The NWT Housing Corporation follows its standard protocols to deal with insect infestations when and after they have occurred. This involves an inspection to determine the type of insect and provide the appropriate treatment measures to remove the insects from the unit as soon as possible. That is what we have tried to do with Simpson, and then doing further follow-up, addressing some of our other public housing units.
As I have mentioned, we have purchased heat treatment systems for each of our district offices. Technical staff are trained, and they have the proper equipment in place to deal with the bedbug issue. It is a four-hour treatment that results in minimal disruption to our tenants' lives and daily business, and our staff also do follow-up inspections in affected units to ensure that the heat treatment was 100 percent effective. We will continue to do that as we move forward.
As we are moving forward, I just wanted to make sure that people understand that, when we do have residents move out, what I have learned through this whole process is that we have to make sure that their stuff is actually washed and cleaned because, if not, they could bring it back in. I am learning, as the department and the Health Department are educating me on this. The Minister briefly elaborated on this question, but I am going to ask it again: are there any other initiatives that this government has taken to reduce the incidents of bedbug infestations moving forward?
As I mentioned, we did purchase the equipment for our district offices. In Simpson, we are going to be holding a joint workshop with the Department of Health and Social Services in the next month for technical staff from every community so that they are up-to-date and trained and so that we can address the issue of bedbugs in whatever region they are in. It is an issue, and as the Member mentioned, when you do move, or if you are out of your unit, you have to be careful in terms of when you pack up. There might be cases where you might have the bedbugs in a bag. We had the expert who made those comments in the media lately.
We are working with the Chief Public Health Officer, and we will provide a public health perspective, including detection and prevention. We are on top of this and addressing the issue in the Member's riding, as well as throughout the Northwest Territories.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister and his department for being so proactive. I know that they are doing a lot of work, and I have to give credit to the local housing authority for becoming the experts, unwillingly, but they are becoming the experts on this, so I would like to thank them for that. The last question that I do have for the Minister, and we are hearing different things on this, is: do bedbugs pose a health risk to people, besides just the irritation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our department, NWT Housing Corporation, continues to work closely with the environmental health unit from Health and Social Services in eliminating the bedbug incidences in public housing units in all of our communities.
I just want to let the Member and Members know that bedbugs are not considered to be a public health hazard, and we are working with the Department of Health and Social Services to make sure that we educate our tenants to address this issue and make sure that any detecting of bedbugs is reported immediately to the local housing organizations. As I mentioned, with any families or any of our tenants who are in public housing units, if they do encounter bedbugs in their units, they can contact their LHOs, or they can call the number 1-844-NWT-HOME and give that information. That is information for all residents of the Northwest Territories.
As I have mentioned, I appreciate that the Member did bring this up, and we are addressing the issue in his riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister tell me how many days outside of break-up and freeze-up that a nurse has visited the community of Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, outside of break-up or freeze-up, we are scheduled to have a nurse into the community of Tsiigehtchic one day a week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was actually looking for 16 to 20, but that's close. Can the Minister tell me how many of those days were full days, and how many were partial days, due to commuting back from Inuvik?
The employee is scheduled for a full day, but in the community itself, a portion of that time is spent driving to and from the community, as the Member has already indicated. I can get the exact numbers from the department on how many hours per day the RN was able to spend in the community during those periods of time. The nurse does work a full day; only a portion of those hours are actually spent in the community, as the Member previously indicated in his statement.
Will the Minister commit to having the nurse spend a full day in the community during each visit?
The Member and I actually had a conversation on this when he brought it to my attention that the RNs aren't spending a full day. I have already committed to the Member, and I will commit to the Member in this House, that I have directed the department to work with the authority to make sure that our RNs are spending the full hours in the community, either seven-and-a-half or eight. We have to work out some details on that. It may require a little bit of overtime. It may require the RN staying overnight so that they can provide certain hours on one day and certain hours on another day, but I am committed to the Member, to the community, to the region, to make sure that that community is getting the hours promised.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. As the Minister is aware, we do have housing available if the nurse wanted to stay, come in the day before. The community is always willing to help anywhere they can. I would like to thank the Minister for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. More of a comment to the Minister and Executive. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement today, I spoke about the ways in which life is better downtown because of the new services offered to the population of intoxicated or homeless people who are there. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, more can be done, starting with addressing the concerns of the neighbours of the sobering centre and the day shelter. During the last session, the Minister said he hoped he would have a good neighbour agreement in place by the end of June. I would appreciate an update. Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, the good neighbour agreement was not done by the end of June. We are still committed to getting this work done. We have hired a contractor to help us facilitate the process. It does take all the stakeholders. It does take the GNWT, the RCMP, the contract provider, as well as the neighbours to make this a reality. We did share a draft good neighbour agreement with the partners on the 24th, and we are hoping to reconvene here in August to work out the details and finalize that good neighbour agreement. We can propose. We can work with our neighbours. We can't make people sign this agreement, but we think there is value in having this agreement. We are committed to trying to get it done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate that update. Is part of the problem also that there are commitments that the neighbours want that the government can't sign off on?
It is a negotiation. Some of the neighbours have put forward some principles or concepts that, obviously, some of the partners are having some difficulty with. We are committed to working with our partners to make this happen. Yes. There has been a negotiation. There is room to get this agreement in place.
Thank you to the Minister for that. I understand that the Minister recently initiated a foot patrol program around the centre. Can the Minister tell us about that program and share any early results of it?
Since we put the sobering centre day shelter in its current location, we have had a lot of concerns raised. We have been working to improve those services to make sure that we have appropriate outreach. It is continuing to evolve. One of the things that we have done recently with our current provider is to put in place a day and sobering centre safety patrol.
These are individuals who walk around a set path around the neighbourhood. They wear identifiable clothing. They are trained in dealing with individuals in crisis, providing them with the information where they can get different supports, but also just being a person out on the street, talking to people, trying to encourage them to control behaviour and types of things that some people might have some difficulty with. It went live on July 22nd. I haven't received an update on progress or how it is working. I will follow up with the department to get the Member with a current update on how that program is going.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question concerns a constant complaint I hear about the open consumption of liquor on the streets downtown. Can the Minister say whether he has a plan of his own or with his cabinet colleagues to address this issue? Mahsi.
The responsibility in this area is not one department alone. It is not one body alone. It is a combination of many, many individuals and many organizations. I did raise this exact issue with the Minister of Justice earlier this summer when the Member raised it with me. I did receive an update from the RCMP that they have performed over 258 proactive patrols in the downtown core on foot, 139 proactive patrols in the day shelter area. This is between January and June of 2019. It has resulted in over 280 alcohol pours and/or seizures. We have this information by month, showing the amount of patrols and how it has increased significantly over the years. I will work with the Minister of Justice to see if I can get that data and share with the Members of this Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about the shoreline erosion in Tuktoyaktuk. My questions are for the Minister of MACA. My question to the Minister is: what is the status of work currently under way to address the shoreline erosion issue in Tuktoyaktuk? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that we have been seeing a lot of videos and photos of what is going on in the community of Tuktoyaktuk on the shoreline erosion there. The first phase of work that we have done is a report was provided to the community, and it identifies both the long-term and short-term solutions. At this time, the community has not decided which of those options would work best for the community of Tuktoyaktuk. We are still making sure that those communications are open, and we are working with them to identify how we can find a solution. MACA is continuing to work closely with the community to identify what is the best, appropriate solution moving forward.
However, in the short term, the hamlet has secured funding to help move several homes that are most at risk. We appreciate the work that they have done. We continue to lobby and work with our federal counterparts to see how we can access the funding and whether or not we can make some of that funding a little bit flexible to get the work done. We are continuing to communicate with the community and the leadership to move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks for the update. We have definitely been getting a lot of pressure from constituents. Talking about funding, when the federal government announces funding for projects like this, we really need to ensure that there are government-to-government relationships where the Ministers are working with their ministerial counterparts with the federal government to ensure that the funding is utilized and ensures that it is as effective as possible.
There are concerns in the community that some homeowners need more time to move their homes and want someone to protect the shoreline until they are ready to move. Can the Minister explain why the houses need to be moved now and why there is no effort or funding to protect the shoreline?
As I mentioned, there are houses that are right on the shoreline that are going to be impacted. We are working with the federal government, and I know that we do have funding that may no longer be available from the Government of Canada come March 31, 2020. That is where we need to put a little bit more emphasis to get this work done.
I do also understand that protecting the shoreline is also the responsibility of the hamlet. We are going to be working with the government to see how we can support them and make sure that things are done in a timely manner. We do know that we had two big storms in Tuktoyaktuk that had an impact on a couple of units. As I mentioned, we are going to be working with the federal government and the hamlet to see how we can address this issue in a more timely manner.
I remember the community of Tuktoyaktuk was talking about the regulations of the funding. I think when it comes to issues like this, we need to provide additional support and capacity so that we can utilize this. Homeowners have also expressed additional concerns about damage to their homes during the move and after being placed on new foundations. My question is: can the Minister explain how the integrity of these homes will be maintained so that the homeowners can be assured their houses will remain liveable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my understanding that the hamlet is inviting contractors who have experience moving houses and that the structures will be properly braced before moving, which is a big concern, because I know that we do have at least one unit that we need to take into consideration when bracing, possibly two. The new foundations include geotextile material for drainage, various granular materials to ensure good support, and the screw jacks, and the hamlet will be able to adjust the foundation to ensure the structural integrity of the homes. This type of foundation is in common use by the NWT housing authority, and we have a lot of good experience working in that area.
All of this information is available through the hamlet, which has been actively engaged in this effort from the beginning. Residents can seek answers to their questions from the hamlet or through their MLA, and also through our office, so that we can make sure that we do this in the best interests of the residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The residents of Hay River have grave concerns about our healthcare system and many feel that things are getting worse. It is still nearly impossible to make an appointment. At the clinic, physician shortages are now commonplace. The authority can't seem to retain staff, patients are wary of the quality of care that they receive, and the public has generally lost faith in the system.
I don't want to disparage the authority, but it seems to me that these concerns appear to be the result of deep-seated issues that cannot be fixed using a piecemeal approach, and there need to be some substantial, and possibly structural, changes made.
I have some questions for the Minister of Health: is the department aware of systemic issues at the Hay River Health and Social Services authority that contribute to the ongoing difficulties, such as the difficulty retaining staff? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are aware of the concerns and the challenges facing the Hay River Health and Social Services authority. I agree with the Member that some systemic change is required in that authority. To that end, I know that the chief operating officer and the public administrator are looking at bringing about some change in that organization.
I have asked the deputy minister of Health and Social Services and the chair of the territorial Health and Social Services authority to go down and meet with them to talk about opportunities that we have to make some improvements in that authority, to improve the overall management, care, and delivery of health and social services in that community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
True to form, the Minister answered a couple of my other questions, so I will skip to my last one. Unfortunately, the next Assembly will have a new Minister of Health. What advice can this Minister provide to his successor to help address these ongoing issues at the Health and Social Services authority in Hay River?
We face challenges across the entire Northwest Territories. Recruitment and retention is a big challenge. When it comes to Hay River, I have had the opportunity to talk to a lot of different practitioners and nurses, both in Hay River and out of Hay River, and one of the things that I have heard from some individuals outside the community is that they would love to go to Hay River. They think it's a great community. It's in a beautiful spot, it's a 10-hour drive from Edmonton, it's a brand-new health centre, but they don't want to go there because they don't want to leave the public service.
Frankly, I think that one of the initiatives that the next government does have to undertake is to bring Hay River into the public service to improve that security, ensure that they are getting the best pension, and expand their ability to reach out to additional services in the Northwest Territories, to make sure that we have those economies of scale that Hay River doesn't always get to take advantage of. I really think that the next government is going to have to find a way to bring them in.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to follow up on my statement on the Affirmative Action Policy. About 30 years ago, as a result of the Oka Crisis, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples did a report and released their findings on November 1, 1996. That was 30 years ago. In 2019, it is a long shot, but marijuana was legalized. Much has changed. My question is to the Minister of Finance. I asked the Minister this question before and did not get a direct answer, so I will ask again: why has the Affirmative Action Policy not been updated in the last 30 years? Does concern about the legitimacy of affirmative action for other disadvantaged groups have anything to do with the GNWT's reluctance to update its policy? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The policy is one tool related to recruitment of Indigenous employees. We have introduced a number of programs that will assist with increasing Indigenous employees within the GNWT and will help employees advance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
