While Yellowknife is blessed with significant natural defences when it comes to fire, every community is looking at their defences and working with ENR to see what needs to be done, what the communities can do, what individuals can do, how do we use our fire crews when they’re not fighting fires, and all those different areas. Every community in the Boreal Forest should have a refreshed type of a strategy as we look forward to the upcoming fire season. Thank you.
On October 16, 2014, the response to an oral question, the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources committed to share in a critical debriefing report with committee.
What is the status of this report? Mahsi.
The work has been concluded. It’s been a very comprehensive exercise and we anticipate that by the end of March, early April we’ll be able to share that information. We’ve been looking at it as we’ve developed it, as we’ve talked internally, plus the work we’ve had with the stakeholders in communities and the feedback. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. One need only turn on their television lately and watch the news and we will hear about the resurgence of diseases, such as measles, that we had not for many years heard of because of the extensive immunization and vaccination programs that were available through public health.
I’d like to specifically now zero in on the Northwest Territories and ask the Minister if there have been any new cases or have there been any diseases or infections that have surfaced which are related to the immunization or lack thereof. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I had a conversation with the deputy minister and the chief public health officer just recently about that exact topic, and the public health officer did confirm to me that there are no cases of things like measles in the Northwest Territories.
We actually have a very high rate of immunizations here in the Northwest Territories. Obviously, we want to continue to immunize as much as possible, so I really appreciate this opportunity to speak to the Members as well as to the residents of the Northwest Territories and just reiterate a comment that the Member made, that over the past 50 years vaccines have saved more lives worldwide than any other public health intervention. Vaccinations are incredibly important and we’re committed to working with our residents to get every resident vaccinated in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Now to the issue of whether vaccination immunization is mandatory or voluntary.
At what point does this immunization occur? Now, from having had children myself, I know that the public health nurse, in those days, was involved in this. But how do we track or follow or determine what the uptake of vaccination immunization is and who delivers the actual service? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Early childhood vaccinations are typically administered through well child programs in health centres and public health centres throughout the Northwest Territories. At this time, I can say that our average coverage rates across the Northwest Territories for the publically funded early childhood vaccinations are between 77 percent and 89 percent, and this is roughly based on just the analysis of what the authorities are doing.
It is difficult to estimate more current or more accurate coverage rates in the absence of an information management system here in the Northwest Territories, but we are moving toward EMR, electronic medical records, which will give us real-time full information so we’ll be able to give the Members the exact uptake on vaccinations here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Given that some of these diseases that can be prevented through immunization and vaccination are highly contagious, I would like to suggest to the Minister that it would be good if our real data that we can get our hands on would indicate a higher rate of uptake than what he has indicated here today in the House.
I’d like to ask the Minister, is he aware of any resistance to people receiving this service, or would this be more from lack of awareness or knowledge of the immunization and vaccination? Are these numbers reflective of people who would resist having those services for their children? Thank you.
As I indicated, we can report 77 percent to 89 percent and that’s based on the data that has been collected. Without real territory-wide electronic medical records, a real solid information system across the Northwest Territories, it does prove difficult to get 100 percent accurate information, which is why we’re moving in that direction so we can give the Members the exact totals.
I do believe, and I do feel, that our immunization rates are higher than this. We haven’t received, and I haven’t had any, strong pushback on vaccination. The early childhood programs are proving to be quite effective. We are also promoting the need and trying to dispel some of the myths around immunizations and vaccines during the National Immunization Awareness Week, which is usually in April. So we try to get out as much information as we can, but we haven’t had a real strong pushback on immunizations here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister if, in his knowledge and experience, there’s more that we could be doing to promote awareness and uptake on vaccination and immunization. Is there more that we should or could be doing as the Government of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Considering that the immunization rates in the Northwest Territories are considered high compared to some of the other jurisdictions, I think that’s fantastic, but at the same time, we could always do more. I think it’s dialogue in rooms like this and other rooms, in your constituency meetings, in our health centres, every time we have an opportunity to speak about vaccines and the value and how, as the Member has indicated, they have saved more lives in the last 50 years than any other intervention program, it’s the dialogue that’s important. When you have somebody or you know somebody who is concerned about vaccinations, point them to their health practitioners, who can give them the real information they will need to make an informed decision.
If we’re going to make a bigger difference, it’s about dialogue, conversation and encouraging people to get the right information from credible, reliable sources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since 1969 there have been ongoing sensitive issues of land management of the East Arm of the Great Slave Lake. The question is not what is better – a national park or protected area strategy – the question is, with new devolution authority, do we have the right management and northern tools in place to give all users equal rights and privileges in its consideration? My question today will be for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
In trying to come up with a made-in-the-North approach, can the Minister inform the House, what role has this administration played in negotiations with Ottawa and all stakeholders with respect to the East Arm land management? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the lead-up to devolution and following April 1st post-devolution, we have been very active on this particular file. We’ve been in contact with the Government of Canada and Cabinet has identified the issue of Thaidene Nene Park as a priority. We have passed on our concerns and interest to them that we are now the landowner, that we need time to get our thinking clear and that we want to work with the northern Aboriginal governments to get our thinking clear as part of that process and that we will be working with them, once we do that, to look at what will comprise of a federal park and a mix of other supporting complementary tools. Thank you.
I appreciate the Minister and the administration having that dialogue.
Can the Minister indicate to the House – as he indicated northern tools – what northern tools, if any, could be used to mitigate and administer this land being considered? Thank you.
I would point out, as well, that the federal government has indicated that they will step back and wait for the territorial government to conclude the work we need to do in the North, and then we will re-engage with them.
In regards to some potential options in terms of northern tools, there’s an actual territorial park, there’s conservation areas, wilderness areas, study areas, to name a number of opportunities that are there that we could possibly consider as we carry on with this process. Thank you.
Recognizing the entire area of the East Arm being unique and special to all people of the NWT, does the Minister see merit in creating a co-management board of representation of all various interests that would manage all aspects of use from industrial development to exploration, commercial, recreational leases, harvesting access and traditional use?
We agree that the East Arm and that part of the country where Thaidene Nene is focused is a jewel for that part of the country. It’s spectacularly beautiful country and we are interested in making sure we come up with a plan that keeps northern control to the greatest extent possible and that we do it in a way that recognizes some of the concerns and the aspirations of the people from Lutselk'e. We want to work with them and eventually the federal government to make sure that we get that mix right but, above all, to keep as much authority and land under northern control as possible.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Considering what we’ve just heard from the Minister that the federal government has paused further activity on this file, can the Minister conceive the possibility of a framework agreement or an MOU with all stakeholders on the land of the management of East Arm and could this be done during the life of this Assembly?
We have been paying intense attention to this file. We have compressed, in my opinion, about 18 months to two years of normal negotiation times into about six months as we’ve moved forward to try to advance this file to conclude as much of it as possible in the life of this government. We are hopeful that over the next couple of months that we will have a northern position, we will have work done on the actual footprint of the area and the mix of a potential federal park along with the combination of northern tools.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to use this opportunity of question period to follow up on a question I had asked Mr. Miltenberger some time ago. At the time I had mentioned Gold Corp. It was a 1990 company faced with a problem. They knew they were sitting on a fortune of gold but didn’t know how to access it. They found a solution by inviting the world to help them find a solution to their particular problem.
Giant Mine has a problem. It’s been under care and maintenance of $1.9 million a year for in perpetuity to protect us from the arsenic environmental problem. I’ve asked the Environment Minister, Minister Miltenberger, to see if there’s a way we can invite the world to help us solve this problem by putting the information out there and inviting the world to come capture a reward, and I’ve suggested even in the range of $10 million to finally help us deal with this problem once and for all.
I’m asking the Minister, what headway has been made on this, what I would call an environmental initiative idea.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On that specific issue, since our last discussion there hasn’t been a lot done. The issue of looking at that whole process, I have read some interesting literature about the value of that kind of approach that the Member has raised, but in terms of finding $10 million and putting up a prize for the best scientific solution has not been seriously looked at.
I don’t think the $10 million prize is actually the problem. I think that’s something we could engage the federal government in, because as we all know, AANDC pays that $1.9 million for care and maintenance, again, for in perpetuity, so it’s not just my lifetime, it’s everybody’s lifetime, forever.
Would the Minister be willing to take this project on with an eye of what’s best for the Northwest Territories and propose it to the federal government through AANDC and ask them that if we could maybe run the logistical administrative side of reaching out to the world on this particular problem could they help us with the financial end of the problem, because they could be on the hook forever for a lot of money. This could save the federal government a lot of money, which should be in their best interest.
If there is a wish of committee to have that fulsome discussion about that particular initiative at this stage when we have 278 days left in the life of this government, we would, of course, sit with committee to have that discussion and possibly flag this issue for consideration in the 18th Assembly.
The Gold Corp found the solution and certainly a fortune by engaging the world basically pre-Internet days. This could be an administrative solution created by the government, and I dare not try to put a dollar amount because I’m not in a position to even estimate what it could be, but could the Minister at least dedicate some interest and resources to finding out how complicated it would be for us to create a platform and a porthole to invite the world to challenge this particular problem? Because just to say clearly, someone from anywhere, any pocket, any corner of the world could have an idea how to deal with the arsenic solution in an environmentally sustainable way once and for all, which is what we all want.
We know that it’s technically possible. We know that it’s practically possible. We know that there are examples of where it has been used and there has been success. The example that the Member has raised is one. They’ve also come up with some very, very interesting ones in other technological areas like health with the lab on a chip and the type of work where they’re going to create in the next few months an actual tricorder from the old Star Trek days that is actually going to work and do what people just thought about in the ’60’s.
We know that that process works. What we need to have is the time and the discussion about how we would do and how would we fund it. It’s a political decision. It’s a program decision. It’s a policy decision, and we’d like to try that but we haven’t applied ourselves seriously, given our long list of other priorities on that particular initiative.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I guess that’s kind of what I’m asking, is would the Minister be willing to apply himself and certainly the department to examining the scope of this particular problem? Banting gave his gift to the world with insulin. We could be giving our gift to the world by protecting them from the arsenic trioxide that could poison the world. All we need is a little bit of initiative and foresight on this problem not to see it as a short gain but as a long gain for environmental stewardship, and that’s what I’m asking the Minister.
Would he be willing to at least look at the scope of this type of challenge and see where we could go from there?
I would point out, once again, we’re 278 days from the end of the government until the next election and that every department and government is now fully applying themselves to the budget process, getting ready for the business planning process and building the transition documents, and there are clear capacity issues and limit issues, so I will commit to the Member that I will have another discussion with the deputy and the senior officials about this issue. But I would point out, once again, and I’m speaking for myself personally as Minister, that by the time I get through the day with all of my other responsibilities, my ability to take on and the ability of the departments that I’m responsible for, and I know from what I’ve seen from all my colleagues’ ability to take on new priorities at this date is problematic, especially when it’s just raised by one Member in the House and we have a long list of things that we’ve been tasked to do.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I spoke in this House before about mental health workers in my region and the inability to keep them. I just want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services about what kind of retention strategy do we have for our mental health and social workers in our regions and communities.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right; we do continue to have issues with retaining mental health and addictions counsellors as well as counsellors throughout the system. It’s a difficult position to fill and it is a position that does come with a significant amount of burnout, given that the individuals are often working with very difficult situations. We are coming forward with a new Human Resource Strategy within the Department of Health and Social Services and we plan to release that later this month, so that will start to outline some of the work that we’re doing to recruit as well as retain health professionals. I’m happy to share that with the Member when we release it. Thank you.
I’m glad that the department recognizes it. Most particularly in Fort Liard it was during the spring and summer months when there’s a family crisis or life upsets, usually that’s when the mental health workers are not available. We’ve got the opportunity where there’s a contractor out of Fort Nelson that comes up, but when it comes to something like that, consistency is key. It would be nice to have somebody that’s there. So I wonder if this new Mental Health Strategy will include a retention component and a component that addresses coverage when there’s nobody available in the communities. Thank you.
I hate to make assumptions, but I assume the Member was actually talking about the Human Resource Strategy and not the Mental Health Strategy and it does talk to recruitment and retention initiatives, but we’ve got to look at things in the short, medium and long term. Ultimately the long-term solution would be to find the individuals from the region and train them to take over those roles, but that is going to take some time. We’ve got to start working with the Aboriginal governments and community governments to really pick the right people, and our Human Resource Strategy does talk to that. But in the meantime, we still have to do some short-term recruitment and we’re also going to need to work with the communities and try to find alternatives and encourage people from the communities to pursue training. So there are a lot of things that need to be done. In the meantime, we’re going to keep staffing those positions as best we can.
As far as meeting demand in the critical times, this is one of the things that a move towards a territorial health system is going to help us with, because being able to move individuals on an emergency basis to help communities when they’re in crisis and right now every authority has to rely on the staff they have, and if they’re already short staffed, it makes it really, really difficult on them.
So there are multiple opportunities here, but I do hear the Member, we do need to do more and I’m looking forward to moving forward with the one system as well as moving forward with the Human Resource Strategy. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Yes, I was leaning towards more the Human Resource Strategy. I know that the Minister has done a lot on it, but I think particular attention should be paid to the retention strategy. I don’t know if they’re adding some extra benefits or more breaks for these workers in the smaller communities. Maybe the Minister can speak to those aspects of it. Thank you.
When it comes to additional time off and things like that, we are bound by the terms and conditions in the Collective Agreement. So we have to find ways to recruit as well as retain our professionals within the working environment that we have. But we are open to suggestions and recommendations from committee. I would say that if committee has some ideas, we did share the draft plan with them, they did provide us with some input, but it’s a living document and we’re open to suggestions from Members, from communities, from Aboriginal governments, anybody that can help us find ways to recruit and retain the professionals that we have and that we need to have in our communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
