Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I get to recognize a few people here today. Kristen Tanche, who is a student in the social work program here in Yellowknife. I actually had the opportunity to almost marry her and her husband, but they got smart and got an official somebody else to do that. So I'd like to recognize Kristin.
Then I have to recognize my two daughters: Jacqueline Thompson, who is a teacher, and my daughter Jenny, who is part of the social work program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize all the students who have come out to join us today and watch our proceedings. They were out earlier raising their voices, which is an important part of democratic participation, and I commend them for that. I encourage them to never stop, and one day perhaps seek an office in this House. We always need more representation from our Northern population.
Also, I'd like to recognize my good friend Fran Page who is visiting the Northwest Territories from Ottawa. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to recognize all the students who have come and taken part today and welcome them to the House. I also want to take this opportunity to welcome Yellowknife North's Amanda Mallon, who is also here representing the NWTTA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a few visitors in the gallery. One of them is Trisha Landry, my constituency assistant and also chaperone extraordinaire, who is here to accompany two students who are pages from Detah, and also the students from the Northern People for Northern Education program who are here in terms of their protests against the cuts to their program. Also I saw her earlier; I don't know if she is still in the House Laura Boileau from the New Day program. Mahsi.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, monsieur le President. I, too, would like to thank all the students for coming out and watching the proceedings in the House today. I also have two pages who are serving us in the House today. Ethan Horn and Mia MacInnis are from the Frame Lake riding. Welcome to the House, and thank you for your service. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize Bella Jean Stewart, one of my constituents from Aklavik; also Lauren Ross, the daughter of Richard and Sally Ross from Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize a constituent from Yellowknife South, Fraser Oliver. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start by recognizing Dawn McInnis, a longtime Northerner; a good friend of mine, Amanda Mallon, I consider a very valuable asset to the Northwest Territories, and I am proud to say is one of my friends.
I really want to reach out and say it is great to see all of the young students who are here in the Chamber today. I want to recognize also that these youths are mostly female. In fact, I see all females, and, if I am wrong, may the lone male stand up. As the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, I really want to say it is really important to see them all here. I appreciate you being here. As Members have said, you are going to be the future leaders of the Northwest Territories. When you're ready, I will gladly step aside and let you take my seat. Thank you, and welcome to the Chamber.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Fraser Oliver, president of the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association; Adrien Amirault, executive director for the NWT Teachers' Association; and Amanda Mallon, professional development coordinator. I want to let them know that we are very appreciative of the work that you do on behalf of our teachers across the Northwest Territories.
I also want to recognize all the students who are here today. We are listening to you and really appreciate that you have made the time and effort to come and join us.
As well, we have some pages from my riding in Inuvik Boot Lake, Miss Cassidy LennieIpana and Lauren Ross. We just appreciate the work that they have been doing here, in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that this has been a topic of hot debate and an almost consistent feature of question period, but I do want to ask the Minister of Education, just firmly on the record, if he can answer: why has Aurora College decided to discontinue the Social Work Diploma and the Teacher Education Program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have mentioned in this House before, the executive council for Aurora College did consult and meet with our department. We looked at where we can look at reductions and look at our programs, and it is always being reviewed, and looking at how many graduates do we get out of the programs for the big investment that we put in. These two programs were recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Would the Minister agree with me that, in light of the lack of a new strategic plan for Aurora College, where many of the longterm goals of the college are still undecided, it is unadvisable to cut crucial programs like social work and education at this time?
We are still waiting on that strategic plan. At this time, we are looking at these programs to see where we are getting the best investments and the end product. I encourage all the students here, as we continue to support the students going through the program before they finish, that they work hard, study, and make sure to graduate because that was one of the factors was we weren't getting graduates coming out of the program for the big investment that we put in.
Earlier, in recognition of visitors in the gallery, the Minister made the comment that, "We are listening to you. We are listening to the students." The students today, I heard them loud and clear outside the building, "We don't want any more cuts to education. We want northern education."
What is the Minister doing to ensure that we have quality access to madeinthenorth education programs? If this program isn't working, Mr. Speaker, why are we cutting it instead of redesigning it so it can be successful?
This program, both the programs, have been around for a long time. When I did say we are listening, we are hearing, we are continuing to support all the students who are here today through Student Financial Assistance programming, as I mentioned before, best in the country. We are going to give them all the support they need to graduate from the program in the time that is allocated.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Apart from encouraging students to work harder so they can graduate in greater numbers than before and reminding them that they can access Student Financial Assistance to go to programs down south, what is the Minister doing to help these students today who are not yet in the program but were looking forward to taking it? The high school students, the community access students, who wanted to pursue this in the future now may not have that opportunity. How are we helping them get education here in the Northwest Territories, in the programs that they have chosen for themselves? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, we do have that Skills 4 Success document that we are reaching out to organizations as well as in the high school to look at all jobs, all programs, across the Northwest Territories. We still continue to support our students throughout the NWT with our Student Financial Assistance programs at whatever institutions that they want to go to. We have career development officers, employment transition officers. We have guidance counsellors in the schools who work with students to develop and go along the career path that they choose. We continue to support them.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [translation] Minister of Health and Social Services, the kids that are addicted to drugs and alcohol, that is what I want to ask [translation ends].
The Department of Health and Social Services tabled a strategic framework on mental health and addictions recovery. Now, it is working on three action plans, with children and youth coming first. Can the Minister provide an update on the work towards its Children and Youth Mental Wellness Action Plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Member for raising this question. The framework is out. We have shared it with committee. It has been tabled. That strategic framework set out some guiding principles that were utilized in the development of the different action plans. Those items are a focus on prevention and early intervention, recovery orientation systems, personal experience and outcomes, and a whole-of-government approach. As we move forward with the different action plans, those are some of the guiding principles that we are using.
With respect to the child and youth mental wellness action plan, work has already been started. We have gone out and started doing different research on best practices in other jurisdictions, literature reviews, talking to people across the Northwest Territories. We have created an interdepartmental working group as part of the whole-of-government process that is helping us with the development. We are hoping that this action plan will be done summer 2017 in time for business planning so that we can work together with Members on both sides to move forward with the actions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
How will the actions described in this plan work with the department's future development of an addictions recovery action plan?
I am assuming the Member is referring to the child and youth mental wellness action plan. At this point, there are no actions identified. We are still in the development phase. As I indicated, all these action plans are working on some guiding principles that inter-tie with each other. Once again, it focuses on prevention, recovery-oriented systems, personal experiences, and outcomes, as well as a whole-of-government approach. To date, the department has completed a significant amount of research and literature reviews into best practices for addressing child and youth mental health challenges or mental health wellness. This information has formed the basis of the working group's work as they move forward with the development of the action plan.
I would like to ask the Minister if the youth themselves would be directly and meaningfully engaged in the development of these plans.
Yes. In fact they, already have. In the development of the framework in the summer of 2016, we held a number of different focus groups throughout communities and with youth from across the Northwest Territories. We engaged with FOXY and SMASH as well as MACA youth ambassadors. We have had youth involved.
Moving forward in the development of the action plan itself, we are intending to conduct different validation exercises with youth again to make sure that their voice is heard, that their input is included in the youth mental health action plan.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, currently, at this time, how are existing addictions programming targeted to serve the youth? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to addressing mental health and addictions issues across the Northwest Territories, the department is taking a holistic approach, and this includes a holistic approach to youth services, including services around addictions. We have community counselling positions throughout the Northwest Territories that can provide counselling to individuals who are struggling, both adults and youth. We have some specialized treatment options available for youth who are struggling from mental health and addictions. Many of those are in the south. We also have Trailcross in Fort Smith. Those programs are designed specifically for youth.
As we move forward with the action plan, Mr. Speaker, ways in which we can better target youth is part of the goal of this particular action plan. We do an awful lot, Mr. Speaker, but I think the Member can agree that we need to do more.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the other day in my Member's statement I talked about tourism and how tourism supports our goal of building a diversified economy. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister can explain how and how much is ITI investing in tourism promotion in 2017-18. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think someone asked me this question yesterday, possibly. We invest roughly $5.5 million through grants and contributions and transfers to many tourism initiatives, including NWT tourism, Convention Bureau, Northern Frontier Visitors Centre, and Tourism Product Diversification Program and Tourism 2020. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for his reply two days in a row. Much appreciated. As it relates to diversifying the economy, Mr. Speaker, my next question is to the Minister: what is the department doing to make it easier for potential owner/operators, or anyone for that matter, to enter into the tourism sector?
ITI has, right off the bat, the tourism diversification marketing program. This is available to provide funding to the operators to do research, identify market needs, and develop products, as well as promote new markets in the tourism industry. We also have upped our staff resources in the North Slave region to address the licensing issues and increasing park maintenance because of more pressure of using these facilities. We also have staffing under way for a new tourist development officer starting in 2017-18.
Thank you to the Minister for his reply. My next question has a little bit of an Education Department component to it, but it more lies within the importance of the industry of tourism. I would like to know if the Minister could maybe explain to us what the department is doing, maybe in conjunction with other departments, as it relates to developing curriculum that we can infiltrate into our education system so those who have an interest in wanting to get into the tourism industry, whether it is food and beverage or fisheries or what have you, have an opportunity to learn about this industry in advance. Can the Minister please provide us with what the department is doing for education opportunities with regard to tourism?
HON. WALLY SCHUMANN: When it comes to education and tourism, one of the things that comes to mind, right off the bat, is we have the business youth mentorship program that we have introduced. That is a line item that I believe we have roughly $170,000 in the budget for. We are also focusing on risk management and safety training for our outfitters and potential new outfitters to help them reduce their risk around insurance
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
