I'm wondering if the Premier can speak to the process that Cabinet follows in order to kind of negotiate and discuss the orders that are coming out from the Chief Public Health Officer's office.
We've asked to meet with the Chief Public Health Officer, but we're really conscious that we can't have any political influence on her. The act stipulates that it is her responsibility once the Minister assigns her that title. How we work is that, often, the orders come out. Before they come out, hopefully, she will meet with us, and then we try to figure out what we need to do to implement those orders. She is in charge of making the orders herself. She is in charge of the enforcement herself, but there are issues that need to be addressed, such as the borders. That isn't her concern; that's the government's concern. The isolation centres, how we're going to house people, the services we're going to provide to people, the community services, all of those things are the GNWT. So, once an order comes out, or there is a hint of an order, like we know that there might be one coming out at the end of this week, we sit behind closed doors and we talk about how we're going to implement those, and what it's going to take on our side and what resources we need to pull up to be able to enact those orders.
A lot of Northerners like to travel south during the summer. It's what we do. Sometimes, it's to visit family. Sometimes, people just need to get away for a little bit. I'm wondering if it's the intent of this government to encourage as many NWT residents as possible to stay in the NWT for the summer in order to reduce people's exposure to COVID-19 in southern Canada and, if so, what the GNWT is doing to encourage NWT residents to stay home.
Actually, at the Cabinet table, we never actually said, "Do we want people to stay or not?" That wasn't the question, but the reality is, with the Ministers and myself included, it makes sense for us to limit our travel outside the Northwest Territories this summer. The numbers of COVID-19 infections in the South are still rising. We haven't flattened that curve, yet, so I think, at this point, my personal opinion is that it would make sense for as many people to travel in the North as possible. What we're doing about it is we have Spectacular NWT; we're talking about it now. Our Minister of tourism is actively meeting with the tourists' associations, talking about what we can do.
We have beautiful, beautiful sceneries in the Northwest Territories, and one of the privileges of being elected in this House -- well, before COVID-19; I apologize to all the Ministers now -- we did get to travel, and it really emphasized to myself personally that every region, every community, is different and every one is beautiful in its own way. So we need to advertise that. We need to promote that as much as possible so that we can keep people here. The North has a lot to offer, and I don't think a lot of Northerners who are from here have been to all of the communities, so I would, right now, like to say that all Northerners should travel north and see the beautiful land that we have in the Northwest Territories this summer, and every summer.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary, Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I absolutely agree with the Premier that the North is beautiful and has a lot to offer. I also wonder how many Southerners might feel the same way, especially considering we don't have any active cases of COVID-19. Now that we've discussed that people can come into our borders, it sounds like what we will be expected to do is to advise people to self-isolate within our four self-isolations zones.
If somebody comes to the Northwest Territories and wants to go visit Jackie in Tuktoyaktuk, they need to self-isolate in Yellowknife first, before they can do that. They have already arranged to go stay with Jackie and his family in Tuktoyaktuk, so who pays for the hotel when they stay in Yellowknife and self-isolate in Yellowknife? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, we're in phase 1 of the Emerging Wisely, and we have kind of limited the amount of travel. Phase 2 is going to be coming out this Friday. The Chief Public Health Officer will be announcing those orders. Hopefully tomorrow and Thursday I'll be getting more information on them, as well. Again, I'm very cautious about what I ask her for. I do not want her to think that I am imposing my will on her. It's a very delicate line. We will be talking about those issues as we talk to her. At this point, we have been paying for the isolation units. As we open up phase 2, those are conversations we still need to have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the parks being announced to be open this weekend, can we ensure that residents can still go to the campground in my community and around my community without having to use the online system of securing the site? I don't think I've ever recalled anyone, ever, using the site outside of, especially at Gwich'in campground, kilometre 240, and Caribou Creek, which is at kilometre 221. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have just recently been aware that not everybody in the territory likes to use the online system. It was just recently brought to my attention that, perhaps in Inuvik and around that region, people aren't using the system. I've raised this already with the department now, and we will look into how do we accommodate those that don't want to use the online system. I will say, no, your park will not be closed this weekend just because the online system may not be utilized properly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister. We're going to have some happy campers this weekend. Since we've been going on this discussion, we're learning that tourists may come in and they may be staying in our isolation centres. We don't know who is paying for it. Can the Minister commit to waiving all fees associated with the use of our campgrounds for our NWT residents as part of our opening our parks for the season since we are encouraged to have vacations?
That sort of decision would actually have to come to the financial management board as, surprisingly, we do collect a significant amount of fees from the parks. I do want to state that it's my understanding that the fees are not super high, perhaps about $15 for a tent platform. I believe the highest price is $32 for Fred Hennie at a powered site, but I can commit to getting the exact numbers on those. What we have done is we are doing a "buy five nights, get your sixth night free coupon." When you register on the online system -- which I'm assuming I'm going to have to adapt to Inuvik. However, we are promoting and giving an extra night free for the next time that people would book on the system. I have asked the department to look into how can we accommodate lower income residents in order to enjoy the parks. Perhaps, we could work with NGOs to identify families who would like to go camping. I commit to coming back to the Member. While I can't waive the fees at this moment and just say yes, I was looking at options so that we can help those who maybe can't afford to use our parks to better access them.
Just to the Minister's comments, the five nights, most of the people in my region, in my community, who go out camping, go out camping Friday night, Saturday night, and come home Sunday because a majority of them are out on the weekend to camp. That system will not benefit, and we don't have a very long camping season, as I mentioned. With the number of campers that we have in our region, would the Minister commit to waiving the fees in the Inuvik region, or the supplies, the wood, whatever that they can actually give to the campers since they want to stay and they want to camp?
If I waive the fees for only the Member's region, I will have the other Members coming to me to ask for the same thing. I already have another Member who is actively pursuing the waiving of fees, as well, so I can't show preference. I will take that away and have a conversation with the department. I did just want to clarify that the gatehouse at the Inuvik parks will be manned this weekend, and they will take cash.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that we seem to have media and everything who jump the gun, but I'd really like the department to get on top of it in my community and get some advertising out locally. There are local people who do a lot of local advertising, just so that they are aware that they need to bring the money and that they can go camping. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I commit to the Member to doing an Inuvik or Beaufort Delta specific release with information regarding the differences with the online system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Justice. I believe there is much work to be done in reforming our criminal justice system. One of the places that is easy to start is the increasing use of alternative measures; that is, not necessarily going through the court system and sentencing people to jail sentences but using healing circles and all sorts of other alternative measures. My question for the Minister of Justice is: during this life of this Assembly, will we increase the use of alternative measures?
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nationally, departments of justice, provinces, and territories have all agreed that they would increase the use of alternative measures by 5 percent, or restorative justice by 5 percent, and we're no different from that. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to certainly aim higher than that; 5 percent isn't necessarily very much. Certainly, we are going to be looking, as we always do, as to how we can better continue to engage community justice committees, what we can do to make better use of those committees, and to encourage the use of alternative measures. Diversion numbers have not gone up in the last few years, Mr. Speaker. I'm quite conscious of that, and that does need to change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am happy to hear that we are committed to the 5 percent target, and I hope we can blow right past that number. I believe there are a number of improvements that can be made here. Firstly, NWT prosecutions can start to use alternative measures more. I believe officers should be encouraged to use alternative measures before they ever get to the Crown's office, and I believe we should work with our PPSC, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, to use alternative measures more broadly. Ultimately, we won't get that increase in alternative measures without increased funding and support to our community justice committees, so my question for the Minister of Justice: will we be increasing the funding to our community justice committees?
I don't get to unilaterally increase the funding to the community justice committees as much as I might perhaps like to. I go through the same budgetary processes that everybody else does and notwithstanding my other role. However, Mr. Speaker, there is the business planning process coming up. While that doesn't necessarily mean that we all get to put in any and all new initiatives, it certainly is an opportunity to look at where we can, where we need to change the way we are structured, and how we can maybe seek to see some improvements. There are also some opportunities, I hope, for federal engagement and for federal support. I do know we do have allies in the federal government who also are very conscious of the need to increase alternative measures, increase the use of community justice programs, and it is certainly my hope that we'll be working with those partners to see those increases.
I look forward to continuing those conversations regarding business planning. I believe that the Minister could put forward quite a compelling case that every dollar we spend in alternative measures actually saves us money because it is simply extremely costly to bring people to trial and to hold them in prisons. If we can avoid doing that, it ultimately saves us money, and I believe there are numerous studies showing that.
Mr. Speaker, our MP, Michael McLeod, has been quite a vocal advocate for increasing First Nations policing funding. In this current budget, we passed $47 million to fund the RCMP and only $400,000 for First Nations programs. Will the Minister of Justice commit to increasing that First Nations funding amount?
I had the opportunity to speak with our MP just recently. He certainly is a proponent of the First Nations Policing Program, as is the Department of Justice and as the Department of Justice has been for some 10 years. The First Nations Policing Program is a cost-shared program. It is a cost-share that gives us a much better opportunity for return. That is why we don't have to put as much in as compared to the territorial policing agreement, which is a 70-30 agreement, so it's a much higher cost to the GNWT. I would more than happily split the costs with the federal government along the lines of the FNPP. However, that is something that will require the federal government to be onside with. We've been engaged in that discussion with them for many years and to why they should be looking at us and changing the way that we are funded and having more opportunities to use that program. As I say, at this point, it is an advocacy role that I will simply have to continue to take. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize there is much advocacy work to be done, but I believe we won't make any progress absent this Assembly championing this issue. I'd like to speak briefly about a Yukon First Nation, Kwanlin Dun's, policing program where their own members are the front line of policing services. I believe this has been a success story. Indigenous governments around the world are taking notice. I really believe that we could work with the federal government and in this current political climate championing similar programming in the Northwest Territories. My question for the Minister of Justice is: will she work to develop a similar program, where we have true First Nations policing in the Northwest Territories?
Yes, I'm also quite familiar with the Kwanlin Dun program. I can certainly commit to saying that I intend to look into the terms of reference through which it was created, or MOUs or whatever systems or processes they used to establish their program. I am aware that it is a program that is in part funded by the Kwanlin Dun First Nation. Certainly, it would never be my intention to impose a program like this on any Indigenous government or community, but I would be more than happy to work with any Indigenous government to try to work towards this sort of a goal and to then go to our federal government partners and see what we can do for funding. Those are a lot of ideas and a lot of steps that would need to happen to move it forward. I can assure the Member that we're at least at the stage of thinking about it, as I've described. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions, Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I just want to follow up on the Member for Yellowknife Centre's questions in regard to the 14-day isolation time for workers coming into the territory. We opened it up today for all Canadians to come into our territory with a 14-day isolation. I need clarification in regard to that because it's contradicting Dr. Kandola's healthcare plan for the territory. Can I have just clarification on that? Are all Canadian citizens allowed to come to the territory for the 14-day plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't talk for Dr. Kandola. She's not here to speak for herself. I can talk about my understanding of phase 1 when we came in, so the end of the Act. Again, we went back to the Public Health Act. Section 33(1), says that, during a state of public health emergency, the CPHO may make orders and provide direction restricting travel to or from any area within the NWT. That was the point that we were discussing right through. My understanding then is that, when someone comes to the border, we can't tell you that you can't come to the border, that you have a charter right that says freedom of mobility. Once you step across the border you are now in the NWT. At that point, then, our Chief Public Health Officer has the authority to say whether you're allowed to travel in the Northwest Territories, to go further or not. That is what she's been relying on. Phase 1 has been only allowing essential workers into the Northwest Territories. They have to have either 36 hours, or they have to self-isolate; they have to have plans. Phase 2 will be coming open, I believe, on this Monday. We will be presenting to standing committee on Thursday. I don't want to presuppose what she will say, but I do think it's a valid question that should be asked to the Chief Public Health Officer.
To the Premier, in regard to that, it was at her interview today. It's contradicting. I'm getting calls and stuff from back home in regard to the border. Are they allowed to come into the territory in regard to a 14-day self-isolation plan for all Canadians to come in? I just need a yes or a no.
I have to give you both. Yes, they are allowed to travel across Canada. The charter right gives the mobility right to travel into any jurisdiction. No, once they hit the border and are across our border in the NWT, at that point our CPHO, our Chief Public Health Officer, has the authority to restrict travel as she sees fit. Yes, they can come across the border. When they put one step in our border, it's our jurisdiction.
Once they put that first step into the Northwest Territories, who is going to pay that hotel bill in regard to the 14-day isolation plan? Is it us? Are taxpayers in the Northwest Territories going to pay, or is it going to be the person who is coming in out of province. Who pays?
At this point, essential workers are the only ones that the Chief Public Health Officer is allowing to travel within the Northwest Territories. My understanding is that, when she opens up the phase 2, according to what I've heard from the Minister today, it still won't be leisurely travel; it will be more essential workers. There is a family reunification clause in there, I think, that she was looking at, as well. At this point, it is still just essential workers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I know, a lot of the House here, a lot of calls that we get are for hospitals, health and social services, medical travel. I have a couple questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. With talks that we're going to the next phase here now, I know that we have a lot of medical travel requests and we have a lot of hospital visits. My first question for the Minister is: is there going to be talk of any policy changes in terms of visits, number of visitors you're allowed? One of the main questions I'm asking is for hospital visits for patients. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the beginning of the containment stage, we had very restricted visitors into any of our health centres or our hospitals, mostly for the safety of our patients and especially our long-term care residents. Now that we are in phase 1, there have been some changes. Right now, anybody going in has screening at the door. If you have flu-like symptoms, we monitor you coming in. As well, long-term care visitations are still cancelled. Visitation to accute care is limited to one per visit. I think the Member will be quite happy once I send him an email response when we're done session.
Marsi cho. I'm looking forward to that email. I would like to share that with everybody. Are there any other commitments that we can hear from the Minister in terms of when we move into the next phase in terms of hospital policies? What kind of things can we expect to hear, something high-level, just something that we know what to expect going forward?
Thursday morning at 7:30, we have a meeting with AOC, with our Chief Public Health Officer, and our deputy enforcement, so we'll be meeting to talk about phase 2 and what that means. There is an opportunity for us to have questions so we can just confirm some of the restrictions that are lifted. The last thing that we need is for us to misrepresent what the Chief Public Health Officer's orders are. She can give us clarification, but I can find out, as well, right away for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After listening to the Premier talk about the beauty of the NWT, which is indisputable, and how everyone should come here and see it for themselves, I learned that the GNWT will be offering two weeks of special leave to staff if they leave the territory. Can the Minister of Finance confirm that that is, in fact, the case? Thank you.
