Debates of October 28, 2004 (day 30)

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

Return To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back on August 18th the Member and myself and some other folks sat down in Fort Liard when we were doing a tour of the Nahendeh. We met with the chief and we talked about the concern about the alcohol and drug worker in the community which has been converted into a community wellness worker and a mental health and addictions counsellor that was being hired. Those are two separate positions. It was agreed at that time that there would be a staffing process initiated for the mental health worker. As well, we would be looking at filling the community wellness worker locally with an individual that was currently working in the community at the health centre who was fluent in Slavey. That process is underway. My understanding was that there was an interview held for the mental health position. The person doing the interview did not pass. That position is being re-advertised. As well, we are still in the process of trying to arrange for a direct appointment for an individual in Fort Liard to take over the duties of the community wellness worker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the contention here, Mr. Speaker, is that there was quite a bit of controversy when they cancelled the programming that was run by the band. We had asked to extend it as long as possible and they did, but they assured us of a smooth transfer, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister again how soon will the community of Fort Liard be getting an alcohol counsellor? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker it is unfortunate that there are no current services but, as I indicated, the process is already underway to re-advertise for the mental health position. I will commit to the Member to get more specific detail of the direct appointment of one of the local staff who is currently working at the health centre in terms of having her moved into the community wellness worker’s position. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell myself and the community what provisions are in place today to address those that may need assistance or may need help with their counselling needs today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there will be contingency backup arrangements made out of Fort Simpson to fill in the service gaps on a temporary basis until we can rectify and staff these two positions. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

I would like to thank the Minister for his answers, Mr. Speaker. That’s an immediate concern. As well, he did bring up the mental health position. Perhaps I can ask the Minister when that will be filled, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 329-15(3): Absence Of An Alcohol And Drug Worker In Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there were interviews held just recently, and the person being interviewed didn’t pass the interview. So they are re-advertising that as we speak. So hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll get some successful applicants interviewed and staffed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Justice and it’s in regard to the human resource internal review that’s being held. Mr. Speaker, I accept the Minister’s statement in the House that this review is going on and that we should wait for the report to pursue further questions, and I am prepared to go with that except that I want to be sure that we will have the information from the review to make decisions or if things need to be done. The reason why I am not so sure if that’s going to happen for sure is that I have not had a commitment from the Minister so far. Also, from my understanding, there have been two reviews done in the department in core services, as well as in SMCC in recent years, and none of the findings of those reports have been made available nor have any decisions been made. So I would like to get the commitment from the Minister that with the provisos that there be no personal and private information available, but the major findings of this review will be shared by the Members either in the House or in a committee setting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 330-15(3): Human Resource Review At North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the report is being done by corporate human resources and I believe that the Minister responsible, Mr. Floyd Roland, has briefed committee and did tell them that they would receive a copy of the information the Member just requested. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 330-15(3): Human Resource Review At North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to need some help here, because I don’t know if I am supposed to direct my question to the Minister of FMBS or Minister Dent to confirm. I have said in both our meetings with Minister Dent and Minister Roland I don’t believe there were firm commitments that this will be shared. So could I get the Minister to commit today that insofar as is possible, without violating anyone’s private rights, that he will make the findings of the report available to the Members? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 330-15(3): Human Resource Review At North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I just previously said, that commitment was made by Mr. Roland, but I will make it again. Yes, that information will be shared with Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for Minister Dent. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has produced a response to the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence, and I believe that Minister Dent is responsible for this. It indicates that this response was put together and prepared by the Coalition Against Family Violence and yet today, Mr. Speaker, I hear that representatives of the NWT Status of Women Council are displeased and not supportive of this response. I would like to ask the Minister who were the NGOs or agencies or departments that comprise the Coalition Against Family Violence? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister responsible, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The response to the report, which we just released last week, was largely done within government. It was done with representatives from Justice, Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services with the special advisors to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Outside agencies were brought in. For instance, the executive director of the NWT Status of Women was offered on many occasions an opportunity to be briefed and comment on the public education plan, but, unfortunately, that did not get responded to, so that briefing never took place. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know that there are many NGOs across the territory in our communities that are involved with family violence. So I would like to know which NGOs in the Northwest Territories were invited to sit with these government departments that you’ve listed to form the Coalition Against Family Violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Mr. Speaker, I apologize; I don’t have a copy of the report in front of me and I can’t name off the outside organizations that were invited. So I don’t have that information in front of me right now. Sorry, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister please confirm for me then that the Coalition Against Family Violence did constitute more than the government departments that he just listed as full participants? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Coalition Against Family Violence was a large number of groups that included federal agencies as well as territorial and non-government agencies. The response that I brought forward last week was our response to their report. So the response did not have everybody from the coalition at the table. It was developed as a government response, so it wasn’t exactly the same group that was involved in developing that response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so could the Minister then just confirm for me that the NWT Status of Women’s Council was invited in the preparation of the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence? Were they invited to be full participants in developing that action plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was a government response to the coalition’s recommendations, so outside agencies weren’t necessarily invited to be full partners. However, an invitation was extended on numerous occasions to the executive director of the NWT Status of Women to attend and be briefed on the status of the development of the response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, the Honourable Joe Handley, Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Mr. Speaker, the first question I have for the Premier is why did the Power Corporation spend close to $500,000 on two gas microturbines, which were designed by Mariah Energy and installed at the community recreation centre in Inuvik without some type of warranty on these microturbines, Mr. Speaker? Can the Premier advise the House of why there was no warranty on these pieces of equipment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 332-15(3): Gas Microturbines In Inuvik

Mr. Speaker, the supply of those turbines was done after looking at a number of models and, in fact, several visits to the plant and the office; I can’t remember if it was in Calgary or Edmonton. This was a joint project done with the Town of Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, that’s some time ago and I don’t know the nature of the warranty on it although, as I recall, there were a number of visits by the people who provided those gas turbines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 332-15(3): Gas Microturbines In Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is it the policy of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to purchase equipment valued at half-a-million dollars without proper warranties or service contracts attached to those pieces of equipment, because the two microturbines were only there for two years? Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the Premier can state that that’s the policy of the Power Corporation, that they don’t really mind if there is no warranty or guarantee on pieces of equipment that cost the Power Corporation half-a-million dollars. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 332-15(3): Gas Microturbines In Inuvik

Mr. Speaker, those kinds of gas turbines are new technology. There are warranties on them, but when the Power Corporation looks at new ways of saving energy costs, it sometimes has to take some risk. The turbines that are provided in Inuvik are the same ones that I saw at one time myself in a recreation facility at one of the community colleges in Alberta. There was, by the corporation, as much due diligence on making sure that they were buying something that was reasonably sure. The company that provided them still does business there and does the service work that is essential. There have been problems, there’s no doubt about that; but, again, it’s new technology and we must continually be reaching out, although we don’t want to be too far out front of the technology where we do increase the risk too much. Mr. Speaker, this is typical in these kinds of projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 332-15(3): Gas Microturbines In Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seems quite a risky decision to spend half-a-million dollars on two cutting-edge microturbines to be placed in Inuvik, which is, as we all know, far removed from a major centre where they could get some servicing on the pieces of equipment. I know that the Power Corporation is going to try to run these two microturbines for another year and I am wondering if the Premier can advise us…I know they had to go out and get a new service contract to look after these microturbines. Can the Premier tell us today what that’s going to cost the Power Corporation to get a new service contract in place for these microturbines? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 332-15(3): Gas Microturbines In Inuvik

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if the Power Corporation yet knows what the new service contract will cost. But, Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member that as soon as the Power Corporation has a quote on that, then we will provide it to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.