Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been a very big supporter of the truth and reconciliation process. We think they have been doing an excellent job. If we are asked and if we are prepared to continue to work with them, we will work with them to include the history of residential school in our curriculum, working with Aboriginal governments, and I think that we would be prepared to work with them if we are asked to do so and try to extend the process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions I have today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services in regards to some campaigns. I want to know what is out there for people who are suffering from mental health and addiction disorders that might eventually find where the outcome is suicide.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what partnerships does the government have right now in terms of any kind of helplines that residents of the Northwest Territories can access. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has three helplines for an individual. One is specifically kids help line and then two general helplines. Two of them are 1-800 numbers and one is a helpline for the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, how about in the communities? I know, looking through the department’s website, I was looking for phone numbers, if somebody needs to contact somebody in the community or an isolated community. That’s where we need to get the services into these small communities that are isolated.
Does the Minister have any campaigns or any future work going into the small communities for implementing either an intervention team or a helpline? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services works with the various health and social services authorities across the North. Specifically, right now we are in touch with the Sahtu, Beaufort-Delta and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services in delivering some programs. One is the applied suicide intervention skill training, which we are running in the various programs in the various communities within those regions. We deliver those and we have some funding targeted to that right now. We are spending about $260,000 in that specific program to deliver those programs to help people identify where potential suicide could be a possibility. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, that kind of goes into one of my other questions in terms of funding. This $260,000 for this specific funding, how many communities are going to be able to access that funding for the training specifically for their needs? Can the Minister let me know how many communities this will be applied to or that will be able to utilize that funding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the applied suicide program workshop which has that budget, our plan is to go into three communities in the Beaufort-Delta, hold a couple of workshops here in the city, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope. But in addition to that, we are going to be delivering the Mental Health First Aid Program, which also works in conjunction with this. We want to deliver that program with about $125,000 to deliver that program in Inuvik, McPherson, Norman Wells, Tulita, and then throughout the year we will also be delivering three more of those programs here in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Mental Health Act was first assented in this House in 1985 and there haven’t been any significant amendments to reflect the need that we have in our communities. I know, with the money that the Minister has mentioned, we can’t get into all the communities, so we have to find another way and that is through campaign and awareness.
Can the Minister give me any answers if there are any big suicide-specific campaigns that the department might be coming up with within the next year or in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in January of this coming year, 2014, we are planning to have a train the trainer workshop targeted at suicide intervention and mental health first aid to try to train up some individuals that can go into all of the regions and work with people. Then the trainers will then train individuals in the community, trying to identify the potential suicides in the communities and also work on developing some forms of protocol when there are alarm bells going off on potential for individuals that may be contemplating, or ideology of suicide. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I would like to chat about fracking in the Sahtu. This week the Minister of ITI explained that it was the responsibility of ENR to look at the social and environmental impacts of fracking.
I am wondering: How is our ENR Minister working to ensure that fracking projects such as those being promoted by ITI are sustainable? By sustainable, I mean that we are looking at the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we are looking at the whole issue of fracking. We are looking at how we manage the balance between environment and resource development in the Sahtu. In this case, the issue of fracking is a major piece of technology that’s being used where there are risks, but we are of the opinion that we can manage those risks. One of the things that we are doing and have been working on for some time at the behest of and encouragement of Members is the guidance document that is going to be on its way to committee this week about this government’s position and guidance to industry and to regulators as what we see as critical key best practices that will provide the assurance that, in fact, we are taking the steps to manage the risks involved with fracking. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear this government understands sustainable development is not something you just say without meaning anything. I think that people in our communities understand that too. I am surprised that the Minister has already made conclusions about what is sustainable here. I didn’t think we were that far along in our studying up on this subject.
Could the Minister explain the role that ENR has played in making sure that the fracking education workshops – I believe that was the ITI Minister’s term – that are being held in the Sahtu this week provide information on the potential environmental and social impacts of fracking? That is how we ensure that there are third party environmental and social experts presenting to the residents so that they can learn about the issue as they would like to. Mahsi.
That issue has been raised by the Member already. I believe the Minister of ITI indicated we are prepared to make sure we have the type of workshops that are balanced and reflect not only the possibilities in terms of economic development but the risks we have to manage and the challenges that are associated with that and the obligations we have. As the Minister of ITI said repeatedly, we have to work together to balance. So that work is underway. Thank you.
I guess that is recognition that the fracking education workshops are a partial education indeed. As we learned in North Dakota, the cumulative environmental and social impacts of fracking are very much related to how many wells were fracked and the rate at which we permit this development. So under devolution, could the Minister explain how much authority the GNWT will have to control the scale and pace of that development; that is, who will say this is too much and how will we decide that. Mahsi.
There’s going to be a number of things that are going to happen after April 1st and the MVRMA will continue having a role to play. We will be defining our role as it pertains to being the regulator.
In terms of development, we will work with the land and water boards that are there, we will work with industry and all the other processes that are there to look at cumulative impacts. We are going to focus initially as well – and we’ve already indicated this publicly and to committee – that we are at work through the Environmental Research Fund that is partially funded by industry to look at the groundwater mapping, wildlife baseline gathering information so that we collectively have the information, that critical baseline information, to help us make the assessment and determination about cumulative impact.
There’s going to be, clearly, a political component about the pace of development. Member Yakeleya mentioned that as well. We all want to do this the right way. We want to do it in a balanced way and we want to make sure we maintain the balance between the environment and resource development. So we are very cognizant of our responsibilities and our role collectively to be good stewards both in this Legislature and all Northerners, I would suggest. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This type of development, fracking well pads every four miles with up to 40 wells per pad now, roads and pipelines criss-crossing the land has never taken place in an area this far north and with the challenges the Sahtu poses. I know the Minister is aware there’s a world of difference between what we saw, for example, in North Dakota/Saskatchewan where you can put in a road in an afternoon and reclaim it in a couple of days.
Could the Minister explain how ENR will decide how much fracking or development associated with fracking is too much, given that we don’t have these sorts of baselines on which to base this information? Mahsi.
One of the things that is happening with devolution is we are setting up a lands department, and one of the ideas and plans with the lands department is between the lands department, ITI and ENR we will be able to form a development assessment component or process that will allow us to provide the oversight and proper input in all those areas. Of course, in this case we’re working with exploration. As exploration is done and if it proves out, clearly we will be moving ahead with that process, with tour discussion with the Sahtu members, the people in the Sahtu, the various environmental assessment process to determine the rate and intensity, the issue of cumulative impact, that we’re not going to be dealing on a project-by-project basis. While there will be a project-by-project approval process, clearly we have a broader obligation to manage the issues that the Member has raised. We’re designing our systems to do that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Canadians were shocked yesterday when they heard Mike Duffy reveal that it’s the kids in short pants that are pulling the levers in that government, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again I’ve asked the Health Minister about doing things. I’ve asked for support for addictions; he closes the Nats’ejee K’eh Centre. I ask him to put social workers on the street, he quietly behind the scenes ignores it although he publicly, a year and a day, he says he’d be happy to do it and help people on the street.
The question that remains is: Is the Health file too big for him and who’s making the decisions over in the Department of Health, because it clearly isn’t the Health Minister. Who is pulling the levers in the Department of Health and if this file is too big, there’s lots of room over here. Mr. Speaker, will he clear this up for the people of this House?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, the Health file is not too big for me.
As I said a moment ago, this Minister committed in this House to provide social workers to help in partnership with the RCMP. The RCMP wanted it, the Minister agreed with it, I went upstairs to his office and talked to him and he thought it was a fantastic idea. Little to anyone’s knowledge, the mandarins behind the scenes all made these decisions that nothing would happen and the Minister was fine with this. What happened to that promise he made publicly here? Look at the streets today in this city. What has he done to improve this city and the health of Northerners? I would like to know.
Certainly putting social workers in RCMP cars is not going to prevent the violence in the city. However, we have looked at the idea of having social workers ride along with RCMP. We’re trying to identify some of the challenges that surround that. One of the main challenges surrounding that issue is we don’t have the staff to do it. Social workers are very busy. They have a social worker on call that the RCMP can call upon in a child and family service issue. If it’s a child protection issue, then a social worker is on call to do that, but to have social workers riding around with the RCMP to prevent violence in the city is not something we can do. It is something we aren’t funded to do and something we don’t have the human resources to do.
This Minister, a year ago, said this was a good idea. I talked to him in his office and he said it was a great idea. He said he’d appoint someone to solve this problem and work on this problem. A few days ago I heard from this very Minister, oh by the way, there’s a briefing note on my desk we never sent to you that explained over and over why we couldn’t do this. To this day I still have not been informed in any way why we can’t do this other than the fact of the Minister stating, I don’t know why we can’t do this. Who is in charge of this department and if he isn’t, come on over here. We’ll welcome you back in great arms because we’ll put someone over there that can do the job because this Minister doesn’t.
On October 15th at 9:23 a.m. I sent an e-mail to Mr. Hawkins explaining the problem. So if he hasn’t heard about it to this day, it’s because he hasn’t read his e-mail. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister knows this is nothing. He could have come a year… It took a year to get any response from him. A couple of days ago, he then all of a sudden broaches the idea of, oh my goodness, I’m surprised… Mr. Speaker, I quote the paper, “Lately it seems things are getting a little rougher around here than they’ve been.” Again, I ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, other than doing nothing, put something on the table that he’s truly done to improve the lives of Northerners, or get out of Cabinet because you don’t belong there.
Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know what else to say other than there’s an e-mail here; it’s got four points on it. It explains the situation. It explains that we’re continuing to work with the RCMP. We have a good relationship with the RCMP, and Mr. Hawkins asked me about this in March and today is November…
October 22nd…
I thought there was 12 months in the year, not six. Thank you.
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Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins. Member for Yellowknife…
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No. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hard to follow that. My questions today are going to be for the Minister of the Department of Transportation. Earlier in my Member’s statement I noted that many community teens did not have drivers’ licences and I brought forward an idea that the Department of Transportation should consider a driver education and licensing program in our Northwest Territories schools.
The late Ed Jeske would be really proud today and I’m sure he’s got a smile on his face because he taught many Northerners how to drive. I think some of his students are actually here today. So his concept was very simple and I’m just asking if we looked at modernizing it for a purpose. Let’s get drivers’ licences in the hands of drivers in all of our communities.
So with that, aside from the Graduated Licensing Program, can the Minister tell us what other programs or initiatives does the DOT subscribe to that helps teen drivers with skill improvement, provide experience and teach safe driving? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. It’s good timing; this is National Teen Driver Safety Week. We’ve also launched Project Gearshift, which is aimed at getting the types of behaviours and schools engaged in learning about safe practices when it comes to driving.
The Member asked what else we’re doing, and I know that in the Northwest Territories in the past when I grew up here in Yellowknife that we did at one time have driver education in the high schools here in Yellowknife. That’s no longer the case, but students in the high schools here in Yellowknife and in Hay River, where we have professional driver education training, can still get high school credit toward their diploma through learning how to drive through a professional driving instructor. We also are working toward having an app made and working with, it’s called The Passing Zone Inc., it’s flashcards, an app that’s going to be available in high schools across the Northwest Territories in the coming year. It’s based on the NWT driving manual and I think that’s going to go a long way, as well, to getting students in high schools across the Northwest Territories more information and the ability to get a driver’s licence. Thank you.
Great, thank you, and I appreciate the Minister’s response. As he mentioned, a new project that we just received here, a new news release from his office, Project Gearshift, we’re looking forward to reading the terms of that and looking forward to that.
Can the Minister of Transportation inform the House what percentage of our teen drivers aged 16 to 20, how many of them have a valid driver’s licence and if there is any regional disparity in that data? Thank you.
I don’t have the parameters that the Member wants, but I’ll give him the stats in the House, the stats that I do have. Yes, there is regional disparity in that. The number of young drivers, youth that have a Class 7, a probationary Class 5, or a Class 5 licence among youth aged 15 to 24 is the parameter that we have, if you look at Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith, 67 percent of youth 15 to 24 have one of those three types of drivers’ licences. If you get outside of those three centres, that number drops to only 33 percent and it is something, through this work that we’re doing with Project Gearshift and other initiatives, that we’re actively trying to target small communities and get programs and services in there that will enable young people in the small communities to get a driver’s licence. Thank you.
The Minister’s statistics are just reaffirming what we’ve seen in visual here as we were doing our community visits here. So can the Minister of DOT describe why do community teen drivers, those areas where we don’t have a current Department of Transportation licensing office, where do they get their Class 5 driver’s licence? What is the process? Thank you.
Thank you. Depending on the location, teen drivers can either drive to a location where testing occurs, or examiners visit communities on a regular basis. In cases where we don’t have examiners in the community, the testing is based on need and the examiners would go into the community based on need. That’s currently how it works in the smaller communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
