Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I will go to the seconder of the motion, Mr. Yakeleya, Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Bromley for bringing this motion to the floor. I certainly will be supporting it. I would like to speak about the elimination of handling fees for the collection of milk containers under the NWT Beverage Container Program, Mr. Speaker.
Under the existing NWT Beverage Container Program, when residents return their beverage containers, they receive a refund. Their refund is only about 60 percent of the amount the resident paid for the container. Some of the remaining funds go to support environmental issues.
We know that drinking pop is bad for our population. The sugar in pop leads to cavities and in some cases the need for dental surgery has been noted.
Also, the sugar leads to sugar diabetes, which is prevalent in our communities. It offers no nutrition, while contributing to obesity. Thus I have no problem with the surcharge for drinking pop, especially since the money goes to an Environmental Fund.
Milk has been added to the list of refundable beverage containers and when returned they should reduce the cost of milk a bit. Milk is the single most important nutrition to healthy development and the benefits of our youth in the communities. It is of great importance to the adults and seniors to maintain their healthy bones. Northerners should not be required to pay any type of surcharge for milk, especially in the small communities of the Northwest Territories.
In Tulita, two litres of milk costs $5.75. I hate to list the cost in Ulukhaktok or Colville Lake or any other small community. I do not support any increase to the cost of milk anywhere and I do support any reduction to costs that recycling milk cartons will provide in the Sahtu and other communities in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to compliment the Department of ENR on their campaign to encourage people to recycle milk beverage containers. I think it’s very catchy. I think it’s Wash and Squash. There are very colourful ads all over the place encouraging our people in the Northwest Territories to add these beverage containers to the list of containers that we pay a deposit on and then receive a refund on when we take them back. It is very catchy and I think it’s catching the eye of people.
However, I want to thank the Member for Weledeh for bringing forward this motion, because I think it is consistent with a message that he has been very clear about in this since he came here. That is the importance of milk in the diet of children in the Northwest Territories and particularly in the remote communities where transportation plays a part in making the affordability of milk products very, very high. We want those to be the beverage of choice for people with young families. Anything we can do as a government to make that more affordable, I think this is a very small thing, a small gesture, a small token. But I think that when you look at the overall impact of it, it’s very positive.
I come from Hay River where we have a Dental Surgery Program in our hospital and how many times we have seen people come there to receive dental surgery with their little children who are being put under general anaesthetic to have all their teeth removed. We have seen this over and over again. How many times have I, as a mother, been at functions where I have seen people put everything from Coffee Mate mixed with water, to pop in babies bottles? These are the more affordable things. So anything that we can do to send a message from this government to encourage people to buy and feed their children milk products is something.
Although this won’t cost us a lot of money, it will go a long ways and I thank the Member for bringing forward this motion and I support it 100 percent.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the outset I would like to say that I support this motion and I’d like to thank Mr. Bromley for bringing it forward. I also want to say that I support the recycling efforts of this government and the Minister of Environment and the program that he is monitoring and expanding over the years. Anything that we can do to increase the recycling within our Territories is a good thing.
That said, I don’t support an increase in the price of milk. I think that this motion is a halfway point between recycling containers but also not causing it to be an increase in the cost for our residents.
I think it’s well known that I support milk. I’ve supported the idea of a milk subsidy over the last couple of years. I totally agree with the comments made by my colleagues about the importance of milk in the development of a child, and through the young years of children for their healthy growth and development it’s extremely important.
One of the things that this government has put in place is a Healthy Foods Initiative and part of that Healthy Foods Initiative is the policy that milk is a good healthy food. It’s an integral component of a program that we have, but at the same time through the recycling we’re saying yes, this is very important and we want to try to keep the costs down for people and encourage them to eat healthy foods and use healthy foods, but we’re adding to the cost of that healthy food. That doesn’t do anything for the general cost of living. That again is an initiative that this government keeps saying we are working on. In order to do something about the cost of living but also and to the recycling, we have to have a different way of approaching this particular problem.
I think what we can do, as Mr. Bromley has suggested, is look at a different way of funding. There’s going to be a certain loss of revenue in this particular program. It’s going to be anywhere from $75,000 to $100,000, I think, at the most. That’s not very much money. There already is a fund of $400,000 identified in the Department of ECE budget. It’s easy to transfer some money out of there.
I have another suggestion for the Minister and for the department. I think what we can do to recoup that $75,000 is to add an extra non-refundable recycling fee to our pop bottles and pop cans and liquor bottles. We have added to sin taxes in the last year or so, so I think I consider those somewhat sinful. Certainly liquor is sinful. I think if we want to recoup that $75,000, let’s add five or 10 cents to every pop can and liquor bottle. I think that would go a long way and would certainly offset the revenue that’s going to be lost by giving the full costs back to people that are recycling milk containers.
That said, I am in full support of the motion and I encourage all my colleagues to vote in support as well.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak in favour of the motion and will be voting that way. Regretfully, we’ve got two important initiatives that are clashing here. One, of course, is recycling and the other one is the most important, which I believe was a priority at the start of our government to reduce the cost of living. In this case, because of our recycling initiative, we are imposing a fee on milk cartons and milk bottles.
I think the ultimate goal of our Assembly, the cost of living, should take priority. So I am supporting this motion to not increase the cost of recycling milk cartons or at least trying to minimize the cost.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the motion. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won’t talk about all the important things that my colleagues have already raised when it comes to supporting this motion, but obviously I’m going to support the motion. I would like to thank the mover of the motion, Mr. Bromley, and the seconder, Mr. Yakeleya, for bringing it forward.
The big thing for me is the cost of living. I’d hate to see our government forcing people an increase, even as small as this might be, onto the backs of residents. The recycling is good and, as others have said, the effort of ENR to get milk containers into the Waste Recovery Program is admirable. However, I believe the $70,000 to $75,000 it’s going to cost the government spread out over the whole year is not a big sum of money. The government should be taking that on, not the consumer, not the folks that are trying to get this healthy, nutritious product like milk to children and families around the Northwest Territories. I do support the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Ramsay said, I am supporting the motion. I am really happy that we’re getting full-fledged support on the Regular Members’ side. The cost of living in the communities is high enough that we do not need another for milk products and that. In my home community of Tuk I think it’s $22 for a four-litre of milk. I think passing this on to the people in the smaller communities, we’re going to be always hit first.
I’m in full support of the motion and I thank my colleague Mr. Bromley for bringing this up. You have my full support.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. To the motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaking to the cost of living, if there was one reason to consider on that level, the cost of living is certainly not something to brag about in the Northwest Territories. Adding the service fee to an important product such as milk seems to be a bit of a shame. I wish the government from ENR had seen that this does not help people in that form. I realize it’s a noble cause, trying to bring the containers back for recycling and I think that’s important, but to see that they’re going to keep it on such a critical product that’s so important to the health of people, I have no other choice but to imagine why wouldn’t I want to support a motion like this.
To another issue of nickeling and diming our territorial residents in every form, it still relates back to the fact that the cost of living is a difficult challenge that many of us face. Adding that to the mix, of course.
On the last principle of health, I think it’s one product we need to continue to champion in ways to make sure it’s affordable and accessible to all our people of the North. With that, I will leave us with the thought that if this was a road to show people a method of discouraging a particular important product of milk, it seems like this is the one that they have taken. This motion speaks loud and clear to the fact that we need to find ways to make sure that healthy products are encouraged and certainly embraced by our constituents. Allowing them to have the full return of the deposit seems to be not just the right choice, but the only choice.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support the motion. Obviously I think recycling of these containers is a positive thing for our environment. Doing that without adding more cost to already high costs of living in small communities, although it’s not a major cost, does add a little bit to the cost that’s already too high for the individuals to afford. So this will at least keep the costs the same as it is now, for now.
I guess the only issue that I have is that hopefully the people in the smaller communities will have the opportunity to recycle, that there are depots available for them to take these recyclable containers back to. I will support the motion, because the intent of the motion is to not increase the costs of milk products across the small communities.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we did the review of ENR’s budget, the Member for Weledeh raised the issue about the handling fee. At that point I indicated that, yes, we will look at that and, yes, we will look at suggestions similar to those made by the Member for Frame Lake about possible additional cross-levies on pop or alcohol.
I think we would all agree that having a healthy environment and having healthy families and children are two very compatible goals and we intend to make sure that we maintain both initiatives.
I have heard very clearly what the Members are saying. I just reiterate the commitment I made when we were doing the budget for ENR, that we are going to move on this. Folks are now looking at it and in the coming weeks we should be able to come up with a plan to address that concern.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I will allow the mover of the motion closing comments. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start by recognizing the commitment made by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, which I very much appreciated and encouraged me to get this motion going with the good support of my colleague Mr. Yakeleya.
In summary, this motion is all about controlling the high cost of living. It’s about building strong minds and bodies. All of this while being environmentally responsible. What it takes is a small, low-cost investment for returns on all these fronts: social, economical, and environmental.
So I want to thank everybody for their support and request a recorded vote. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member is seeking a recorded vote. Madam Clerk, all those in favour of the motion, please stand.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Bromley, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko.
All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining from the motion, please stand.
Ms. Lee; Mr. Miltenberger; Mr. Roland; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
Results of the recorded vote: 11 for, 0 opposed, 6 abstaining. The motion is carried.
---Carried
The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 11, petitions, on the orders of the day. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to present a petition dealing with the matter of diagnosis and treatment of residents affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 749 signatures of NWT residents.
Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories implement medical diagnosis and specialized programs and treatments for the residents affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS NWT health and social services covers the cost of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) assessment for children and not adults;
AND WHEREAS many cases of FASD in children are going undiagnosed because of the lack of awareness and stigma associated with the disorder;
AND WHEREAS undiagnosed children are growing up and struggling with physical, intellectual and behavioural difficulties in adulthood;
AND WHEREAS the government is committed to working with residents in an effort to help them live healthy and productive lives;
AND WHEREAS adults who may have undiagnosed FASD are ineligible to receive support and programming available only to those who have been diagnosed with FASD:
AND WHEREAS improper diagnosis often leads to inappropriate care, increased risk of secondary disabilities, and missed opportunities to connect individuals affected by FASD with the programs and services that will provide the support needed to promote optimal functioning and provide a better quality of life;
AND WHEREAS accurate diagnosis can speed up the development of effective prevention practices and contribute to more accurate estimates of incidence and prevalence;
AND WHEREAS with proper assessment and care, many people with FASD can lead happy and productive lives, with the right supports, approaches and services;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that the Government of the Northwest Territories establish assessment services for adults who may have FASD;
AND FURTHER, that a multidisciplinary team based on the examples of the Territorial Assessment Team or the Child Development Team at Stanton Territorial Hospital be developed to provide these assessment and diagnostic services in the NWT;
AND FURTHERMORE, that programs and supports for individuals and families living with FASD be enhanced and be available to NWT residents who need these services;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the government provide a response to this motion within 120 days.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the goals of the 16th Legislative Assembly is healthy, educated people. One of the activities identified under the goal is to improve support for children and adults with special needs and disabilities. FASD is a reality with the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, there are many adults who remain undiagnosed in the Northwest Territories and are therefore ineligible to receive support and programming available which is available to people who have been diagnosed as children. As a result, these undiagnosed individuals may face greater challenges than those individuals not suffering from FASD or those who were diagnosed and have been able to take advantage of programming.
As a result, these individuals may find themselves more reliant on social programs and income support in order to maintain a basic standard of living. This is unfortunate, given that with a little support these individuals could develop knowledge of their condition and skills to overcome their challenges, which will give them a better quality of life and possibly avoid the necessity to access income support, thus saving the GNWT money over the long run.
The GNWT does not support or facilitate the assessment of adults. The GNWT does support the assessment of youth. Unfortunately, many cases of FASD in children are going undiagnosed because of the lack of awareness or stigma associated with the disorder. Once these undiagnosed children leave their parents’ homes, become adults and enter the world of employment and new responsibilities, they face additional challenges. Unfortunately, if they seek to understand their challenges, that they can attempt to overcome them, the GNWT is not willing to help. This isn’t so in other jurisdictions. Alberta, as an example, recognizes the value in helping their citizens and offers adult assessment for FASD to their residents.
As a government, we need to follow Alberta’s example and offer this level of support to our undiagnosed residents. With proper assessment and care, many people in the NWT with FASD can lead happy, productive and independent lives. Let’s do the right thing and support FASD assessment and diagnosis services, as well as treatment for adults in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. I’ll go to the seconder of the motion, the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I second the motion. I feel that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a very costly disorder to the Government of the Northwest Territories. It’s very costly to the health system, the justice system, and the education system.
The diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder would be a great initiative on the part of the government when we realize how many people are actually affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and how much it costs. Perhaps the diagnosis would allow the government to do more in the area of prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Unlike most disorders and spectrums, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is 100 percent preventable. So, hopefully, with the diagnosis of the adults now, we would be in a better position to do something about prevention. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Very briefly, I’m in total support of this motion. Adult diagnosis is a gap we’ve overlooked and are seeking, through the good work of my colleagues here, to fill. We’re missing an opportunity to help people in many ways that, really, we are responsible for as a government.
This is a huge issue for the Northwest Territories. We learned during our visit to Alberta, the ministry down there, that there are great strides being made in assessment and working with the people with FASD, and particularly with adults, new research going on there. So with proper diagnosis, families, individuals, all of us can benefit in many ways.
So I totally support this motion. I will be voting for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this motion forward. I am in full support of this motion. Recently, I think the Department of Health and Social Services announced a bit of a focus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and I fully support that. But, you know, throughout the government we tend to put a focus on children, particularly with FASD, and that focus needs to be expanded to include adults.
I think it’s well documented, I think it’s known that adults with FASD can lead extremely productive lives if they’re given certain supports. First of all, they need to be diagnosed. Once they’re diagnosed, they can be given supports through various organizations, whether it be government or non-government organizations, but with minimal support, very often people with FASD can lead extremely productive and extremely successful lives.
One of the things that I think that treating people with FASD and allowing them to become productive members of our society is going to have an impact in a financial way on this government or on any government. You know, we’re going to see a reduction in our health and social services costs, because there is going to be less of a strain on our health and social services facilities.
There is quite likely to be fewer residents who are incarcerated, because FASD people with the proper treatment can learn the need to manage their lives in a way that keeps them out of jail. And I would think there is going to be a reduced draw on income support, because people are going to be employed within the community, within the workforce and they, therefore, are going to be able to support themselves. So even just those three things are going to be a financial benefit to the government.
It’s been mentioned already, and I would just like to reiterate, there’s a gap in the services that we provide at the moment with regard to FASD and I think there’s a bit of a leaning towards filling that gap, but we certainly need to make sure that we include adults in both the diagnosis and in the provision of services and treatments for adults with FASD.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I am totally in support of this motion and, again, I encourage my colleagues to support it as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I will go to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a formal motion in the House is a recommendation to the government, we will undertake to respond to this motion within the timeline provided. In the meantime, I would like to just advise this House about the fact that we do offer a continuum of services for adults with developmental disabilities, including FASD. Access to these services is not dependent on a diagnosis. The types of services that we provide include day and work programs, adult respite, employment enhancement programs, group homes and supported living programs. Access to these services is obtained through health and social services authorities across the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, if individual needs are complex and require more intensive supports that may not be available in the NWT, referral for condition by the Out-of-Territory Placement Committee is also an option exercise. We do have a number of adults currently receiving treatment and services as a result of FASD.
Mr. Speaker, there would be a requirement for significant funding and clinical capacity in order to conduct adult diagnosis. It is also important to note that in Canada, only a very few clinics offer diagnostic services for adults. Most of these serve persons from only their own communities. For example, in Alberta two private clinics offer diagnostic services for adults. A privately funded full assessment in one of these clinics is approximately $3,500. These are not insured services, Mr. Speaker.
Through our partnership with Canada-Northwest FASD Partnership, we are actively involved in current research on best practices and diagnoses and service delivery. This research is imperative as it will assist in the future development of service available across the life continuum.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we do provide a number of services to adults with disabilities, including suspected FASD. We support the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities who offers advocacy, support and referral services to persons throughout the NWT and through organizations like the Yellowknife Association for Community Living. We do have lots of persons with FASD, whether or not they are diagnosed. I think everybody is aware of the new initiative that we have started with the children.
So, Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate what the Member has to say about this very important issue. It’s very complex. It is worth taking a look at and we will be responding to the motion. Also, I’d also like to just state that as this is a recommendation to the government, we will be abstaining from the motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. To the motion. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank my colleague Mr. Abernethy for bringing this motion forward. We know there have been many advances made in the ability of health care providers in the diagnoses of FASD. Mr. Speaker, it is challenging enough for people who live with challenges to function and this is one avenue, one opportunity to bring the presence of this disorder in our society into the light and perhaps also remove some of the stigma that is attached to it. It is for the benefit of everyone. I thank Mr. Abernethy for bringing this forward. I support it 100 hundred percent. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the motion. I will allow the mover of the motion some closing comments. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my colleagues for supporting this motion.
Just for the record, young men and women in the Northwest Territories who have failed to be diagnosed as children who wish to be diagnosed do not receive support in getting that diagnosis from the GNWT. I know of several situations where that has occurred and the government has not stood up to help these individuals.
I attended and met with individuals in Alberta who are actually doing adult assessment FASD or adult assessment for FASD and they are finding huge benefits and advantages of doing these types of assessments in Alberta in that it helps individuals get off social assistance, because they’re able to access programs that help them understand their limitations and overcome them and succeed. That’s what we are talking about here today. That’s what we would like this government to do. That’s all I have to say on that and I would like to request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Member is requesting a recorded vote, Madam Clerk. All those in favour of the motion, please stand.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Bromley.
All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining from the motion, please stand.
Ms. Lee; Mr. Miltenberger; Mr. Roland; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
