Masi. Members' statement. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The Stanton Renewal Project was raised from the south several times yesterday. Regular Members have had to make numerous inquiries of the Minister of Finance to try to find out what is going on and the implications for us here, in the Northwest Territories. Even though I have suggested a more proactive public communications effort, Stanton Renewal Project website has not had much added to it for some time and there is almost nothing about the recent events with regard to one of the major partners Carillion Canada, which is in creditor protection.
To try to get myself more familiar with the Stanton Renewal Project, I reviewed the December 2015 project report on the website. While it is an interesting summary of what transpired, it leaves many questions, including how the $174.5-million cost savings were calculated between the so-called P3 option and the normal government procurement approach and why insolvency was not identified as a major risk. The project agreement itself is a massive 2,113 pages, with 45 pages of definitions alone for the main agreement. Needless to say, I did not read the whole document but skimmed enough to get some questions ready for the Minister later today.
The Stanton Renewal Project is the largest capital project our government has ever undertaken. This MLA and the public have demanded better public reporting and accountability. Its standing committees still do not get any regular reports on the status of this work. For our part, Regular MLAs should have set up our own oversight system, and we should still do that. The 2014 Ontario auditor general review of public-private partnerships found that, of the 74 projects reviewed, the Ontario taxpayers ended up paying about $8 billion more than if the projects had been done by the provincial government, itself. I think there is the lesson there for our government.
It is incomprehensible how the private sector, which has higher financing costs and a requirement for a profit to shareholders, can actually compete with public governments without paying workers substantially less at the end of the day. I recognize that our government has limited fiscal capacity, but you cannot have huge infrastructure projects without the capacity and proper oversight, lessons that are learned the hard way. I'll have questions later today for the Minister of Finance. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am the second-youngest member of this 18th Legislative Assembly, but that is not saying much. In fact, my days of being considered a youth are long gone. However, Mr. Speaker, I was elected to represent all of the constituents of Hay River North, not just those who can vote, so, while I may be old, I cannot afford to be out of touch.
That is why this past Monday, over the lunch hour, I held a constituency meeting at Diamond Jenness Secondary School that was exclusively for students. Fourteen students attended, mostly from grades 8 to 10. I was a little worried that maybe they were only there for the free pizza, but, Mr. Speaker, my fears were unfounded. They were definitely there to talk about the issues. I spoke for a couple minutes about how our system of government works and then opened up the floor, and, for the rest of the hour, I listened to their concerns and answered questions. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the issues revolved around education.
I heard first-hand about how they were directly affected in terms of workload and their ability to succeed by changes to the curriculum. They were concerned about the lack of course selection, especially compared to other jurisdictions. Some felt that they could have trouble following the career path that they had chosen because they did not have access to the right courses. They wanted more practical education, as well. They wanted courses that teach them about the real world, things like taxes and budgets. There were concerns about the lack of special-needs helpers in the school and the need to rely on third-party funders and other students to provide special-needs support.
Then, Mr. Speaker, there is busing, or, more precisely, the lack of busing. Bus routes have been cut back so much that there are only a handful of students at Diamond Jenness who are even eligible to take the bus. Lately, they have been hearing rumours that busing in Hay River may be eliminated completely, and they are rightfully concerned.
The discussion also extended beyond education and went to places I did not expect. There were concerns about how we are providing for our elders and what the government is doing to ensure that age-appropriate housing is available. They were also concerned about the lack of skilled workers available to construct that housing and to complete other projects in the community.
These are just a few of the topics that we touched on. It was very enlightening, and we all agreed that we should do it again, and I plan on it. I have also reached out to Ecole Boreale and hope to meet with students there in the near future. I promised the students that I would get back to them with answers to their questions, and today I will start with questions for the Minister of Education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to speak about the Child and Family Services of the NWT as it relates to child apprehensions and foster care. Mr. Speaker, statistics today indicate that across Canada there are more Indigenous children in foster care than there were in residential school at the height of residential school admissions.
Mr. Speaker, half of the NWT's population is Aboriginal; however, over 90 per cent of the children in care are Indigenous. It is my belief that families where children were apprehended are families who are usually living in poverty. Mr. Speaker, I also believe that families who are living in poverty are the same families that are over-represented in our health care system, our justice system, as well as those that need income support to provide for their families. We all love our children, and, if we could provide for them, we would, and, for the most part, we do. Unfortunately, some people are unable to do so and require income support. I believe that low income is the main catalyst for child apprehension, which leads to a host of other social issues for people.
Mr. Speaker, in 2001, there was a joint study done between Corrections Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, the Department of Justice of Canada, the Department of Indigenous and Aboriginal Affairs, the Native Counselling Service of Alberta, and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation which examined the effects of family disruption on Indigenous and non-Indigenous inmates:
The study found that a large proportion of Aboriginal inmates were involved in the child welfare system when they were children. Approximately two-thirds of Aboriginal inmates said they have been adopted or placed in foster or group homes. Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that the men and women that have served time in corrections facilities or prisons down south are having difficulties obtaining employment. This is a vicious, interconnected circle, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I know that the Department of Health and Social Services does provide financial support to foster home providers. I strongly suggest that the same support be given to families in order to mitigate the likelihood of child apprehensions and to assist parents in maintaining family units. This being said, I also recognize the value of what foster homes provide and the outstanding -
Member for Tu Nedhe Wiilideh, your time for Members' statements expired.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am seeking unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
That being said, I also recognize the value of what foster homes provide and the outstanding service that dedicated foster parents provide as well. It is not to say that we do not need foster homes as they can provide a positive aspect in child development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls recently held a series of meetings in Yellowknife. Over three days, the inquiry invited testimony from witnesses who had pre-registered, while also remaining open to anyone who had not registered but still wanted to speak. Evening events were also held to celebrate Dene, Inuit, and Metis culture. These meetings were intense and emotional, as women and men from across the territory gathered to speak their truth. Their stories exposed the undercurrents of pain, grief, loss, and trauma that run through the lives of many of our people. I thank these women and men for their courage and strength to speak out in the face of trauma and ongoing discrimination against Native peoples.
I also want to recognize a group of young people from my riding who also travelled from Fort Providence to stand witness to the inquiry. Led by Beverly Hope, four young ladies, Amber Gargan, Shanita Landry, Kate Brule, and Bailey Gargan, came together to discuss the stereotypes Indigenous women face and how they can respond to violence in their home communities. Mr. Speaker, these youth set an example for us as adults.
Witnesses told the inquiry of the need to break the silence on abuse, discrimination, and violence. We also heard loud and clear that both counselling options and opportunities for recourse through the justice system are not sufficient. As Indigenous people have told the inquiry at every stop, healing is needed to recognize and address the impacts of trauma and colonization. Mr. Speaker, Leona Brule is from Fort Providence. She is missing, and she has never been found. Phillip Leishmann is from Kakisa. He is missing and has never been found.
To strive for equality of women and men in all aspects of society, multi-faceted solutions are needed: Health and Social Services must continue its work to address systemic discrimination; the problems facing our Child and Family Services must be tackled; and the Department of Justice must continue to work to address security and inmate concerns in its facilities as well as a support for the men's healing program.
Violence against women must stop. We must stop it. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in my region are hard-working and self-sufficient. They would like to see more job opportunities so that they can support their families, grow their economy, and contribute to vibrant, thriving communities.
One of the key things this government can do to strengthen our northern communities is to invest in transportation infrastructure. Good roads enable the mobility of our residents, lower the cost of goods, and enhance food security. This is especially true for large infrastructure projects which support new investments, even more construction, and increased tourism. These are the kinds of benefits that the people of the Mackenzie Delta need. Tsiigehtchic in particular asked me to let this Assembly know how much they are counting on job opportunities that these projects bring.
Now that the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is completed, the GNWT must now turn its attention to securing funding for new road projects, especially more major projects like the Mackenzie Valley highway to Wrigley.
Right now, the majority of tourism spending and other big-ticket spending like people buying snowmobiles, trucks, and boats happens in Whitehorse. With more roads and projects, it could happen in our territory. Mr. Speaker, to celebrate the opening of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, the Minister of Infrastructure pointed out that expanding our transportation system connects residents to new social and employment opportunities and stabilizes the cost of living in the territory. It also increases our resiliency and ability to adapt to impacts of climate change and provides better access to natural resources. With all of these benefits, I would expect that Minister Schumann would be leading the charge to get the next big highway project underway. If he is having trouble coming up with a plan, I want to suggest that the GNWT could start with an ice road between Tsiigehtchic and Fort Good Hope. Later today, I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talked in my Member's statement about the four treatment centres that the Government of Northwest Territories contract with. I am going to have some questions for the Minister for Health and Social Services.
My first question: can the Minister please explain how these four treatment centres were selected for the residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services made the decision to contract with these specific facilities based in large part on the recommendations of the Minister's war on addictions and community wellness which was initiated by the former Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu. In that report and based on a significant amount of public consultation, the four Members called for addictions treatment programs that are gender-specific, that are trauma-informed, that use Indigenous healing practices, are able to treat current disorders, and that offer lengths of stay and options for extensions.
In addition to those recommendations, Mr. Speaker, the department also made decisions to only use accredited facilities and to ensure that all the facilities that are able to offer a detox, including at least one option for medical detox and opiates, whether it is on site or remotely located but close. Taken together, Mr. Speaker, the four facilities currently under contract are able to provide a mix of these service options in order to meet the diverse and often specialized needs of the NWT population. They also ensure a high level of quality and focus on best practices and are commonly practised among the facilities that we are contracted with, so options, as well, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I have to agree. Those facilities are amazing. I think that the department and the people who were consulted did a great job of selecting these facilities. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us: how does a resident select a facility that they wish to attend to address their addictions? So, in other words, with these four facilities, how do they select the ones that is best suited for them?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the Members of the House that the facilities are not the only option. There are community options available whether it is community on-the-land options or whether it is community counsellors or whether it is programs like the Matrix programs. However, facilities are the appropriate venue on some occasions.
When an individual needs a facility-based option, the counsellors will often work with them to explain all of the options and the pros and cons of the different facilities based on the needs of that individual. They will also look at availability. Is there room in that facility today? Is there not room in that facility today? Is there something within two weeks? Is there something within one week? They work together based on the needs, what is available in the different facilities. It is based on discussion and what the individual is comfortable with and what is appropriate at any given time.
I thank the Minister for that answer. That does help, and, yes, I understand we have the option of using local, and I think that is great, but this facility option is something for the other people moving forward. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain: does the department allow residents the opportunity to attend other treatment centres, and is the government going to pay for those facilities?
Mr. Speaker, residents always have choice, so they can choose to go to facilities that we are not currently contracted with. The difference is we would not be funding or providing financial support if they were to do so. Facilities that are not in contract or have not actually gone through a thorough scrutinization by the department may not be accredited. We do not know whether or not they are safe, and it would be a liability for us to support treatment at a facility that does not meet standards that have been set, so we would not be providing financial support in those situations. Our contract clearly outlines the specific expectations on the treatment of our NWT residents, such as building safety, reporting requirements, and treatment processes. We also develop a relationship with those facilities so that we can ensure that the follow-up treatment is organized through our staff and that there is a relationship between the facility and our staff. At this point in time, Mr. Speaker, we are contracted with four. Those are the four that we will fund. Residents can choose to go elsewhere, but there will not be financial support to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, these four facility are for adults. My next question to the Minister is: with our youth population and their addictions and as they move forward, is the Minister able to advise this House which facilities that we use contract to deal with our youth addiction issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to dealing with issues for youth, whether it is addictions or mental health issues, they are very complex, so they require a specific attention. Out-of-territory facility-based treatment for youth with complex needs, which may be addictions or it may be mental health issues are a number of facilities: we have the PLEA Community Services in BC that we utilize, the Wood's Homes in Alberta, and Ranch Ehrlo in Saskatchewan.
Youth attending an out-of-territory program are supported through Child and Family Services. The Trail Cross Treatment in Fort Smith provides some intensive individualized mental health treatment and therapy for youth 12 to 18 from the Northwest Territories, and their families. Treatment within this program is typically six to nine months, Mr. Speaker, in duration. We also utilize the Territorial Treatment Centre for Children for the ages of eight to twelve, which is operated by the Unlimited Potential Community Services from Bosco Homes, and that one is here is Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you can see that we are tag-teaming together on the topic of the addictions centres. As I mentioned in my statement, there are steps that I feel the Minister could investigate to help recovering addicts with their long-term recovery beyond the initial addictions-recovery stage. The first and most important, in my mind, based on the tour that we did is that people coming out of addiction treatment centres should not be discharged into housing. The Minister, I know, heard this point as well during our tour, so what is his take on the importance of housing to people returning home after finishing treatment? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did attend the tour, and I did hear exactly what the Member heard, and I agree with what the Member is saying. There is no question that we want a stable environment for our individuals to go to when they are returning. I will say that some people are returning to their homes, which may provide the environment they need, but we heard loud and clear that there are some individuals who are returning to couches, and that is deeply troubling.
We are working on a new addictions recovery action plan, and I am really looking forward to hearing the report from the Members on the tour and the recommendations they have because I would like to incorporate that into the addictions recovery plan to address the exact type of issue that the Member is speaking of. I look forward to getting their report. I look forward to working with them to address exactly this type of situation.
Thank you to the Minister for that response. I feel it is safe to say that this will be one of the recommendations of our report. I am wondering if the Minister can be proactive and commit to investigating this idea and presenting back an idea of the costs and benefits of ensuring that all of the people who are coming out of addictions treatment centres are discharged into appropriate housing?
Mr. Speaker, I'm not going to create the additional work of having two parallel activities happening at the same time. We were working on the addictions recovery action plan. I hear the Member loud and clear. I hear the Members loud and clear. I feel the same way, and this is part of the work that we are intending to do in the addictions recovery action plan. So, rather than duplicating our efforts, I would prefer to keep us on track to that particular plan and include the work that the Members are suggesting.
Thank you for that response. The treatment facilities that we visited provided a range of after-care. Some of it was on the phone. Some of it was online. Some of it was an invitation to return for sort of additional treatment.
It was clear that after-care is one of the areas that is a challenge for our residents who have gone out for treatment. Whether it is an on-the-land program, whether it is a community-based program, it is the after-care that we need to make sure they are getting.
Not only did the facilities mention the programs that they are providing as far as after-care, which I am open and willing to and will be directing the department to include in our discussion around the addictions recovery plan, but there was also the suggestion that peer support needed some additional support. There is peer support throughout the Northwest Territories. It is supported by Alberta organizations like AA and others, but what I have already directed the department to do is to start exploring how we as a government could support or enhance or provide some incentives to these peer support groups so that they can be sustainable over the long-term because one of the things we heard is some of those peer support groups do not exist, and they are necessary. So, in addition to what the Member has said, I have also given the direction to move forward and figure out what we could do around peer support groups. I think there are some great models out there. The Yukon is doing some really creative things about providing additional supports to their peer support groups, and we are exploring that, as well.
Moving forward with the addictions recovery action plan, we want to make sure the best use of new models, new evidence, what we have heard from Members, what we have heard from communities, build upon previous action plans, and try to improve the results for our residents throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's answer. He is obviously taking a very proactive approach with this. Since our tour, I have learned about pharmaceutical supports that support sobriety and a harm-reduction model. There is a drug called Vivitrol which is administered monthly, and it dampens cravings. It assists people in staying sober. Could the Minister also commit to investigating the costs and benefits of offering this drug to people in recovery? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, the Member did share with me a very informative video on the different options around harm control, including this particular drug. I did share that with the department and asked them to include it in their information to help them have an informed, current, modern addictions recovery action plan. I anticipate that that work will be done. I will confirm that it is part of the plan moving forward. It does not mean that we are committing to providing that drug because I think there are some issues with whether or not it is actually available in Canada or not, that we need to really make sure that we are really comfortable with. The video also talked an awful lot about the science behind healing. It is not just a 12-step program and relying on an abstinence-based 12-step program but also addictions management and a science behind helping people deal with addictions. This is another area that I think the Northwest Territories as well as Canada must explore more.
I have raised this at a national level, and I am going to continue to find ways to move forward with that as a concept here, in the Northwest Territories. Harm-control, harm-reduction is a real thing, and it adds value. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to funding of the arts. Mr. Speaker, it is clear from the level of interest generated yesterday by the review of the lottery act how many people believe passionately in the arts and want to see enhanced government arts funding. Our arts strategy was developed back in 2004. I am wondering, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to reaching out to the arts community and will the Minister support a review of the NWT Arts Strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, the NWT Arts Council Strategic Plan is coming to an end this year. We are working with the Department of ITI to look at options on creating a new NWT Arts Strategy. Obviously, we want to also involve our advisory body with the arts council and standing committee when we are looking at these options. We will proceed with those options, and, after discussions with the Department of ITI, we will come back to the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
It sounds like there is a little bit of light at the end of that tunnel, so I appreciate the Minister's response. Let's talk a little bit, Mr. Speaker, about the money. You know, the NWT Arts Council, as the Minister alluded to, they have had the same budget for the last 10 years, even though the demand as shown by the number of applications keeps increasing, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister commit to seeking more support for the Arts Council in order that more deserving artists can receive support for their creative endeavours? In other words, will the Minister support an increase to the NWT Arts Council? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Collectively, the GNWT supports the arts community with various departments, with various rebates, with various different supports. We are currently looking at how much we are spending in the arts sector with all departments. Before we begin those discussions, we need to see what those numbers are. We are confident that we do provide sufficient support to the whole NWT arts sector and all the programs that we have throughout the GNWT departments.
