Debates of October 22, 2004 (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my statement today I talked about supporting the youth. My question will be directed to the Minister of MACA with regard to supporting our youth in the Northwest Territories. I ask the Minister of MACA what initiatives we can see in the Northwest Territories that would continue supporting our youth in terms of ability to make great contributions to our people in the communities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the youth portfolio, as the Members know, is fairly new. We have a number of programs that we operate currently. First of all, we have the Youth Corps Program, for which we budgeted $750,000 and we targeted that funding towards youth at risk and also some of the educational programs. We also have some funding towards youth contributions.

In the last while, we’ve been quite focused on where we intend to go in the future with this whole portfolio. We are doing a review of what is in the other departments. We’re cataloguing all the programs that youth can access and we’re also doing a review of the funding that we’ve been distributing in the last while with the intention that we will have a portfolio that can respond quicker to the youth in the NWT.

We are quite aware that the youth themselves have been taking advantage of our funding and have been focusing on organizing themselves in terms of conferences. We’ve worked with the youth to look at an NWT youth conference over the last couple of years and more so in the last while on the youth councils that are starting to develop in the different ridings. So our intention is to take a look at where the money is being earmarked and where the money is being spent and also what the other departments have.

We also have a program through MACA that is being utilized for youth. A lot of the youth facilities in terms of youth centres that are starting to come forward are being funded through our Community Initiatives Program. So, Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of activity in the area of youth. There could be more. We have really kind of become more focused and developed our long-term goals for this whole portfolio. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. You gave a really good scenario of all the programs and things that we could do to support our youth. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister continue to maintain and I believe that the needs should have more dollars going into the program? So would the Minister see or work toward the youth contributions that the youth are getting that they would see an increase or at least see something that could be a core program for our youth in our region? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier in my responses, we are reviewing our programs in terms of how effective they are and our dollars are being spent and utilized accordingly. We are also coordinating, as a department, an interdepartmental youth program, which meets with other departments twice annually to share information to see what we are doing and what other departments are doing. As part of that, we’ll be looking at what the requirements are for youth, as I stated earlier. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education in his Minister’s statement…I applaud him and the Minister of MACA for putting the initiative out there in the communities to help our youth. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, youth are killing themselves in the small communities. The honourable Members Mrs. Groenewegen and Mr. Dent were talking about that earlier and I’m asking the Minister what can we do to set some strong policies? I appreciate the Minister revisiting the portfolio and seeing what can we do for youth in the communities that sets some strong guidelines, legislation, policy. That could really help our youth in the communities. It is getting really scary in the communities.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I heard a question and maybe the Minister can answer.

Further Return To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That question of what can we do for our youth is a very difficult one. It’s been raised here in the House on a number of occasions during this session and it’s something that we are very concerned about. First of all, we have to get our own programs and our own infrastructure requirements and programs for infrastructure in order. We are attempting to do that by cataloguing what other departments are doing. We are looking at our programs. We are reviewing them to see if they are adequate. We are meeting with other departments in terms of social program Ministers and we are trying to coordinate all our programs and infrastructure in a way that one Minister would be responsible and be able to be more responsive and be able to refer communities and youth groups to proper funding sources or organizations that are out there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us when that report will be tabled in the House?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 282-15(3): Support For Youth In NWT Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of information to review. We’ve had conferences all over in the Territories in this past year. We’ve had conferences in the Sahtu, we’ve had conferences in the Deh Cho and the South Slave regions. We have a report that’s coming forward to us with regard to the review of our Youth Corps funding and that is being put together as we speak. I’m expecting those recommendations for my consideration in the next little while and I’d be glad to share that information with the Member, Mr. Speaker, as soon as I receive it.