Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I would like to see on that is a cost between what it costs for enforcement versus education, so I guess it would be the last line of defence versus the cost of the first line of defence. The last question I have is: can the Minister tell me how much emphasis is placed on education addiction support in the battle to reduce access to drug dependency in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, that's a big question. Education is part of addiction support that I would assume would include everything from being able to call a counselor to being sent away for counseling and aftercare. I can give a little bit of information about what's happening. In the schools, in grades seven to nine, there is a program typically offered called the Fourth R, and it's a skill-focused and relationship-based program. Each grade level includes a unit on substance abuse and addictions and related behaviours, and that makes up a good chunk of the program. The high school level, there is the Healthy Relationships Program Plus, which includes a unit on the impact of substance use and abuse. There are counselling supports in schools, whether it be the Child and Youth Care counselors, itinerant travelling, mental health school-based counselors, community counselling program, and so on.
I'll speak a little bit about the education done by the Department of Health. The Department Health has the Dope Experience, which is a campaign focused on cannabis, which was developed in consultation with Northerners and northern youth and northern youth supporters. There is a public awareness campaign about opioids, there is the My Voice, My Choice campaign for youth wellness, and there is the NWT Help Line Facebook page. There is a lot of effort being put into this. That being said, there are a lot of things out there. I've spoken to students in school. There are so many things that they need to get to into in the curriculum, but this is one of them. I think, sometimes, it's in one ear, out the other. There is no easy fix. I've listed off a ton of things that are happening. This is something that takes collaboration, not just with the government and organizations, but with every individual, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, my first question is: does the Minister acknowledge that there is an issue of systemic racism faced by Indigenous staff within the correctional division of the Department of Justice? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, in the Member's statement, she referenced comments by the Prime Minister about systemic racism, by the AFN National Chief about systemic racism, and she could have referenced the MLA for Hay River North's comments at the Black Lives Matter rally at Hay River recently because, in every western institution, there is systemic racism. There is no getting around it, and anyone who disagrees I think is willfully blind. That said, it's how we deal with it. The North, I think we do a better job than other places, but these are systems that were created in a colonial culture. Systemic racism exists, and we have to deal with it. We have to use the advantages we have in the territory and the people we have in the territory to ensure that it doesn't creep into our systems and then, when it is there, that we can get it out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Addresses against systemic racism must start somewhere. Can the Minister explain what the terms of reference are for the recent workplace assessment, which is being completed by an independent contractor, and explain what the expected outcomes are? Also, would the systemic racism issues in the files that were presented by my constituents be addressed by this assessment? If not, how is the Minister going to address these issues?
I apologize. I'll talk slower for the interpreters. I know I've been racing through things. The workplace assessment is being undertaken by a third party across corrections. The goal of that is to tease out the issues that employees feel they are facing, to determine how the workplace relationships, roles, responsibilities, and the operations of the corrections services can be improved. From the data that is collected, I'm going to make sure that we look at that data with an eye to systemic racism and what could be symptoms of systemic racism.
I know there are a number of questions in that single question, so I'll try to answer all of them. The Member has brought constituent issues to me. I believe that some of those constituents might be participating in this assessment, and if they are, I hope they bring those cases forward. As I stated, I'm going to make sure that we look for systemic racism. Again, I don't have an intimate knowledge of this assessment and the questions being asked, but perhaps those might not exactly target systemic racism in the way that we would like them to. I'm going to make sure that we try and tease those out, if we can.
The Minister sent me some emails, which were puzzling, regarding the individual files and my concerns of systemic racism at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex. Bureaucratic answers given to me by the Minister when this is such a hot and pressing issue for my constituents who are Indigenous staff are not acceptable. Will the Minister be more thoughtful, considerate, and give more compassionate solutions to systemic racism within the corrections system?
The Member is correct. She received bureaucratic responses from me, which are not common. Those are usually the ones that are sent back, but when they are answers to HR issues, I'm going to send a bureaucratic response. I don't want to get into the specifics of HR issues. That's not a Minister's role. That being said, there are times when HR issues can indicate a larger pattern, and that's when we do have to pay attention. I have read every document that the Member has shared with me from her constituents, and I am using that to help inform my understanding of the justice system.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, the Indigenous staff at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex deserve justice. Systemic racism at this facility is unacceptable and must be corrected. I am wondering if the Minister will take the high road, do the correct thing, and acknowledge systemic racism. My question is: will the Minister consider doing an external review of the Fort Smith Correctional Complex? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Right now, we have a workplace assessment that is happening, and I've been looking forward to seeing the results of that. Frankly, if the results of that warrant some additional investigation, then I'm happy to pursue that, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services related to her statement in the House on October 15th, where, I quote, "the reason it's in the South is because people can get in right away." How long does it take from the time one accesses help and wants treatment to arriving at a treatment facility? From what I've seen and from what I've heard, it's not such an easy process to navigate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer to this question really depends on a number of variables. The person who wants to go into treatment starts by discussing that possibility with their doctor, nurse practitioner, counsellor, or a health professional of that kind. They then take a look at what needs to be in place to access the facilities. There is a new assessment now for COVID that has to be completed. There are questions whether medical detox will be required. There are some variables there that need to be worked out. Then, the person applies to the facility and gets an answer about how long the waiting time will be. The Poundmaker's Lodge waiting time now is 10 days to two weeks; Aventa, which is the facility specifically for women, is between four and six weeks; Edgewood in BC is between six and 12 weeks; and Fresh Start in Calgary, which is specifically for men, is between eight and 12 weeks. It is worth noting that, because we have contracts with these facilities, our clients are prioritized for admission. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister for that. My next question is based on her statements, the same day where she said, I just want to be very clear, that we're focusing the department on things like after-care and things like on-the-land healing and what supports we can put in place to help people hang onto their sobriety when they come back. Well, after-care, yes, we've all agreed here that that is extremely important, but how is the department looking at ways it engages with residents in need of culturally respectful community treatment, like our priority says, and other ways within the local GNWT mental health and addictions departments?
What the department of health has done is really had the Indigenous organizations take the lead on on-the-land treatment by having a pot of money for them to apply for in order to provide programming where they want to and in what form they want to. This is a fund that is easy to apply for and which has few restrictions on the way that money is spent. In terms of other kinds of after-care, such as AA, that doesn't exist in every community. Some communities don't feel there is enough confidentiality to offer AA. There are apps for the phone. There are client surveys every two years, which look at how the treatment programs and after-care programs have assisted or not assisted the residents, so we are taking a multifaceted approach, knowing that it isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition.
I'm looking for the Minister to commit to see if she can look at more of an outreach-type drug and addiction counsellor, for example setting up space in our shelters to aid with building the trust and relationship and better be able to assist them navigate the process of choosing help.
Certainly, I can commit to that approach. It's a common-sense approach, to meet people where they are at, where they congregate, and to talk to them there about what kinds of supports they need or referrals. I know that, often, in the shelters, medical practitioners do visit, counselors do visit, or people can have appointments at medical facilities. This is something we're very interested in doing, is meeting clients where they are at in order to provide them with the services they need.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I look forward to seeing that in my community. Will the GNWT also commit to changing the way mental health and addiction service is done? I know we have the mental health and addiction counselors within the GNWT. The way that they work within the system with each region will be different, and I understand that. What would a culturally respectful community drug and alcohol program look like, including elders and traditional spaces, with the counselors that we have currently within the GNWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you for that question. This is an area in which I need to take a little time to think about how this might be applicable. We have the child and youth care counsellors and the Community Counselling Program, and I think they operate within offices. They don't go out to on-the-land camps or other types of settings. The question is: how would we make that work better? I think it's a really good question, and I look forward to working with the Member to figure out how that can be implemented. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Finance, who is responsible for the NWT carbon tax. Earlier today, I discussed some of the shortcomings of the large emitter carbon tax grant program. Can the Minister confirm whether there was any public engagement and work with standing committee to develop the large carbon emitter carbon tax grant program? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There hasn't been a formal engagement process since the time that the regime was proposed back in the 18th Assembly. However, the Standing Committee on Government Operations has been consulted both at the time of the 18th Assembly, as well as here earlier in 2020, as I think the MLA did earlier reference. They were given a copy in advance of the large emitter grant policy back in March, and similarly, the industry itself, the large emitters themselves who would be subject to this, were also given an opportunity for some feedback on this, which came after the committee's opportunity to review. Then, there were some, I believe, adjustments to some of those documents and templates after that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the Minister for that. I can assure the Minister there was very little consultation with committee in terms of developing the actual bill that was brought forward, and that was one of the reasons why I voted against it in the last Assembly. The Minister promised that there would be some consultation on the development of these guidelines, and I'm not convinced that really happened. On to my question: can the Minister tell us whether there have been any applications under the large emitter carbon tax grant program or policy, and if so, how many have been successful?
The accounts for this program were only set up as of March 31, 2020, which obviously falls and coincides quite a bit with what is happening with COVID-19. As of this point, with a few months, no, there have not been any applications yet to date.
I want to thank the Minister for that, and I'm kind of not surprised, given the high bar that the current guidelines put on applicants. Can the Minister tell us what the available revenues are projected for the 2020-2021 fiscal year for large emitter carbon tax grant program? Sorry, I did give the Minister a head's up before coming to the House today.
Yes. I do happen to have those numbers now right in front of me. For the fiscal year of 2020-2021, we are projecting $25 million in carbon tax revenues, which, based on that projection and assuming no drawdowns, at the end of this fiscal year, the large emitter individual accounts would be estimated to be just over $2 million.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for those figures. Earlier today, I outlined some of the limitations with the large emitter carbon tax grant program and policy. These include the narrow scope of the eligibility criteria that does not encourage innovation or experimentation; the requirement for a third-party engineering assessment; the lack of public reporting of any project submitted or approved; there are no forums for submission of projects; and more. Would the Minister agree that it is already time to review the large emitter carbon tax grant program and policy, and how will she ensure this time that there is some level of accountability and public engagement while working with standing committee? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Fortunately, this is a policy-based item, so there certainly is opportunity to refine it as it has now rolled out and before any applications come in. Again, it's fairly early in its stages. The Member mentions the need for innovation, the desire for innovation. I have actually heard the same from industry, that they also want the opportunity to innovate, that they want the opportunity to access these funds, to be real leaders in this area. To the extent that that can be considered, I think that is a great opportunity. Again, the policy itself is not complex. It's not lengthy. It may very easily be subject to the opportunity to fix it and to move forward with it in a way that is really meaningful and that will address these issues that are coming forward now, at this early stage. It is the right time to be looking at it. It is the right time to be having that engagement. Mr. Speaker, indeed, as I have said, industry has already been in contact around this. Now, the Member is also speaking to it. I am quite certain that we will be able to find a way forward that is accountable and innovative. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about a number of issues I believe the Department of Lands is facing. In general, I think the theme was that we have a lot of work giving land back, whether it be to Indigenous governments, residents, companies, or municipalities. My first question for the Minister of Lands is: can I get an update on the mandate commitment to have a process guide for transferring land to municipalities by winter 2021? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. I did have the opportunity to meet with a number of the Yellowknife MLAs and talked about it. We have a draft process that we are working on. We shared it with the City of Yellowknife, but we are now finalizing it. We will hope to have it within this session.
I do believe that is a mandate commitment that is well ahead of schedule, so I congratulate the Minister on that. However, Mr. Speaker, the process guide is really only the first step. It is how and when we will transfer the land that matters, so what I am looking for in order to stop asking this question of the Minister repeatedly is: can I get a firm date when we expect the land transfer to the City of Yellowknife to be completed?
The Department of Lands is very much committed to transfer vacant land to the City of Yellowknife or any municipality that wishes it. Unfortunately, I cannot give a firm date because it depends on a number of things, the City of Yellowknife, our Indigenous governments, as we try to work forward. It is about working together. If we need to, we will address small parcels of lands or projects moving forward right now.
I do believe that, if we cannot get a firm date based on the process guide, then some work needs to be done. Mr. Speaker, I recognize that one of the solutions with land transfer is to break it down into smaller parcels. I am glad to hear the Minister say that. I spoke today in my statement about Deninu Kue First Nation trying to build an RV park on interim land that requires one of the largest land claims in Canada to be settled before they can build an RV park. Mr. Speaker, I believe there is a disconnect between these problems. Is the Minister willing to create a similar process for transferring land to Indigenous governments outside of the formal land claim process?
Mr. Speaker, the department is able to transfer land to Indigenous governments, much like it does to any applicants for public land. When the Indigenous government is interested in acquiring land, their corporation or the business arm of their organization needs to submit their lease application moving forward.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That answer almost had everything, and then he said, "lease application." What I am looking for is a process guide to transfer land in fee simple. Is the Minister willing to do that? I am sick of leases. I want to transfer and provide some certainty to our Indigenous governments, to our municipalities. Is the Minister willing to create a process document for land in fee simple or Aboriginal title, whatever it may be?
The Member is probably going to not like my answer: no. We are working with the municipalities, and we are working with Indigenous governments. We need to work through a consultation process. I just spent the last two hours with an Indigenous government actually talking about this process. We are working with everybody to try to resolve this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
