Debates of March 8, 2005 (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 564-15(3): Centralized Services For Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are resources on the ground in every community that have, as one of the job responsibilities, to assist all the people, including seniors. We have members from across the Northwest Territories on the NWT Seniors' Association that I meet regularly with, as well with the boards. Also, I have very close feedback from many MLAs on issues in their jurisdictions. I believe that we have resources there. If they are not given enough profile on the ground to the services that are available to seniors, then I am definitely prepared to look at that and work with the authorities and the boards to try to remedy that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 564-15(3): Centralized Services For Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister consider having the seniors under one ministry? Of all the programs, I know that you are working with the different departments, would the Minister consider taking that to the Premier or Cabinet to consider having one Ministry just for seniors, that cover all the programs so there is effective, efficient coordination there for our elderly people in the communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 564-15(3): Centralized Services For Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last Assembly that was an issue that was raised as well, and there was work done to look at whether that would be practical. Given the fact that there are a significant number of health programs, for example, that pertain specifically to seniors, and at the same time there are another number of related issues that are often covered off through MACA or Education, what is being done, Mr. Speaker, is that when we look at consolidating the income support and subsidy programs, which includes all the programs outside of health that benefit seniors with fuel subsidies and such, we are looking at consolidating those, as the Member knows, under one roof. As well, the health programs will continue to be administered through Health and Social Services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is International Women’s Day, but this week is Social Workers’ Week. Earlier this week the Minister of Health and Social Services made a statement in praise of the work that social workers do. This is also the first academic year where there were not enough students enrolling in the Social Workers’ Program at Aurora College. I have asked questions in this House about what the government is doing to see that that does not happen again. Surely, I think that we do need to produce our own social workers and if there are not enough people going in, then the government has an onus to look into that. I wanted to know if the Minister and the Minister of Education, and the government as a whole, have done any kind of review to get some real answers to what happened. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Member raised the issue during the review of the budget of Health and Social Services, I indicated that I would be talking later that night with the president of the Social Workers’ Association, which I did do. We had a fairly lengthy discussion. One of the topics of concern was what is happening in the college; the need to do a better job in marketing the college program and what other things should we be doing as a department to better support the social work profession.

I have since had meetings with the deputy to pass on some of the concerns, and the fact that there is a willingness and interest for us work collaboratively with the Social Workers’ Association. I have also had discussions with the president of the college to talk about -- and he raised the issue as well -- we have to put our heads together to come to grips with how we better market this issue.

I also just met yesterday with the social work managers/child protection managers that were in town from across the Northwest Territories. One of the issues that I put on the table to them was I asked for their advise and feedback on what they thought we could do to better support the profession of social work so that in fact we could encourage people to join this very honourable profession and have more students signing up at the college. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am still not getting the answer as to, Mr. Speaker, whether the Minister and government are interested in doing a review of the program at Aurora College. I can see that he is talking to various players, but I am not hearing that there will be any kind of formal process to really get to the bottom of what is going on. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that you can’t solve the problem unless you know what the problem is. I am not getting the indication that the government has a clear idea of what has happened. Can I get more solid information from him as to exactly how he envisions that he is going to improve this situation by fall? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was following up on this issue because it is an important issue and not just for the sake of a conversation with a bunch of people that I know are good conversationalists. This is a serious issue. I have laid out a fairly extensive list of contacts. The president of the Social Workers’ Association is also the chairman of the department for the social services program has already had meetings with the college administration to try to look at what issues are there that may be prohibiting or impeding the success of this program at the college level.

I have talked to the president of the Social Workers’ Society, plus I have talked to the president of the college. I have had discussions with the deputy minister about our need to pay attention to this; to look at it with the same kind of attention that we paid to nurses and doctors and allied health professionals, when recruitment and retention was an issue.

We are going to bring the lessons we learned there and the planning we learned there to bear on this particular issue as well. So there is a lot of work underway. Whether that is formal or enough or not for the Member, I am not sure, but it constitutes a lot of action and activity already underway by many people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I still think, far be it from me to call for a study, but this is a real problem. I would like to see the government do something solid and concrete by this fall; way before that so that the college and we are ready to get more students in. I would like to see the Minister do more than just having meetings with the stakeholders; not that there is anything wrong with that. Could I get the Minister to commit to reporting the results of all of his conversations and consultations to us by the June session, so that we can take part in it as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the Member was encouraging or saying that I have to be Minister to conclude all the studies I already have underway, I could probably squeeze in one more.

---Laughter

But the reality is, Mr. Speaker, this doesn’t require a study. This requires a plan of action and, yes, I would be happy to report back in June. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the things that the people in this profession are saying is safer working conditions and probably a better compensation package. It doesn’t help that the government writes job descriptions in a way that seems to attract southern educated social workers, eliminating the chance for people up here to get a job. Will the Minister look into that as well, while he is studying -- yes, another study -- with a deadline, though, for June? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is currently a collective bargaining process underway that includes the social workers, and the issue of compensation will be dealt with directly through that process. If there are classification issues, then there are processes to look at that as well. Very clearly, we are interested in having a profession that is attractive, that has a good package of compensation and enumeration and we are going to look at all aspects, the same as we did for the allied health professionals, to make sure that we are competitive and that we have our classes filled with northern students that are going to become social workers tomorrow. Thank you.

Than you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice, with respect to the courthouse that is being planned. I understand that this initiative was being brought forward by this government. Constituents of my riding are concerned; they want to know why we need to spend so much on such infrastructure. They want to know why we are building another courthouse in Yellowknife when we already have one there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the years, the courthouse has become too small for the number of cases that are held in it. Right now, in the last year, we have had rented space outside the courthouse for a large civil case: the Giant Mine trial. With that one, we spent over $355,000. Just since Christmas, we’ve had to rent space in one of the local hotels for courts and we will again this year. We know about another large trial that’s coming up later this spring that we’re going to have to rent space outside the courthouse. What’s happened is that the growth in the number of cases that are being heard in Yellowknife has meant that we can’t house them all in the space that’s available. That’s one of the biggest problems, and the other problem is security. The security issues that surround the courts right now can’t be dealt with. So we have a choice: either rent more space or build space. Since it seems to make more sense for us to pay ourselves rather than paying a landlord, so the government has decided to propose the building of a courthouse.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I understand a little bit about the reasoning behind that and perhaps the Minister can tell me what is the estimated cost of this new courthouse. Is this like a Class 'D' estimate and how old is this estimate for the new courthouse, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The estimate that we have was provided by Public Works and Services. It is a Class 'D', so an initial estimate, and it was prepared by Public Works and Services within the last few months, just since fall. Right now they have estimated the cost to be about $41 million.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I understand that some of the expenditures that they’re looking for in 2005-06 is to do a full engineering study and the budgeted amount is around $41 million. I’m just wondering, at what point will the government put the brakes on this project if it exceeds the $41 million bill?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has decided to initiate this project by going to a full set of plans and then going out to tender. So before we break ground we’ll know the full cost of the project. This isn’t going to be handled through a construction management process where the costs could escalate after the construction has started. It is our intention to make sure that we know the costs before proceeding with it. All of the amounts that will be spent on the building will have to be voted by this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That’s what I’m looking for. I just want the government to assure us that they’re not going to run into a situation where they get half a building done for $40 million and then are going to ask for another $40 million to complete it. That’s been our history and I’d like to know what the government is going to do for this project that’s going to prevent that.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 566-15(3): New Courthouse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, where we’ve seen significant changes in project costs have been through the construction management process and this government is not prepared to undertake that process for this building. We are going to get the full set of plans done and then go out to public tender. Once we have the results in, we will award the contract. That way you know what the cost of the building is going to be. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this afternoon are for the Minister of Health and Social Services in the area of our Mental Health Act and its modernization and the services that we provide. Mr. Speaker, it’s my understanding, if I have the statistics right here, that about 50 percent of all visits to doctors are because of mental health related illnesses or problems that people are having. My question is does the NWT have enough capacity and trained workers and professionals to deal with the caseload of mental illness now before us? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 567-15(3): Mental Health Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like every problem area that we do have, there are more problems than there are resources. The people who are on hand to do the work are coping. We do have funding available for another psychiatrist, but have yet to be successful in recruiting. Are there problems that could be better served? Probably, but we have a significant number of resources on the ground, in the communities, mental health workers, community wellness workers, in addition to the nurses and doctors and psychiatrists here, and some psychologists and counsellors. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 567-15(3): Mental Health Resources

Mr. Speaker, in my statement I was talking about the changes in legislation that have come about as compelled by what’s going on out there on the streets and especially in the area of recognition of human rights and other new laws that are entrenching the rights and freedoms of the individual. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister, how serious is the gap in our legislation regarding current laws on mental illness? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 567-15(3): Mental Health Resources

Mr. Speaker, as the Member indicated in his statement, this piece of legislation is about 17 years old. It does have gaps. It’s not on the legislative agenda for this Assembly at this point, but it is a piece of legislation that is on our list, but we have other more pressing ones like the Pharmacy Act and the Public Health Act, which are very, very old. Generations old. They’re seriously out of date and we’re working on them. As well as the Personal Directives Act, the Tobacco Act that is coming forward, and there’s a piece from the child and family services as well that’s coming forward, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 567-15(3): Mental Health Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a meeting that I had with some mental health professionals a few weeks ago, it became apparent that there are some aspects at least of this that could very well serve not only those people suffering from mental illness, but the professionals who have to grapple with trying to make the right decisions using our legislation as their platform. Would the Minister consider at least a preliminary investigation into what might be done to address some of these more pressing human rights aspects of our law? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 567-15(3): Mental Health Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll commit to investigate the Member’s concerns. I’ve seen some of the documentation he’s pulled together, keeping in mind that we have a capacity issue in terms of how much legislation we’re able to do in a given period of time. But I will commit to look at that. Thank you.