Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, absolutely, I will commit to that, thank you.
Mahsi. Mahsi, thank you. Okay, Mr. Speaker, the development of the community around the school is important. We need to ensure the families and elders is close to school so children learn and develop pride in their language and culture. Can the Minister commit to work with Municipal and Community Affairs for planning and development of lands in Behchoko. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The exact process that's involved with building a school in a community, I can't say that I am overly familiar with how ECE works with Infrastructure who works with MACA who works with Lands, it's very operational. But whatever we need to do to ensure a successful project, I am committed to doing that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, white collar jobs are not for everyone. In Tlicho region and across the NWT, we need people trained in trades. If residents have trade skills, we can take care of ourselves. We can build homes, build infrastructure, fix machinery, keep the lights on and water running. Therefore, can the Minister commit to ensure introductory to trades program are central focus for Education, Culture and Employment? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I agree with the Member, skilled tradespeople are key to the economic success and prosperity in the Northwest Territories. So I've heard a lot about the need for additional trades programming and giving high school students and younger students even more access to the trades, more opportunities. And so our curriculum review and our Education Act modernization have, through the engagements we've heard a lot about that, and so going forward that will be a focus. I can't commit to offering certain programs in certain schools. Of course the education bodies definitely have a say in what's offered and how it's offered, but I can assure the Member that there is a keen interest at all levels from everyone who is involved with the education system to enhance access to trades and gives students more opportunities to get into trades. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.
Okay. Can the Minister commit to working with local businesses and schools to develop skills for employment and for employment opportunities for youth after high school. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that's one of the things that ECE does. We do have the number of programs that try to connect employers with student so students can actually gain experience while they're in school. We are rolling out career and education counsellors to help connect employers with students and figure out and help students figure out what they need to get to the careers they want. So that's exactly the type of work that we are undertaking at this moment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I have questions for the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, Hay River was fortunate to have busing restored this school year. We can go back and forth pointing fingers but it's best to learn from what went wrong and how to avoid those mistakes in the future. Our decisions must not take away from what works but to make what works better.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if the $400,000 the DEA received from the DEC can be used for busing in future years or does that $400,000 have to be spent this fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for ECE.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the Member is speaking about one of the issues we spoke about in the summer when we were in this House, whether or not there would be money for bussing. And at that time, I was of the mind that there would be more than enough money for busing because I knew what was in the bank. And as it turns out, the projected deficit of nearly a million dollars was actually a surplus of nearly a million dollars, so there was more than enough money for busing. And the DEA's share of that is somewhere around $400,000. We do have a surplus retention policy. We do want schools to actually spend money on education and not squirrel it away in the bank, but I do, as Minister, have the opportunity to allow DEAs to put money aside if they want to save up for future expenditures such as busing. So yes, those funds I would allow the DEA to put aside and use in future years.
I just want to point out as well, Mr. Speaker, that this has been a longstanding issue, bus funding in Hay River. A few years back there was a review of student transportation that was done. As a result of that, in the year in the fiscal 20182019, there was an increase to student transportation funding of $800,000 in the territory. That's around the same time that this surplus retention policy came into effect. And since then, every year since then there has been more than enough money for busing. The problem is that the money comes after the budgets are set. The DEAs are not allocated those funds until they already have their budget and they've made decisions about busing and then, you know, come September, October, November, they find out there's actually a few hundred thousand dollars they can use for busing, so. That's really the heart of the issue. It's not the lack of funding. It's just the process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one request I hear raised by many who cannot afford the busing fees put in place by the DEA is can this government do away with the busing fees for students. If we ever expect NWT students to be at par with their southern counterparts, then we must do everything we can to give them a leg up. Additional fees is not one of them.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if his department is willing to consider doing away with student busing fees, not only in Hay River but throughout the NWT, by taking that option out of the Education Act and regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Everything's on the table right now when we're looking at modernizing the Education Act. Any changes we make to the regulations have to be done in consultation with the education bodies. So it's not something that I can just do on my own. That being said, I think it's important to get rid of as many barriers as we can to students getting education. And so ensuring that students can access transportation when they need to is one of my priorities and whether that is an elimination of fees or whether that is a system where income is taken into consideration, I'm looking at those options for this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister, in order to resolve the issue of whether there would be busing in Hay River, had to take the unordinary step of conducting an investigation where it was stated that the Hay River DEA made a difficult decision on student transportation on the premise that it had no other option. And the report went on to say in doing so, the Hay River DEA failed to meet its legal and procedural obligations in making policy under the transportation of students regulations and delivered a decision that fails to meet the standard of reasonableness.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the Minister, in light of the overall report and conclusions by the investigator on whether or not the Hay River DEA fulfilled its duties under the Education Act and regulations as it pertains to student busing, what changes, if any, will be made so this does not happen again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the fact that it came to this investigation is a symptom of some of the issues we have in the education system. The ambiguity in the Education Act, the massive responsibilities that local DEAs have without the appropriate, I guess, clerical and administrative support to carry out those responsibilities. And so I knew there were these issues coming in to this Assembly and that's why I said, since day one, that this busing issues is one of my priorities and I want to address it before we are done here.
So I am going to take steps to ensure that this doesn't happen again. And that includes working in collaboration with the DEA. I've spoken with the chair and I've let him know that nearly $400,000 that the DEA received can in fact, I'm willing to let them use that in future years in order to ensure that busing services are available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government talks about reconciliation. Our communities talk about reconciliation. However, when I review the legislation concerning the makeup of Hay River District Educational Council, there is no requirement to ensure diversity. Hay River has a number of Indigenous governments but these governments have no seats allocated to them on the education board while our neighbors in Fort Smith have seats set aside for Members appointed by the town, by Salt River First Nation, and the Fort Smith Metis Council. I believe if we would have some diversity, this busing issue would have been addressed in accordance with the student busing regulations and we probably would have found money a lot sooner.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister consider exploring the option, in consultation with the First NationsMetis Government Council and the Town of Hay River, an arrangement similar to Fort Smith to ensure diversity on the Hay River District Education Authority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And with all things education, we're governed by the Education Act and I believe it is section 86 that allows for petition to the Minister to make those types of changes. The petition would require either 50 percent of the adult population in a community, or 50 adults in that community, whichever is less. So it's a relatively low bar for somewhere like Hay River. If there's a petition with 50 signatures to make these types of changes, then that can be considered, and I'm sure the clerk's office would help the Member put together a petition in no time. I'm sure that he could get those signatures probably before the end of this sitting, because I know that there's a lot appetites to make those types of changes. But that being said, we all have to get along and we all have to work together so we would ensure that the DEA, as well as those organizations that the Member mentioned, that we're all on the same page. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, further to my statement today, could the Minister of Infrastructure announce to this House which other community airports, by name, that were affected by the similar actions experienced by the community of Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the names in front of me right now but I can, in the House perhaps next week, get those the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Infrastructure budget that we looked at yesterday, Fort Simpson is also replacing lighting on the runway. Has the width or length been altered on this particular airport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know that in front of me right now. If I were perhaps given a heads up, I could prepare something. I can commit to the Member when I give her the names to provide that information as well. Thank you.
Member for Frame Lake.
Merci Monsieur le President. My question's for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I want to follow up on some important facets for the proposed regional study for the Slave Geological Province.
In June of this year, his department carried out extensive aerial surveys of caribou herds including the Bathurst herd, and of course those surveys were delayed by a year. Can the Minister describe results of those surveys and, more specifically, the results for the Bathurst herd. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for ENR.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for the question. This summer ENR completed surveys to obtain updated population estimates for the five barrenground caribou herds: the Tuk Peninsula herd, Cape Bathurst herd, the BluenoseEast herd, and the BluenoseWest herd, and the Bathurst herd. Calving ground photo surveys were successfully completed in June for the Bathurst and the BluenoseEast herd, and a composition survey was done in October. The 2021 estimates for these two herds will be released shortly to all co-management partners and committee. In December, we are planning to meet with the Bathurst Caribou Advisory Committee and all interested Indigenous governments and organizations to discuss the new establishments and moving forwards.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I can't share it. We needed to follow our process and in the process work with our Indigenous partners first then and committee and then make it public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I don't fault the Minister in wanting to follow due process, but of course the Bathurst caribou herd is at a critically low point but our government continues to steamroll ahead with plans for an allweather road that would inevitably cause irreversible harm to the Bathurst herd.
So can the Minister tell us whether or government is prepared to stop or pause the work on the Slave Geological Corridor until a regional study is completed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I explained in this House the GNWT can't try to influence decisions. Regional studies unfortunately fall under the federal government's authority under the MVRMA, I believe that's what it is too many acronyms some days. The GNWT has not developed a position on the regional study. Cabinet will seek input from regular Members on potential positions once input has been received from Indigenous governments. So we're more than willing to work together collaboratively with our Indigenous partners to come up with a position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I'll try to give him a real gift here, all he has to say is yes.
So with regard, though, to the Slave Geological Province regional study, you know, participant funding is going to be a central issue. And in the last Assembly, my friend, the Honourable R. C. McLeod said, on March 2nd, 2016, We recognize the value of having our NWT residents participate in a lot of these processes and will continue to the Member that I will continue to raise these issues with our federal counterparts.
So my question to this Minister is does government actually support the concept of participant funding and is it prepared to push for participant funding as part of a regional study. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I can tell you that the GNWT is talking to our Indigenous governments, to the Nunavut government and the federal government, in order to understand relevant views and interests about the GNWT's or the government's request, the Tlicho's governments request. Any GNWT position will take in account the views of all parties and stakeholders, including MLAs. The GNWT has encouraged the federal government to consider federal funding opportunities recognizing there should be a regional study moved forward with significant federal finance support would be required, including participants funding. And you heard me yesterday, this area should be the federal government's responsibility because they are responsible for this very act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I guess I will take it one step back. Does this government actually support the concept of participant funding in general for environmental assessment, and I'm hoping the Minister's actually going to say, yes. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only person that can speak for the Government of the Northwest Territories is the Premier. What I can say, though, from ENR's perspective, yes, we want to work with our Indigenous governments. We need their input to move forward. It's very much about engaging and consultation with our Indigenous governments. So if he wants an government overall approach, he needs to ask that question to the Premier. But from ENR's perspective, we think participants need to work together we need to get money to work for it to address our issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions, Minister for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I appreciate her informing this House previously that we have a 26.3 percent vacancy rate in nursing positions and this is a 10 percent increase since 2020. However I was hoping the Minister could help me quantify what that means at Stanton specifically where the OBS unit has closed. Can the Minister tell us currently how many positions are funded at Stanton Territorial Hospital, and how many of them are not actually filled. Thank you. Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the question. The staff component at Stanton Territorial Hospital is 466 and the vacancy rate was 13.1 percent as of June 30th. And there are 61 positions that were actively being recruited for as of June 30th. Those are the most recent statistics I have. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know there is a lot of efforts being done to make sure we fill those 61 positions, and I know that it's costly not to fill them. And I was hoping the Minister could inform us with this latest closure of obstetrics, what is the estimated cost of sending all those patients to Edmonton to give birth as opposed to, if they were able to, here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have an answer for the Member, but I want to say at the beginning that any recruiting efforts we are successful with right now will likely take a few weeks to implement, especially if the person needs to relocate to Yellowknife from another place.
To the costs of sending the patients to Edmonton, it's our estimate that it will be approximately $12,500 for the patient and her escort to go to Edmonton and stay there for 28 days, or four weeks. This cost includes flights, accommodation, transportation, and meals for the traveler and her escort. And those services may be augmented by the pregnant person's own employee benefit plans if the person has those available to them by the NIHB or by other employer benefits, depending on who they work for. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just doing some onthefly math, I believe there was 90 Yellowknife residents. I know there was some Nunavut residents who were also affected. But 90 times $12,500 is $1,125,000. Can I just get a clarification on that $12,500 statistic? Is that the cost of all the medical travel and the accommodations, and does it include I believe if we send someone to birth in Edmonton, Alberta Health Services is going to bill us back for those services. Does it include that number and if not, what would that be? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe that this number includes the cost of service from Alberta Health Services. This is the medical travel cost. But I can find out what the billing would be, or at least a range. You know, some deliveries are very straightforward and others aren't, as we all know, and so that may also impact the amount of money that is spent with Alberta Health Services for their support. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would appreciate the Minister following up with what we expect Alberta to bill us back. I know that they bill us back millions of dollars a year, and I expect that births, even one complicated birth, can get very expensive really quickly. And I guess my point here is that this closure is becoming a million dollar cost to us. I think that's quite clear. We're in that range. And I know it's been reported that the OBS nurses for years have been asking for an additional staff person and there's some debate about, you know, about whether that is needed. But I think this is proven that, you know, one closure is easily more than the cost of funding that staff position. So my question for the Minister is there is a political win here where we can fund an additional OBS nurse and hope that this closure never happens again? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
