Steve Norn

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I'm just going back to my Member's statement on mental health in self-isolation centres. For me, the way I look at it, if you are in a self-isolation centre, just a helpline alone is not enough. My first question is for Madam Premier: can the Premier confirm if there are mental health workers, i.e. counsellors, ready and available at our self-isolation centres?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Look at that. After one year, I'm having trouble with my first button. Is that a good sign or not? I'm not sure.

---Laughter

Today, I would like to talk about mental health supports in the NWT, particularly in relation to the ongoing pandemic. In my opinion, we are in a mental health crisis in the North that needs immediate attention from this government.

Mr. Speaker, the issue of mental health has become front and centre amid the COVID-19 pandemic for a few reasons. The main reason, as we have come to know, is just the sheer amount of time that people have had to remain...

Madam Chair, I move that the Chair rise and report progress.

Madam Chair, I move that committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Justice at this time. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to deal with the following document: Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, for general comments and to deal with the following departments: Legislative Assembly; Justice; and Lands. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, October 22, 2020, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hay River North, that the following Member be appointed to the Board of Management of this Assembly: The Honourable Shane Thompson, Member for Nahendeh; and further, the following Member be removed from the Board of Management as an alternate Member: Ms. Katrina Nokleby, Member for Great Slave; and that furthermore, the honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Ronald Bonnetrouge, be appointed as Deputy Chair of Committee of the...

Thank you for that response. My next question has to do with the first point of contact. Can the Premier confirm if employees working at the self-isolation centres have been given any training, for example, mental health first aid or anything pertaining to mental health?

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be brief. Going back to what I was saying, by all accounts, the staff here at the self-isolation centres are doing a great job, given our circumstances, but there is definitely a need there for mental health supports. I think that we can improve this quality of service for our people, but there are all kinds of adversities we have to face and we can do more to help with them, with health supports for Northerners. I will have questions for the Premier. Marsi cho.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I also move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Lands.

Thank you, Madam Chair. When I reviewed this earlier, it made me really think about history, our history in North America, and how everything always comes full circle. You look at the 1920s where there was a big boom, and all of a sudden, the 1930s, there is the Great Depression. You look at how the Canadian and US governments dealt with that. What they did to get through that depression was: they put lots of money into their infrastructure. That's what they did. They kept their people working. That's what I really feel is going on right now; everything comes full circle.

I agree with my...