Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, in Saskatchewan, the government is paying for a third-party audit of construction following similar problems at the North Battleford hospital. Is the Minister willing to contract a construction audit of the new Stanton hospital so that we get an overall picture of the ongoing problems with the building? Thank you.
Yes, we are aware of the issues in Saskatchewan, which were much more severe than the challenges we have faced within the Stanton Hospital. Our focus is working with the P3 partners to ensure challenges that have been experienced are dealt with. We are seeing the number of issues decline over time. The project agreement provides provisions to enable the GNWT to undertake reviews and audits of the services provided by Dexterra during the life of this agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Will the Minister advise me if they will be running the Schools North Apprenticeship Program, referred to as the SNAP program, in my community this year? If not, why, and will his department reconsider? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The SNAP program, as the Member mentioned, the Schools North Apprenticeship Program, doesn't run on a schedule. It is not a regular part of the curriculum. There is no scheduled start time right now. The program requires a significant number of parties to all come together. You need employers; you need the school; you need students, parents, and ECE to ensure that things run smoothly.
If there is an interest from employers and there is an interest from students, then this is something that we can facilitate, and we can use this program. I will speak to the department to explore some further options. We have our career and education advisors who might be able to help facilitate this, but the first thing that we need is to have some participants who are willing to help us move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In my Member's statement, I also talked about the trades trailers that are in my community that have been sitting there. Will the Minster advise me what the plan from the department is to continue to work with the Indigenous governments in my community to ensure that these trailers are being utilized for the purpose that they were purchased for?
Aurora College offers trades, industrial, and occupational training in the trades mobile training lab. This lab is a state-of-the-art facility. I think it is pretty cool, basically. We are always open to having these discussions with Indigenous governments. In 2019, December, the lab returned to Inuvik from Tuktoyaktuk after offering the Building Trades Helper Program.
There are ongoing discussions about how we can better use this lab in the Beaufort-Delta for things such as trade preparation, entry-level programs for youth to enhance employment skills, and the Building Trades Helper Program. As the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic continues, there are going to be even more opportunities to utilize this tool.
Thank you to the Minister for that. I look forward to the ongoing work in that area. Will the Minister ensure that small businesses that have apprentices and utilize the on-the-job funding to support them to keep the apprentice until they reach their journeyman certificate?
My colleague is speaking about the trades and occupations wage subsidy program in which the department tops off the wages for apprentices for a couple years. She noted that it doesn't necessarily follow the apprentice all the way through. That is because the pot of money just isn't big enough to do that. We can't cover everyone.
I am looking forward, in this Assembly, to increasing the number of apprentices and journeypeople that we have in the territory. If this is something that we think is useful and a way to do that, then I look forward to having those budget discussions with Cabinet and with the Regular Members and seeing if that is where we want to allocate our limited resources.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Just one last thing: would the Minister, since I am pretty sure SFA falls under the Minister's department, if they could look at maybe a way that that would help apprentices continue on and maybe support them in that area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SFA is for students who are studying. I don't know if that is an appropriate avenue to provide funds to somebody who is working as an apprentice, but I have been speaking for years about the need to get more apprentices in the territory. We have so many journeypeople who are retiring, who have retired. Like the rest of Canada, we just do not have the people to replace them. I am hopeful and committed to increasing that number during the life of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, the community of Fort Smith's concerns regarding narrowing of the airport has not been addressed. My question is: why are safety issues at the Fort Smith airport not being addressed?
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Safety is our top priority in the operation and maintenance of the Northwest Territories transportation system, including the airports. Transport Canada sets the standards by which airports are designed and operated. The GNWT is responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining airports to those standards. The GNWT is also responsible for reviewing airport infrastructure and planning for future operational and regulatory needs.
The recent projects undertaken at the Fort Smith airport, the installation of LED lighting and the rightsizing of the runway, were undertaken when the standards and regulations were set by Transport Canada and were designed and completed to industry and professional standards.
I would like to assure the Member that neither the safety nor the level of service at the Fort Smith airport has changed as a result of these projects. The GNWT maintains a safety management system, the SMS, for all of our 27 airports. At this time, there are no outstanding safety issues at the Fort Smith airport.
We continue to encourage individuals to report hazards and safety concerns through the SMS protocols. I can forward those protocols to the Member if she would like, and they are also available on the GNWT website. Thank you.
What was the point of spending $2.3 million on an airport runway that was operational and running fine?
The decision to replace the airside lighting and to narrow the runway at the Fort Smith airport was made based on current and future operational and regulatory needs. As part of ongoing airport planning, it was determined that the aging lighting system needed to be replaced. It was also determined that a 30-metre runway would meet federal regulations and would not affect the level of service at the Fort Smith airport. Because the lighting replacement project would require digging up sections of the runway, it made good sense to complete both projects at the same time.
When the Fort Smith airport was designed and built in 1957, 60 metres was a common width for paved runways. It was predicted at the time that future aircraft would be bigger and larger runways would be required. That is, in fact, not the case. Modern aircraft have improved performance, and the federal regulator has established that wider runways are not necessary. The cost to operate and maintain a 30-metre runway is significantly less than to operate and maintain a 60-metre runway. The cost to repair or overlay a 30-metre runway will also be less.
I would like to assure the Member that the decision to proceed with these projects was made with the safety of citizens in the front of our minds. The decision was also based on operational needs, minimizing costs to the Government of the Northwest Territories and to taxpayers, and ensuring ongoing eligibility for federal funding for future capital projects at the Fort Smith airport.
The new lights that were installed at the Fort Smith airport were not the Arctic kit that was supposed to be installed at the airport, as said in the July 8, 2019, letter from the former Minister of Infrastructure. My question is: when will this be addressed?
During the design phase it was determined that, due to the regional climate, Arctic kits were not required for the lighting at the Fort Smith airport; therefore, they were not included in the design. The Fort Smith airfield lighting is checked at least twice daily by maintenance staff at the airport and documented in accordance with our preventative maintenance processes, and it is operating to specification.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, senior management within the Department of Infrastructure still insists that this decision was given by Transport Canada. Will the Department of Infrastructure share this letter of direction from Transport Canada?
I would like to clarify that there was no decision or direction given by Transport Canada to narrow the runway. Transport Canada is responsible for establishing the regulations and standards. The current standards indicate that a 30-metre runway is required for the type of airport and service in Fort Smith, and I would be happy to share the Department of Infrastructure's copies of these standards with the Member.
Transport Canada also administers the Airport Capital Assistance Program. This is the program that the GNWT relies on for funding for construction and maintenance of its airport system. It is unlikely that Transport Canada would fund future pavement overlay or capital projects for a runway that was wider than the regulator's standard. The decision to proceed with these projects was made by the Department of Infrastructure and was based on the established standards' operational needs, and budget considerations.
I would like to say that I maybe did misspeak that to you earlier in saying it was a direction from Transport Canada, so I acknowledge that error. That was mine, being new to the role. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I brought up who is not affected by cancer in our great territory. For the people who I represent in Nunakput, to have to travel out for one-day appointments to Inuvik is probably four days because of the timing of flights, and stuff like that. For the safety of my constituents, what I want to bring up, Mr. Speaker, is: is the Minister working with the department to identify cancer for Northerners, and how could we speed the process up to help them travel to get to their appointments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct. Cancer in the Northwest Territories is quite high, as with other parts of Canada, and the number of people with chronic disease continues to grow and the age of diagnosis is younger. The department continues to help reduce the impact of chronic disease such as cancer by prevention, early detection through screening, and effective medical and self-management.
In the Northwest Territories, we have guidelines for screening for the following three cancers: breast, cervical, and colorectal. There has been extensive promotion of cancer screening, such as brochures and posters related to colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer screening; prevention messages on how to reduce your cancer risk, as well as healthy living resources around nutrition, physical activity, alcohol management, and tobacco cessation; and infographics on most recent cancer screening rates for the cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer screening. We have cancer information that is available for the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Putting out pamphlets and stuff like that don't mean nothing. It is good to have them in the community, but we need to know: what are the improvements of the healthcare system that the department is currently working on today?
I would like to speak about some activities that we are doing that are new. In the communities, the community health representatives are provided with training in relation to cancer screening. In the fall, as well as information on cancer prevention, screening, and healthy living resources, we are launching nine videos related to cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer screening in the Northwest Territories, and two videos will be launched to address cancer screening in general. The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority is launching a pilot project on the cancer screening program in the Beaufort-Delta this month, in hopes of increasing the number of people being screened.
Today, I would like to consider establishing a dedicated position to manage travel arrangements for cancer patients, with a mandate to expedite travel, to minimize delays for the people who I represent in our small communities in the Beaufort-Delta as a whole, to get a doctor and a care unit going into the communities at least once a year to try to catch cancer. Because, by the time it is caught, it is either stage 3 or stage 4, and you can't do anything, and then we are losing loved ones because of the system. Is the Minister willing to work with me to do a pilot project in the Beaufort-Delta to provide service for all nine communities in the region, to prevent cancer?
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority just recently hired two full-time cancer nurse navigators. This is in order to assist patients and their families through the cancer care continuum. I understand the Member's question is to have a commitment to be able to go into the Beaufort-Delta communities and, at this time, this is something we will look into.
Thank you, Minister. Final short supplementary, Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So many families are affected by cancer. I am asking the Minister today to commit, just say yes with me, on a pilot project for the Beaufort-Delta to establish a team of professionals who will travel into the communities to do pre-screening for our elders and for the people who can't leave the community, who only go to the nursing station when they are really sick. They feel like they are not going to waste people's time, because, you know, they're not feeling well. They have to be really sick to go to the health centre. You know that, Mr. Speaker. All I am asking is if we could do a pilot project for one year, and then see how many people's lives we could save, the people who we serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, I mentioned earlier in my response that we recognize that cancer is high, not only in the Beaufort-Delta, but also in the Northwest Territories. I understand that the Member for Nunakput is asking for a commitment, and I recognize that, in the region, it is quite high. It is something that we will look into. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I spoke earlier on correction, Department of Justice, and I mentioned that the majority of incarcerated people are Dene people. I would like to ask a question regarding that. [End of translation] The Inspector of Corrections calls it a national travesty. I would like to ask the following question to the Minister of Justice: more specifically, how is our correctional system helping Indigenous inmates to reduce their chances of reoffending once they leave the prison system? Masi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We currently have programs in place between the Correctional Service working inside our incarceration facilities and with communities to ensure that individuals have a reintegration plan before they go into the community, and that is meant to be one of the key ways in which we are hoping to assist individuals to not reoffend.
In addition, of course, this is something that involves partnerships throughout all of government to ensure that people have the right supports in their communities so that they can continue to live lives that are healthy when they are out of the facilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am just curious about the priorities of this government. What priority has this Minister given to the problem of the over-representation of Indigenous people in our corrections system?
As all of my colleagues here know, over-incarceration of Indigenous people was not an express priority that we noted for the Members of the 19th Assembly. Nevertheless, I have already stated publicly that this is a priority for me personally. It is an issue that I have personally been engaged on for many years, and I can't imagine that anyone who knew me in my past life would expect me to come into this House and not see this as a personal priority. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to assure that, doing my part, as Minister of Justice, and the Department of Justice of the Northwest Territories, we will be considering that a priority over the next four years.
Just reflecting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 recommendations, obviously, there is one recommendation that I highlighted as part of my Member's statement. Are there sufficient and stable funds within the Department of Justice to implement and evaluate these measures to provide realistic alternatives to imprisonment for Aboriginal offenders?
I have no doubt that any department would like to see more funds. It would certainly make the work easier. At the same time, am I confident that there is enough ability and enough capacity within the Department of Justice to address this? Mr. Speaker, I would say yes. When the story broke nationally about the rates of incarceration of Indigenous people, I met immediately with senior members from the Justice Department, and they are beginning to consider what things we can do, within our control, to affect the over-incarceration of Indigenous people.
It will be a cross-government issue that we need to deal with. It will be a multiple-level-of-government issue that needs to be addressed. To that end, we remain engaged with the national task force in terms of a national strategy, but we are beginning to take steps to look at what we can do here, at home, and I hope to be coming back with that plan in due course.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. Again, reflecting back on the TRC recommendations, it talks about reducing the systematic discrimination. Looking into the future, what are the Minister's plans to reduce the systematic discrimination that Indigenous people experience in our judicial system or justice system and in our corrections system?
There are fortunately a number of initiatives that I can speak to. There certainly is significant effort within corrections to have Indigenous cultural safety training for all staff. There are efforts to have Aboriginal liaisons available to all individuals within the correctional system. There is, in addition to that, a number of initiatives to ensure that there are court workers available in the communities and to ensure that police priorities also include cultural safety.
All that said, Mr. Speaker, I am aware that more still needs to be done, and so I certainly am alive to that and intend to see that we can continue to do more as we move forward, to build on the successes that we already have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
