Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of SCAN legislation had much debate and I believe Members of the past Assembly agreed in principle with that piece of work. One of the things we have to do, as the 16th Assembly, is highlight our priorities and we’d be prepared to work along with the Members if that’s the wish and the will of this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, there are many pieces to the puzzle and I pointed out quickly that human resources continue to be a problem. Has there been any further requests from the RCMP to help fulfill the demand of human resources in the fact that the SCAN legislation hasn’t been reintroduced and we’re not sure when it may come? So have there been any requests for further resources of that regard in anticipation of the potential new law? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the relationship we have with the RCMP in the Northwest Territories is one when you talk about members and the number of members in communities is set up through a contract arrangement with the RCMP and that would be upon a renewal basis. I’m not sure of the actual number of years. I’m not aware, as a result of that legislation not moving forward, if there has been an additional request. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I pointed out many times over the last Assembly and I will probably this Assembly, that alcohol and drugs continue to be a problem and the downtown continues to have many of these problems and highlighted is the fact that without the SCAN we don’t get the support without the human resources. What can the Minister do today to ensure that we are getting proper staffing levels with our local RCMP to make sure that we have the proper tools accessible in this community to help fight those problems? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that question, I don’t have that detail; I’ll have to work with the Minister of Justice in that area to see where things are, if there have been additional requests. Again, I point out that our arrangement with the RCMP is one through a contract that sets up the number of officers that are required. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Well, Mr. Speaker, just in short, my community area feels that resources are lacking and they’re not blaming the RCMP, they’re blaming the support mechanisms. Would the Premier take the initiative on to communicate with the RCMP to make sure -- not just in Yellowknife we don’t have enough human resources -- that we’re being staffed properly throughout the Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 33-16(1): Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will pass that on to the Minister of Justice for that work to be done. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with respect to the large Deh Cho Hall building in Fort Simpson that’s going to be shut down sometime next year. I know that the government is fully engaged in their own transition planning, but I’d like to ask the Minister if he’s willing to look at assisting the non-government organizations in doing transition planning, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Return To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NGOs at the community level have been stressing for office space in Simpson, but at the same time the new building that’s coming up to be opened early in the new year will be for the Education department. We are willing to work with the community in that area to that respect, but at the same time the community needs to take on that initiative, as well. We did have the consultation with the community late last year and those options were given out at that time, and certainly there can be more ongoing discussion on this particular topic. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if it was because it was an election year or anything like that, but the non-government organizations have been left out in the cold and they’re going to be faced with being left out in the cold there, Mr. Speaker, if the government doesn’t jump in and assist them with some transition planning. I would like a commitment from the Minister if they will re-engage the community and the non-government organizations in these discussions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we have to be careful here how we approach things as a department, because it is not the responsibility of ECE to find alternative locations for these affected NGOs. At the same time, however, Mr. Speaker, the department has the interest in the community library, the Open Door Society that is looking for a suitable space. Then again, we are looking forward to working with the community on finding a suitable space in the community. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I do think they are responsible for assisting them. We have them there; we had them there for about 20 years and now we want them out without any assistance whatsoever. I would like to ask the Minister again, can his department, or I believe the government even has a transition team of their own, can they allocate one of those persons to help our community organizations? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we are open for discussion on solutions because we, as a department, are always looking for solutions at a community level. We, as a department, will be working with the community on trying to find a solution for space in the community. So we are open for discussions in that area. Mahsi.

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

Supplementary To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that the government is open to discussion. What I’m asking for is to send someone to help begin those discussions and if the Minister can do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 34-16(1): Assistance For NGO Transition In Fort Simpson

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, our department will be working with the regional staff to try and find a suitable space in the community. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for Justice. Mr. Speaker, we don’t have enough police resources in our community. As I said in my Member’s statement, our numbers have diminished in the last 25 years -- we’re going backwards -- and yet the demands on our police resources have increased. The projected future looks like there will be more increase with resource development and a lot of other development on the horizon. So the demands are growing and the resources are diminishing. Hay River is the second largest community in the Northwest Territories. We don’t have 24-hour RCMP coverage except to call a member back who’s off duty who’s on call. We don’t have a local 24-hour communication centre. The RCMP is an institution which I recognize is under pressure in the area of recruitment and retention, as well; however, the demand in the communities demands a response from this government. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if this government has contemplated, or would contemplate, the reinstitution of something like the Special Constable RCMP Program that used to exist in years past? I think that one of the benefits of that would be that you would have people who consistently live in the community. The RCMP are transferred into the community; they have to get familiar with it, but just about the time that they get to know people and the lay of the land, it’s time to transfer someplace else. I think a local resident NWT Special Constable Program would be a great underpinning and support to local RCMP members. I’d like to know what the government thinks of that idea. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Return To Question 35-16(1): Policing Resources In Communities

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question in this specific area because it has been a real critical issue in the community and also for the Northwest Territories. Yes, this has been an issue nationally, as well. I just came back from a Winnipeg meeting with the Justice Ministers from provincial, territorial and federal, and this was an issue; our jurisdiction and also Nunavut. We talked about various options and at the national level they’re talking about introducing the bylaws, introducing community policing; the special constable was one of them. That’s an ongoing discussion and we’re hoping that we’ll see some positive results out of that in the early new year. Then again, the senior staff with the RCMP and our Justice department are working closely towards that initiative. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 35-16(1): Policing Resources In Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When you look across the country, Mr. Speaker, it’s not unprecedented for a jurisdiction to have its own police force. We were about to spend a million dollars as a government on the safer communities and neighbourhoods legislation, which was a level of enforcement as well. There were problems; it didn’t go through, but I would like to see some resources committed to the home-grown development, training and teaching through the college of a territorial police force. I’d like to know how soon we could expect a reaction from the government on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 35-16(1): Policing Resources In Communities

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, the point is clearly taken that those could be part of the priorities and planning. The document will be introduced by this Assembly and that could be a part of the ongoing discussions with the second priorities for the communities. I’m looking forward to that and working with the colleagues, as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 35-16(1): Policing Resources In Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, I mentioned that there were many, many questions that have arisen in our community with respect to the tragic loss of an RCMP member. We plan to reconvene a meeting a January. Again, we hope to have some answers at that meeting, but I also think it would be good to have some representatives of the departments there to interact with the people in our community directly. I’d like to ask the Minister if he would be amenable to himself personally coming there and talking about the issue of policing in our community in January. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 35-16(1): Policing Resources In Communities

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to have a communication dialogue with the communities. I was there during the ceremonial event and I would be glad to go back there again. I will certainly make a commitment to visit the community. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my Member’s statement, I mentioned the space issues at Stanton and the fact that there’s limited space which affects both patient care and staff morale. Have they pursued any opportunities to find space for the staff at Stanton? Have they taken any direction to resolve some of the space issues at Stanton Territorial Hospital?

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Return To Question 36-16(1): Space Issues At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the space issues at the hospital I acknowledge impact on the treatment services for the patients as well as for staff. It’s something that’s been brought up, I believe, in the latest human resource review process. I have visited the facility recently, as Minister, and I can attest to that fact as well. I can advise the Member, Mr. Speaker, that there has been an RFP issued to look at the space issues and the report of that RFP, the contract work done, we’re hoping will be concluded by April of next year. They’ve been asked to focus specifically on seven areas of the hospital that require special attention: a medical daycare, emergency, ICU, diagnostic imaging section, as well as rehab and some others. We are looking for the results of that in April and I’m hoping, with the support of the Assembly here, to see if we could incorporate it into a master plan for the hospital. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 36-16(1): Space Issues At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister of Health and Social Services, has any thought been given to removing some of the administrative functions from the hospital itself? I often wonder if the need for finance, if they actually need to be in the building; and they actually do take up a fair amount of space within the building. Do they need to be located there? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 36-16(1): Space Issues At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As indicated, there is someone looking at this situation and I’m sure they will be looking at that sort of question as well. If that’s what will come out of that, we will certainly consider that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.