Tom Beaulieu

No, thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is fine for this section. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to talk a bit about Child and Family Services. I had an opportunity to listen to some of the presentations, of course, delivered by the Minister and staff and wanted to get something on the record. I am trying to determine how the system by "system" I mean the department  sees a correlation between child apprehension, foster care, and poverty. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if he would release up-to-date final summary documentation to advise all interested parties on how junior kindergarten is fully funded. Thank you.

I didn't even mention the words $5.1 million. I'm asking the Minister, $2 million was put in by the school boards against their own judgment. They said that they couldn't afford it but the department made a decision that they would have to fund it themselves. I'm asking the Minister if that $2 million is part of the full funding?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping to clarify the funding model for junior kindergarten, but I think people listening to this will just be more confused. I don't understand how we could exclude something and then still indicate that it is funded. The greatest bang for the buck that education could spend would be on the youngest students that we have. If we are excluding inclusive schooling, if we are excluding Aboriginal language, among other things -- my understanding is money was taken out of education renewal to fund some of the junior kindergarten. My question is, originally, when junior...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 26118(2), NWT Main Estimates, 20172018. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to ask the Minister if the youth themselves would be directly and meaningfully engaged in the development of these plans.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [translation] Minister of Health and Social Services, the kids that are addicted to drugs and alcohol, that is what I want to ask [translation ends].

The Department of Health and Social Services tabled a strategic framework on mental health and addictions recovery. Now, it is working on three action plans, with children and youth coming first. Can the Minister provide an update on the work towards its Children and Youth Mental Wellness Action Plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Thirty per cent of NWT youth reported that they had been harmed in some way by their own drinking in the past year; 56 per cent reported that they had been harmed by somebody else's drinking.

However, Mr. Speaker, there is hope. I compliment the Department of Health and Social Services for the work they are doing in this area. When a person looks for help, the help is available. The problem is it is not available to all and it is not available everywhere.

As we go through the budget, I will be asking the Ministers to spread the magic of HSS through the NWT to all youth...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That's it for now. Thank you.