I think it’s important in this that the department gets out into the campgrounds in the North Slave region and talks to both the seasonal campers and the recreational campers that are out there, and develop some type of survey or questionnaire or something to that effect before waiting until the fall when everybody goes and packs it in for the winter.
I’d like to ask the Minister: are there plans in the works to get out there and talk to people while they’re actually camping?
Certainly that is our intention, and we’ve been getting a lot of feedback from the campers. I’m also pleased that the Member supports the fact and the recognition that we need as many new sites as possible.
Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In relation to the issues in the North Slave campgrounds, I wanted to ask a final question on the reservation system and how it is that the public has to pay to reserve a campsite. I can understand that they pay and they get that offset against their actual camping fees, but from what I see and from what I hear from my constituents, somebody is taking that money, and it’s not going in to offset the camping fees. So I think that’s a cost the department should be incurring.
I’d like to ask the Minister: is there any appetite to phase that type of reservation system out so that the general public doesn’t have to pay to reserve a campsite?
That concern has been raised by many people, so we’re reviewing the whole reservation system. We’ve already made a commitment that we weren’t changing anything this summer, so we’ll look at changing it as part of our overall consultations, unless we can find a better approach quickly.
The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to direct my questions today to the Minister of ITI, and it goes back to my Member’s statement on the delays in the Joint Review Panel public hearings and their final report. I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI if this government had any input into the terms of reference for the Joint Review Panel.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our previous Minister — I think it’s two governments ago — was at the forefront in advocating that we take a joint review panel approach. It was felt that going through regulatory review involving 13 boards and agencies would take too long, and as such, we advocated a joint review panel approach.
I appreciate the Minister’s comments about taking too long. I can’t imagine how much longer it would have taken had we gone through 13. It seems even with the one, we’re still taking a long time.
I did ask the Minister and he did give me a response to my question, but I don’t think it was an answer. I asked him if this government had any input into the terms of reference for the Joint Review Panel.
We did review the terms of reference and we did have input. For those areas that are under the Government of the Northwest Territories’ responsibilities, we specifically dealt with those as well.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that. I found that was an answer to the question that I had posed.
I would also like to ask the Minister: do we contribute any funding to the Joint Review Panel?
The Government of the Northwest Territories doesn’t specifically contribute to the operations of the Joint Review Panel. Where we spend money is in making sure that we have the people and the resources to develop the positions that are taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories in any interventions, also in reviewing the interventions of other groups and agencies that appear in front of the Joint Review Panel.
Final supplementary, Mr. Robert McLeod.
I thank the Minister for that. I’d like to ask the Minister if the Minister’s office is made aware of any delays or extensions to the hearing process, and has he communicated to the Joint Review Panel our displeasure at the extensions and delays? Thank you.
We have been in discussions on a number of occasions with Mr. Neil McCrank, who is reviewing the regulatory process on behalf of the federal government. We’ve also had discussions with Minister Prentice and his point man on oil and gas for the Northwest Territories, Mr. David Hudson.
We recognized early on that the writing of the report of the panel could be facing delays, because there was only a four-month window for the report to be written. We expected that the April report would likely be pushed back, and that has come to pass.
But the main issue was how do you try to speed up a panel that has held hearings and has had input. How do you speed it up without being seen to interfere with the proceedings of the panel? So that was the dilemma. Certainly, our Premier has made comments that he would like to see the process speed up, and certainly we would like to see that happen as well. Thank you.
The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Today I spoke about counselling services in Lutselk’e and the serious concern for the community. Unfortunately, the community has had to endure the untimely passing of three community youth because of suicides within the last 24 months. Can the Minister tell me what the current situation is with respect to providing counselling services in Lutselk’e?
The honourable Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.
Currently in Lutselk’e there has been a vacancy of the mental health addictions worker there for about a year. In that period of time the services have been provided by Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, which is in charge of those services. So there have been three workers travel to Lutselk’e on a periodic basis to provide services, one of them specializing in youth counselling.
I’d like to advise the Member the latest is we have been able to hire somebody, and we have had verbal commitment from a mental health specialist, and we hope we’ll be able to fill that position on a permanent basis for the community.
I thank the Minister for that answer. The higher-than-usual frequency of suicides in a small community: what has the department done to specifically address that issue?
Mr. Speaker, obviously that’s a very complicated issue, and it’s one that has to be addressed in multi-faceted ways. The government and the Department of Health work with other organizations on suicide prevention, working with youth. The government funds various programs to support youth. I think over the last two, three years, we have made some progress in that area.
Specifically to mental health and addictions issues in small communities, it is a constant challenge to be able to provide a community-based program. We do fund about $7 million for 75 positions. But in the last three, four, five years, we’ve had a constant level of vacancies with community wellness workers positions. It’s up to about 25 per cent. But we’re making steady progress in that area. And I look forward to working on that more with the Member.
Mr. Speaker, would the Minister tell me what role the Lutselk’e Indian Band has had in the delivery of counselling services at the community level?
Mr. Speaker, as far as I understand, all of the programs for mental health counselling and community support work in that area are delivered by Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, which oversees that community.
Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to working with myself and the community, specifically the Lutselk’e Indian Band, to explore options for actively engaging the community for delivery of effective community-based counselling services in Lutselk’e?
Absolutely, I am willing to do that and prepared to do that, Mr. Speaker.
I’d like to just give notice to the Members that I’m in the process of having the department review our entire mental health and addictions strategy. The current plan that we have in place has been in the works for about four or five years.
But I think there’s room for a change and room for revising and re-profiling, specifically giving more multi-dimensional roles to our community workers, social workers, mental health workers, so that we have a holistic approach towards those who walk into the office and need help. Right now, I think the way it’s being done is way too many stovepipes, and one may not be working as efficiently and effectively as we could.
So I look forward to working on that process with the Member in the coming months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
186-16(2)
Accommodations for
In my Member’s statement I mentioned that I sensed a genuine desire on the part of the Department of Human Resources — I should say my questions are addressed to the Minister of Human Resources — to make transition as easy as possible for those employees who have been targeted for reduction. I’d like to give the Minister an opportunity to publicly state and answer the question: is it the department’s goal to make the accommodation of employees as easy as possible?
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is certainly our intention. As has been mentioned, we do have 118 potentially affected employees, depending on whether the budget gets passed or not. There are a number of these employees that are approaching some significant milestones with regard to retirement. So this is an area that we’re looking at.
I thank you, Minister, for that answer. Particularly in regard to those who are approaching retirement or those who are requesting voluntary separation, there are policies which are in place. I wonder if the Minister could advise whether or not the department is open to actions for these particular employees that are outside the current policy.
We are open to looking at all possible options and with the individuals that are potentially affected.
I’m glad to hear that. Thank you, Minister.
I’d like to know whether or not the Minister can advise what kind of a time frame is involved. I presume there has to be Cabinet approval of any changes to these policies. Can he advise when these policies will be going forward to Cabinet and when we might expect some kind of a response in that regard?
Mr. Speaker, we had an opportunity to brief the standing committee with regard to human resources, and I am waiting for a letter from the committee that would indicate they’re supportive of the department taking such an approach. If we have that support, then we would go forward.
Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I missed that part of the meeting. That wasn’t my understanding. I will discuss that with the committee.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I didn't hear a question there. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Mr. Speaker, in regard to the statement made earlier today by the Minister of Justice in regard to policing in Sachs Harbour, I’d like to applaud him on that. But more importantly, we still have, I believe, nine or ten communities out there that still don’t have policing.
I think it is an essential service for our communities, and also for our professionals to deliver programs and services in those communities. I’m talking about the community I represent, Tsiigehtchic, where they were having problems attracting nurses and also in ensuring public safety in their community.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice: exactly what is he doing to ensure the other nine communities will also have a similar opportunity where we can expand the policing into those other communities that don’t have that policing in place at the present date?
The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Member for asking that. It’s one of the important questions that I addressed today in my Minister’s statement.
We are focusing on the small communities that don’t have RCMP detachments, and Sachs Harbour is one of them that we have identified. There will be two more that are coming up: Gametì and Wrigley. We will continue to stress this with our federal government, to push them even further to establish more of a presence in the communities.
For the remaining communities without detachments, I’ll certainly make a commitment in this House to continue working with the federal Minister. We met already, last year, as part of the FPT meeting, and I did stress the importance of having police presence.
Mr. Speaker, I believe it’s an essential service, like I mentioned earlier. Again, it may be some time before we do get to all the nine communities, but I believe we do have to look for options and alternatives.
I’d like to ask the Minister: have you looked at the possibility of either increasing the number of RCMP visits to our communities, where they stay a couple of days or they drop in on a weekend? At least with their presence, a community does feel a lot safer; but also, building that relationship between the RCMP and the community is just as important as having an individual stationed there.
I’d like to ask the Minister: have they looked at options of ensuring that there will be more police presence in those communities that don’t have police?
Mr. Speaker, this is one area that our department is focusing on: those without detachments. We will certainly work on a schedule. We do have schedules in place for visits from the regional centres to communities without detachments.
Also, the Member talked about possibly options of overnighting. We need to work with the communities in finding suitable accommodation for officers to be in a safe environment in the communities. So we are continuing to work with the communities to identify those accommodations.
Also, the Member brought up a good point about building relationships. That is one of our strengths in the communities. We want to build on our strengths, having open communication and dialogue, and also building on our relationship with the RCMP, the communities, the leadership and the community as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, another option that I think the Minister should certainly consider looking at is, I believe, that under the policing agreement, it does talk about First Nations policing and also the possibility of looking at special constables.
I think that we have to look at every avenue that we have available to us, because I believe that without policing in our communities, it is affecting the government’s ability to deliver programs and services, especially around nursing, teachers and other professions in those communities.
I’d like to ask the Minister: have they also talked with the federal government, or even with the aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories, about looking at the possibility of First Nations policing?
Mr. Speaker, the area of special constables in community policing has been addressed by my department. I met with the commissioner of the RCMP just last month. We just had an initial discussion of trying to find out where the status was with aboriginal policing in the communities. I was told, at that time, that news will be coming this summer — late summer or early fall — and that there will be an announcement from the federal government.
Currently they are looking at options of reintroducing community policing, whether it be the special constables…. They’re still working out the logistics on that, and there’ll certainly be good news for the communities. It will certainly benefit most of the communities that have the detachments. Certainly we’ll work with the communities that do not have detachments at this time.
Final short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, my issue is around the security of the community. We have had a lot of instances where we have communities with prohibition orders. They’ve passed them, and they look for the enforcement side of those prohibition orders. I think we're seeing that a lot of the people are wondering why they even voted in the first place.
Again, I’d like to ask the Minister if he can ask the RCMP, or whoever is in charge, if they can increase their presence — but, more importantly, allow the communities to work with them to ensure they do have a presence in our communities and also ensure that they are enforcing those prohibition orders, especially for those communities that have passed such an order.
