Débats of mars 11, 2025 (day 53)

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since this was announced about a year ago, I've had numerous meetings with Minister Blair, the Minister of National Defence and with other federal Ministers, and we have -- along with the other northern Premiers, we have been lobbying the federal government to enlarge and advance more quickly their investments in the northern operational support hubs. I believe it was $218 million is the number that was in the original plan, and that was mostly to be spent in the final years of that plan. And so we've been advocating to get that money spent sooner than later. In the meantime, we actually have hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of investments from the Department of National Defence in infrastructure projects in the territory currently underway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I should mention I forgot to say that MLA for Range Lake was also advocating on this issue too.

So, Mr. Speaker, back to the question at hand. Mr. Speaker, the Premier and I had some conversations in the last sit -- sorry, in the last month about a joint working group. Would he still be interested on creating a joint working group, and I'll table the terms of reference today. I'm curious on his opinion on that with respect to national defence spending.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'd have to see those terms of reference and figure out what exactly the Member is talking about in terms of a joint working group, what that would look like, who would be involved, what the subject matter would be, and so on. And so after I see that, I'll be able to speak to the Member about it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Defence money's good money, Mr. Speaker. And we're spending almost half a million dollars on our super envoy who will be living or working in Ottawa from time to time. That said, I'm asking is the -- is this individual on this file to help get defence investment in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're using all the tools at our disposal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first question following up on my statement earlier is to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. As the chair of the committee of internal trade, what key accomplishments have been achieved under NWT's leadership? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of ITI.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a collaborative table with all jurisdictions across Canada, and it's a collaborative table that I am very proud to be part of. As a group, the committee on internal trade has set four key recommendations across the country, and they include enhancing commitments under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, and that includes conducting a rapid review of all party's specific exceptions, prioritizing mutual recognition on priority goods and sectors to reduce regulatory and administrative burdens, Mr. Speaker. It includes facilitating labour mobility and then also sectoral priorities like, for example, direct-to-consumer sales system for alcohol, and that is specifically for willing jurisdictions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information reply. It's good to see our government taking a forefront role in these national committees. The next question, Mr. Speaker, how has the NWT's leadership encouraged other provinces and territories to take a more ambitious approach to internal trade deliberations? Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, even though the NWT has the privilege of sitting as the chair, I have to say that Ministers from all jurisdictions showed up to the table in Toronto ready to do good work on behalf of Canadians, on behalf of the residents that we individually and then collectively serve. And so there wasn't a need to encourage one another to go farther. It was a very exciting table where people were literally stepping out of the meeting room in order to call their Premiers and get expansions to their negotiating mandates, and there were commitments made on the fly at the table, and it was really encouraging to see how dedicated Ministers from across the country were to this work. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Final supplementary. Member from Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that reply. It seems to me there was a lot of excitement on advancing in a productive kind of way during the session.

My third question: It sounds like there has been good progress. What are the primary barriers to internal trade that would remain? Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so while we came together at the table in order to discuss the barriers of mutual concern across the country, certainly what exceptions each jurisdiction chooses to remove and how they choose to tackle those are going to be unique by each jurisdiction. There's been jurisdictions who have done reciprocal agreements, jurisdictions who have done, you know, a lot of work on their exceptions, and there was some who have even done a lot of work previous to this. So as it sits, Manitoba only has eight exceptions right now, and other jurisdictions are using that as a shining light.

The other piece that we're doing, that I'm really excited about for the Northwest Territories, is the mutual recognition of goods which really stands to have a positive influence on our industries here in the territory and on our administrative burden as well as the potential costs of doing business in the territory. So that's where I'm very excited, also very excited for the work to be done under the labour mobility piece that is in collaboration with the labour Ministers across the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I just got a note of thanks for my content warning for earlier, so I'll make it again for my questions. I will be speaking about sexual trauma and abuse.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what harm reduction supports exist for people who may recognize that they need help to not commit acts of sexual abuse? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now the community counselling program, which provides mental health support to all residents, could be available to support individual needs of support to preventing acts of abuse as community counsellors can work with individuals to provide individual counselling but also to provide support referrals to other treatments and options of care as applicable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister and I have corresponded in the past about what may be needed for specified treatment services for folks struggling with the results of their own sexual trauma. There are specialized programs such as the sexual behaviours clinic at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto that could help. Can the Minister explain if she can review whether this would align with insured health services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while I can't commit to a review on a specific topic, I can commit to reviewing approaches to specialized health services as part of the larger system sustainability work that's underway. The Department of Health and Social Services and EIA are in partnership with the health sustainability unit, and Members are aware that this work is taking place to establish an inventory of core and insured services, and type of specialized mental health services could be considered as part of this work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I appreciate that commitment. Even if it's not a review, making sure it's in the scope of what she's reviewing as a total mental health approach is very much appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that local and culturally-sensitive solutions are the best path forward. So can the Minister look into what available services with justice could be feasibly offered within the lens of health and social services with adequate training as a pilot program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about culturally sensitive solutions, you know, I want to just state that here on the floor, and with everybody, we've been told time and time again that government needs to respectfully, you know, work with Indigenous governments, work with those that are providing care. We've created the community wellness and addiction recovery funds. You know, and those are some of -- they can use towards trauma healing. I know there's been some really good programs even up in my region. Most recently, the Gwich'in Tribal Council had a men's camp. You know, so there is work going on that is based in their culture. And so for us as GNWT, working with justice, you know, we can always look at what they're doing and what we're providing and see how we can work together but also incorporating Indigenous values, you know, for those that are struggling with issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Aurora College has said closing the CLCs will save $8.29 million. Can the Minister say what it would cost to keep the centres open.Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the college identified a total of $8.29 million that they would, first of all, have for their staff retention policy; second, the delivery of their online programming; and then third, further work to be done on reinstating their bachelor of education and social work programming that we've heard a lot about in this House as well. And so I would have to assume that maintaining the CLCs would continue to cost upwards of the $7 million figure. Thank you.

Thank you for the information. Can the Minister say what plan is in place with the Department of Infrastructure to maintain the CLC building after programs stop in June? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is absolutely right. These are still assets of the GNWT, the ones that are owned by the GNWT. The Department of Infrastructure does have asset policies so that if there is a need to pass the facilities on to another owner, there is a policy for that. And infrastructure and ECE will be working together on this work, and we have had some phone calls already from Indigenous governments or NGOs that are wanting to have a role to play in the future of the CLCs and have identified that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister say whether students in small communities without computers will be able to continue working in the learning centres once everything moves online? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't comment as to what those facilities will become used for down the road, and so certainly if it's a situation where an Indigenous government chooses to have a facility like that, then that would certainly be an option depending on what that choice down the road is. My understanding through the presentation from Aurora College president and the chair is that in order to support students across the Northwest Territories through online learning that they would have wraparound supports not only for student life but also for student learning. They would be set up with the hardware required for online learning and have access to somebody who would show them how to use that hardware as well. And that would not just be a computer, it would also be headset, it would be internet. And so Aurora College intends to ensure that students have access to the technology that they would require. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this afternoon we received -- Standing Committee on Government Operations received a briefing on the Indigenous employment policy. Mr. Speaker, one of the concerns I've heard, one of the main concerns, is from families with children schooled in the NWT returning to university who are concern their opportunities for employment will now be limited. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister discuss how students who previously benefitted from P2 status will still have opportunities for employment with the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, will we still be prioritizing our northern students in our hiring? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so the Indigenous employment policy does apply to the internship and the summer student program so all students who are Indigenous -- Indigenous Canadians that are students would certainly have access to that. And to be a member -- or to have access to the student programs, that does continue to have the ordinarily resident eligibility to it. So for young people or anyone who's applying for an internship or a summer student position, they would have to have a connection to the Northwest Territories as an ordinary resident just as they would also if they were utilizing our student financial aid programs.

And, Mr. Speaker, one other part of the student programs, we do create a bank of students so when people put their names in, they are then matched with available opportunities. So we encourage students to reach out to members of the public service to help identify potential opportunities, to identify potential placements, identify the kinds of work they might be able to do, and, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker folks who have grown up here, who have family here, who have connections here, are obviously much better placed to do that and to make those matches and those connections much more quickly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, during the presentation, the department hired -- highlighted a number of areas which still need more work, for persons with disabilities, women, long-time Northerners who are now left out of the new policy. Can the Minister discuss how the department plans to address diversity and inclusion and prioritizing northern hires under this new policy that they've just approved. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the affirmative action policy also had groups and people who were not recognized who may have been left out from some sort of priority status, and it really was one policy that was being used to solve a multitude of different problems rather than what we've now tried to get to which is a place of having multiple different policies that are, you know, all being used as a suite within the department of human resources -- or Department of Finance and human resources. So the Indigenous employment policy looks at priority hiring for Indigenous Northerners and Indigenous Canadians. The diversity and inclusion framework is the way in which the department is approaching the importance of ensuring diversity, of accommodating diversity, of recognizing diversity, supporting people to be in a workplace that recognizes diversity. And as well, Mr. Speaker, we now have greater deal -- greater planning on succession planning through a strategic approach to human resources. And last but not least, Mr. Speaker, we continue to -- I mentioned earlier the summer student program and continuing to improve our recruitment and retention efforts. So, really, all of these are different ways that we're looking to improve that process. We want to get to a place, Mr. Speaker -- and I would note for folks, for whom this might matter, where right from the minute that someone applies, diversity and inclusion and the duty to accommodate applies right from that moment so that if somebody does have an identifying feature or aspect that they need to see accommodated, that that would be part of that process right from day one and they wouldn't even have to ask, ultimately that that's just part of the culture that we want to have developed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And continuing on this thread, one resident that wrote to committee raised the fact of while the department has frequently highlighted that the government is not representative of the full population of the NWT, the issue at hand is that of the available workforce. So, Mr. Speaker, why is the department not using the demographics of the available workforce as a way to measure representation as it moves forward with this policy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's an excellent observation by a member of the public. And it's a direction that we may well see ourselves moving towards in terms of being able to communicate better of what our successes and our challenges are in the space of being representative. We know that the Northwest Territories has a 50 percent Indigenous population, but it's quite right that the actual labour force is not necessarily a 50/50 split. And that may be owing to the age demographics, if people are too young or too old to be in the workforce for example. What we do find is that in the Northwest Territories our labour force is actually sitting at approximately 63 percent non-Indigenous. And then further challenges that we run into, Mr. Speaker, is that, in fact, of the group of people in the Northwest Territories in the labour force who are Indigenous, not as many had access or had the opportunity to obtain post-secondary education.

So, Mr. Speaker, understanding this, and then seeing what that barrier is to support residents so that they cannot only go get a position but that they can be applying and moving up in succession planning and moving into positions of management, it allows us to better identify the challenge at hand and identify the barriers at hand. And then as we report in on the individual targets of the different types of positions with different levels of requirement, we can make sure that we're supporting residents if they need training internally, if they need training to apply, if they need post-secondary access, or if we need to re-examine what our equivalencies are or what our actual job needs are. And all of that together, Mr. Speaker, I think will help us ultimately to be a more representative workforce. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, the town of Inuvik, Mr. Speaker, is well aware of what military spending looks like in the community. Pre-1986, there was 140 to 250 military personnel there as well as their families, which made up about 800, which were school kids that integrated into the community and teachers and nurses and that was the model -- the preferred model at the time. A lot of the leadership, Mr. Speaker, are still there. They lived through that time. So when the Premier talks about setting up an advisory council, or as my colleague from Yellowknife Centre has said, a committee, will the Minister -- will the Premier, sorry, ensure that when we set something up that we look at regions like Inuvik to ensure that we have representation on the committee that is expertise as we've talked about outside of this building that would fit excellent on a committee like that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Mr. Premier.