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think what the community has done is taken the initiative of trying to bring the leadership and the youth together at the local level, and there’s a need for resources and program-wise and funding and trying to work with the youth.

The last Assembly, the 16th Assembly had a Youth Forum. Would the Minister ensure that we do have a pan-territorial youth forum for the end of the 17th Assembly? Mahsi.

I’d like to thank the Minister. I’d be very interested in having a list of the programs that are available for youth initiatives in the community. One primary finding of the discussions that were held recently in Fort Providence was the need to follow up with the meeting to try and identify the next steps. The other thing that was recognized and acknowledged by the leaders is that we need to work with our youth in terms of leadership development, showing them how we make decisions, role modeling and that kind of stuff.

How is the Minister ensuring that youth leadership development is a priority...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Children have been described as the ultimate resource for a society’s long-term development and well-being. Nowhere is this more true than in the NWT where the proportion of our population under 24 years of age is almost 8 percent greater than for Canada as a whole. Last week I had the opportunity to participate with an esteemed group of northern leaders in hosting a youth forum in Fort Providence. I was joined by Mr. Joachim Bonnetrouge, chief of the Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation; Mr. Sam Gargan, former grand chief of the Dehcho First Nations and MLA; Mr. Steven Vandell...