Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services is currently working on a process to issue an RFP for proposals for addictions treatment. The goal of this RFP is to identify southern locations and facilities that provide addictions services to Northwest Territories residents. This will mean more choices for their varied needs. Also, it is hoped that the contract results will come in the early summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Is the on-the-land funding, similar to what we have done in Salt River, still available to all Indigenous governments?
I think the Member is referring to the on-the-land mobile addictions treatment delivery by Salt River First Nation that was done a couple years ago. Yes, the Department of Health and Social Services will continue to deliver on-the-land healing funds for mental health and addictions. This program is delivered in partnership with the Indigenous governments. Starting in 2019-2020, the department has enhanced the fund to add additional funding to specific mobile addictions treatments and land-based after-care. This funding is meant to support the Indigenous governments to provide the same type of mobile addictions treatment program as for the Salt River First Nation that they delivered a couple years ago. It is our hope that this type of program can be a real option for individuals who do not want to leave their community.
Integrated Case Management comes under Justice but has underlying effects with addictions in clientele who are affected by not being able to get into the mainstream of society. Would the Minister consider working with the Justice Minister to ensure that both the Fort Smith and Inuvik regions get the Pathfinders to work with their regions and communities?
I think the Member is referring to the Pathfinders with the Integrated Case Management program that is currently run by the Department of Justice. The Department of Health and Social Services participates in this intergovernmental working group, which oversees the initiative. Yes, the department will continue to work with Justice to determine how lessons learned from this program can be applied to improve access to services in the NWT. The key is not about the Pathfinder positions in the communities; it is about taking a different approach to how the government provides services to its residents.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, a territorial transition house should be considered for the community of Fort Smith because of its setting, environment, and the traditional values and language that are offered. This territorial traditional transition house should be in a place where people can stay once they finish treatment in the South. Would the Minister consider building a territorial transition house for after-care clientele so the NWT would be more successful in making the addictions problems facing our people a thing of the past? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I agree with the Member that access to safe and sober housing is important to individuals who recover from addictions. Our department's mental wellness and addictions recovery action plan makes a commitment to work with partners to identify transitional housing options for people returning from addictions treatment. This concept is also included in the mandate of this Assembly. Yes, the department will be working with our partners to determine how we can establish transitional housing supports in the Northwest Territories. I agree this may not make addictions a thing of the past, but it will go a long way towards supporting people trying to make a change in their lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Hay River, we have trees, fish, roads, a port, and agriculture. My questions will be for the Minister of ITI. Can the Minister of ITI tell me if her department is prepared to action the agricultural strategy prepared by the 18th Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes. In fact, we are already delivering on a suite of programs under that strategy, including those under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership in the South Slave. We have evidence in projects such as the Riverside Farms, Roots and Ruminants, and the huge potato harvest from Boden Farms on sale at the Super A. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Next question is: has the Minister commenced discussion with the Minister of Lands on how to address the need for lands dedicated for agricultural use in the South Slave?
Yes. ITI is working with the Department of Health and Social Services, Environment and Natural Resources, as well as Lands, to ensure all actions identified in the strategy are moving forward. I can confirm that, under the agricultural strategy, these discussions are ongoing in the departments at the working-group level. We also are trying to be more proactive with communities when it comes to designating land for agricultural use. Over the last two years, ITI's superintendent in the South Slave has met with community leaders, is my understanding, to identify lands within the municipalities for agriculture. In Hay River, in particular, this is a really opportune time, as the town itself is undertaking its community development planning. We are going to definitely be working with them.
Can the Minister confirm whether she's prepared to address the need for legislation that will enhance and support an agricultural sector in the NWT?
I can confirm, yes, to the Member that the government is ready to explore all options, including policy, legislation, regulation, and programming to advance the business of food in this territory. We believe the demand for safe, affordable, locally-grown food choices will create businesses and entrepreneurial activities that will work to strengthen and diversify our economy, as well.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For this Minister, I am trying to have some theme days in Hay River. She is coming to Hay River, I think, on the 23rd, and it's going to be small business. I also want her to show up to Hay River, and the theme day then will be agriculture and meet with people. Will the Minister commit to visiting Hay River to meet and discuss agricultural impediment with producers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was going to commit to having some of that discussion on the 23rd, but from listening to the Member, it sounds like he would like another day for me to come down to Hay River. I will commit to that. However, you may have to fight with the Member for Nunakput to get me there a second time before I get to his community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Rocky. She's coming to Tuktoyaktuk first.
---Laughter
Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for NWT housing. When the current rent scale was developed years back, was there any consideration given or any thought given to rent scaling on a newer unit to an older unit? Some of the units, like I said, were built in 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the communities that I represent. Is there any possibility for the department to look at a rent scale in regard to monthly rent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation right now is looking at the rent scale and looking at the affordability for the older units. The newer units, we are looking at possible Indigenous partnerships going forward or stakeholders who may be interested in purchasing those units, but going forward, we are looking at the rent scale right now.
The NWT Housing Corporation currently is tracking the costs paid by the tenants in the units for the power, the heating fuel, and with other different units; are they tracking that?
According to my department, we do take care of the fuel and water, and we do track the consumption of those intakes annually.
Would the Minister be willing to direct her department to undertake an assessment to determine the cost of living for the people in the older units versus the newer units?
Yes, I will commit to looking at the differences between the variations in our rent for the clients that we serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a good day again. I am getting all that I want to hear. Housing is the biggest concern for me in my riding, across this whole territory. That is why it's one of the biggest things in our mandate, so I am really happy with the Minister, who is trying. She is making a good effort. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the assessment shows, and I know, that the older units will cost more, but for the Minister to address the rent scale accordingly when that assessment comes out, I will be pushing for that in the House, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thanks, Member, for the comment. We will be reviewing these rent scales as we go forward and the variations between the new and the older units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Premier. Earlier today, I recounted some of the statistics from the latest community survey, where almost a quarter of NWT residents purported being worried "sometimes" or "often" about food security. Can the Premier tell us what specific actions this government is taking to build food security and whether we have any specific targets over the next four years? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Food, clothing, and shelter are, according to Maslow's hierarchy, the basic needs that we need to meet for people; so when I hear that almost 3,400 people, my understanding is, are feeling insecure about their food, that brings concerns. It should bring concerns for all of our governments. What are we doing about it?
We do have things that we are working on, a range of activities, from increasing local food production to, of course, our agricultural industry that was just spoken about earlier today. Our territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan includes 12 actions on food security, including the establishment of a food security coalition for the NWT, so we will be moving forward on this action plan, as well. Then, of course, we are looking to work with the Government of Canada, constantly working with the Government of Canada, to get some input into the redesign of our Nutrition North. I have heard for many years that that is not working. It's time for the Government of Canada to hear us and make a Nutrition North program that more works for the Northwest Territories.
I want to thank the Premier for that response. It was 3,400 households, not individuals; it's a lot more individuals who are worried about food. Mr. Speaker, without a proper tracking system to account for local food production and consumption, it seems unlikely that there will be any measurable progress towards building stronger food security. Can the Premier tell us whether there is indeed a proper tacking system in place for food security in the NWT, and if not, will she commit her Cabinet to developing one?
The Member knows that, actually, the NWT Bureau of Statistics does track food prices in the larger regional centres, such as Yellowknife, Hay River, et cetera. They also, every few years, do a comparison across the communities, and from that, a food price index is calculated. It shows variations in the price of food across the communities. The question on whether we would track further than that, that is a question that, at this point, I am not willing to actually make a commitment to. It's one thing to be able to track how many people might start an egg-producing farm or a large-scale farm. How many people actually have greenhouses in their backyard, such as myself? Those would be impossible to track, but those are really important food initiatives that people have to take in the Northwest Territories. I grew up here in 1962, and I couldn't even grow grass; I never knew we used to have farming here. It's an initiative that we have to push further. We need to look at food production in all areas, whether it's in harvesting to growing your own crops. However, to be able to take numbers on all of that, like I said, the backyard farmers, it would be a little bit more difficult.
I want to thank the Premier for that. Look, prices do have a relation to food security, but I asked about food production: do we have a way of measuring food production and consumption of local foods? I don't think it's impossible to track. We have a greenhouse in our front yard, as well. We can survey people and get a better idea of this.
I want to make it a little easier for the Premier with the next question, ask her about an area that she should be familiar with, and that is Nutrition North. Can the Premier tell us, specifically, what action is being undertaken by the federal government and our government to redesign Nutrition North?
Right now, I cannot say, honestly, what is being done at this point. There has just been a new election within the Northwest Territories and, of course, federally, there was a new election that just happened, too. We have done initial meetings with our Ministers and the Prime Minister. I will be meeting again with the Prime Minister this week. However, it isn't something that we have actually said, "Here's an action plan on it."
Nutrition North is not working in the Northwest Territories. I did not have to come into the Legislature to hear that. I have heard it for many years. What I can commit to is that I will be bringing it forward to the Minister for the North. It is in our Arctic and Northern Policy Framework. I will continue to advocate for it, as well as all of the other issues that we have in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier for that. I am just a little bit perturbed that Nutrition North needs to be redesigned but that we don't really have any ideas about how to do that. I hope the Premier can put something together fairly quickly and get that ready and work with this side of the House.
Building food security is going to take a lot of effort from this government, and it's going to cut across many departments. For example, food security can and should include greater support for community harvesters and local food production. Can the Premier tell us what the best programs are to support community harvesting and local food production and whether these will be increased over the next four years?
I cannot stand here and say what the best program is. What I can say is that we have a variety of programs across the departments. For example, our anti-poverty fund gives $1 million a year in contributions; last year, in 2019-2020, we supported 31 food security projects. Our healthy children's fund provides $400,000 a year; that gave a total of seven security projects through this fund. Thirteen food security projects were supported through the Small Community Homelessness Fund. The Healthy Food for Learning program, and this is one is a big one for me, supports all 49 schools in the Northwest Territories for healthy foods for children. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a federal partnership; it gives a million dollars a year to advance community food development. ITI has the Northern Food Development Program to support producers of fish, meat, and other food products. We are revitalizing the Great Slave Lake fishery; I think that is an important one. The Sustainable Livelihoods Action Plan supports land-based initiatives, including harvesting. We have a Community Harvesters Assistance Program, and we are looking at a mentorship program, as well. As well, the Indigenous governments asked for a hunter education program to support safe hunting.
I can't say which one of them is all important. What I can say, is that not one food source works for all people. Some people are very traditional. Some people are hunters and gatherers. Some people want to go to our grocery store. We need to look right across the gamut to ensure food security. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the health Minister regarding concerns raised by local residents of the health centre. Mr. Speaker, I've raised this issue with the Minister on February 27, 2020, on the same issue: the issues that residents are having with nurse practitioners at the local health centre. This continues to be a serious issue. Residents want action, and they want action now. Can the Minister provide assurances to the residents of Fort Providence that this issue can be looked to as soon as possible? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member and I are having discussions right now with some of his concerns. He's raised concerns, and I'm working with my department and the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority to have a discussion on the Member's concern.
Nurse practitioners are left to their own devices, so to speak. Can the Minister provide assurances and action to develop an evaluation program for health centre nurse practitioners for the small communities?
