Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we would like to have more of our young people going in to become a nurse, you know. But if our education system was better, was good like Yellowknife and other regional centre, larger regional centre, yes, we can graduate, we can send more, we can encourage. But it's going to take years some of them to upgrade. They have to go through upgrading. And, you know, like, a lot of them are behind as noted in the 2018 health status report. Our education system is low and our graduation system is also low. So, yes, we would like to encourage. We would like to encourage...

Thank you. Yeah, well the human resources increased to $1.06 million. So that's why I'm asking that, you know, and there's 80 administrative and support services even though that, you know, with the increase but there are still 80 administrative and support services positions located in headquarters. Can we have some of those jobs transferred to the region?

Thank you. Thank you. I see here, okay, the administrative has increased to $935,000. And human resources increased to $1.06 million. And all 80 administrative and support services positions are located in headquarters. Can any of these positions be decentralized to regional office, like, sonographer. You know, like, we've been asking there's a lot of challenges why some people do not want to go to Yellowknife to access services. There's the transportation. There's the childcare. There's the interpreters. So there's all kind of reason why some people choose not to go to Yellowknife to access...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need collaboration; that is so very important. Can the Minister commit to have the head of the RCMP in Yellowknife meet with the community governments to discuss the illicit drug use in small communities, particularly the crack cocaine and other harmful drugs? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our Indigenous government have a lot of information and can help the RCMP in the management of illicit drug use. Can the Minister explain how the RCMP advises and works with the Indigenous governments on the management of illicit drug use in small communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, more needs to be done to protect our people, especially our young people from crack cocaine and other drugs. At one time we all know that we had no drugs in many of the small communities. It was unheard of. Now we hear about it and see it everywhere and the communities have had enough.

In 2018, the NWT tobacco, alcohol and drug survey shared that 16 percent of people aged 15 and up had used crack cocaine at least once in their lifetime. Additionally, Indigenous people in the NWT had used crack cocaine at 22 percent. This is two times greater than...

Thank you. Yeah, when we talk to young people nowadays, you know, we tell them what you know, what's their career choice. They all they are always saying, you know, I don't know, you know. That's what they normally say because we don't have too many jobs for them that are, you know, situated in Tlicho region. Well, I'm speaking for Tlicho region. And so they have they feel like, you know, there's no other choice or they have no other choice because there's not too many in small communities. And a lot of administrative support where, you know but if there's more program and services and...

Yes, thank you. Well, this is where I think we we're all saying that, you know, we need more jobs in small communities. Some of those jobs I think it can be delivered from small communities in small communities. So I'm just asking if some of those positions can be transferred or can be decentralized to small communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to pause the garnishment of elders and Indian residential school survivors’ pension to pay for Housing NWT arrears immediately;

And further, Housing NWT identify all elders aged 60 and over and consenting Indian residential school survivors in public housing who currently owe arrears or who are having their pension...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's good information, thank you. Mr. Speaker, we need staff and staff that understands the region they work in. We need a positive and working relationship between the RCMP and the community leaders. Does the Government of the Northwest Territories provide cultural training for RCMP and ensure they are connected with community leadership? Thank you.