Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just different set of questions. I wanted to follow up. I heard the Minister of Health and Social Services say that we have a 40 percent vacancy rate amongst our doctors which, you know, nobody's happy with that percentage; I'm sure we all agree on that. I just want to know one of the paths to increasing that is to make sure we are training and growing our own doctors and making sure we do have the capacity to take on medical resident students. I'm hoping the Minister of health could update this House how many residencies we presently have. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a real health success story. The NWT Family Medical Residency Program was launched in connection with the University of Alberta in July of 2020 as a way to train and retain potential candidates for family doctor positions within the NWT. So the first two residents started the program in 2020. Then two more were added in 2021 for a total of four. In 2022, two more were added and two graduated. And this year two more will be added, and two will graduate. So it's a twoyear program with two residents in each year.
So I also want to say that this same group, Practice NWT, will be supporting the University of Alberta North of 60 Medical Student Northern Medicine Weekend where 14 medical students will come to Yellowknife to learn about the opportunities available to them here. And they will be doing presentations and job shadows at Stanton Territorial Hospital to find out what we have to offer and see whether it meets their career aspirations. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm attempted to ask whether we can just give all 14 of those students a contract as soon as they get off the plane. But my understanding is that currently med schools, they're nowhere near graduating enough doctors to fill the demand and the reason they won't let more students in is because there's not enough residencies. So there's this kind of fight going on between the med schools and the provinces and territories. So I just want to make sure we're doing our part to grow the residencies. Are there any plans to expand residency further? I heard the Minister say we got these two each additional year for family medicine. But there's a lot of specialties and there's kind of an insatiable demand on both sides for residencies and doctors. So is there any further plans to expand our residencies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's true the family residency program is just one. We don't have any other formal programs. But medical residents do come to the NWT from time to time to study there. The limitations on this program are funding. And the ability of resident doctors to provide preceptor or mentorship to the residents. So where we have such a high vacancy rate at the moment, that really is a limiting factor for how many residents we can take at this time. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the line of questioning from my colleague from Nunakput kind of tweaked my interest. So I've got a question for the Minister responsible, either Infrastructure or NTPC. I would like to know ask the Minister what immediate electrical backup or supports is provided to residents in small communities where power could be out for long durations; you know, longer than a day? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation you know, every region, every community's different. We have some communities that rely predominantly on hydro and we have some most of our communities rely on diesel. And, you know, it is quite different. The power corporation works with the communities, with the hamlets, with the you know, the bands. The list goes on. Just to work together to ensure that, you know, if there is a power outage for a significant time that we have open communication. And, you know, it is our goal all the time to ensure that we have systems in place, and we have staff that are, you know, on their way to a community as quick as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I apologize to the Minister for putting her on the spot without giving her questions ahead of time, but I guess what I'm trying to I'm going to do here is offer a solution. It's a small one. But, like, power outages in small remote communications can be devastating. So would the Minister be willing to support an upgrade to homes that would allow for them to tie in small generators? Because most communities, a lot of people have smaller generators and if they have an upgrade to their panel, they can the power goes out; they'll be able to flick a breaker and be able to hook up their own power source which would probably give them their furnace and at least the lights. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, each community has emergency facilities that are powered to accommodate members. So, you know, in some of our communities we like I mentioned earlier, along the lines of Member from Nunakput where we had we had the school and health centre backup as quick as possible. We do have emergency equipment. Some homeowners can do that, and we have a program for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad to hear that the you know, they have a program. And I think it's important that, you know, when we're looking at building homes in the North, and especially in the smaller communities, that we incorporate that into the build because it's just a you know, it's a minor upgrade to when they're putting the panels in. So would the Minister be willing to, you know for her department to offset some of those costs as well? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to back up here for a second. I do I did mention that there's a power for this there's a program for this. And I don't believe there is, I'd have to confirm. I would hate to stand here in the House and just commit to something, to say that we have programs for this and programs for that when in fact, perhaps, maybe we don't. So I just want to retract what I committed to saying that we have programs. I don't believe we do. I'd have to look into it and get back to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, you know, I think it would be well worth adding that into, something like that for the smaller communities. Like I say, it's not a big cost and I think that would you know, it would really be beneficial to homeowners. So, again, I just ask the Minister to you know, if she would at least commit to looking into it and hopefully doing and the other thing is talk to her colleague there, the Minister responsible for Housing as well because a lot of the units are public housing units and maybe they can be incorporated into that, you know, over a number of years and as new builds come forward. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, power outages negatively impact customers also. You know, it is extra cost for Northwest Territories Power Corporation due to, you know, sending staff into the communities, travel costs for repairs, some of the equipment damage. You know, we do have aging infrastructure within our power corporation. And, you know, as we look to switching over to a more greener provider for the communities. I think that we need to look at that.
And I do want to note, Mr. Speaker, customers here in the Northwest Territories experience approximately three to four times more power outages than the Canadian average. It's just something that we you know, it's not Mr. Speaker, that's not what we like to hear. But we are doing, you know, the best we can to be able to ensure that we work with our communities and we have staff on the ground when and where possible as quick as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question here entitled "Government of the Northwest Territories Sole Source Contracting under Procurement Criteria 1.8.2(a)."
Government contract regulations require all contracts be issued through a competitive process, unless they meet the regulatory requirements for sole source contracting. The Government of the Northwest Territories can enter into sole source contracts based on narrow criteria. One of these criteria states that performance of the contract is urgently required and delay would be injurious to the public interest. My questions are:
By GNWT Department, what portion by amount and by rate of contracting is awarded under each of the procurement categories, including sole sources by each of the three criteria under 1.8.2;
What is the average length of time of contracts awarded under sole source criteria 1.8.2(a);
What is the rate of sole source contracts awarded under criteria 1.8.2(a) that undergo change orders; and
What is the average rate of increase of change orders awarded under criteria 1.8.2(a)?
Can I keep going, Mr. Speaker, or would you like me to sit down?
Maybe I'll just read it again just so people know it's a different set of questions. Written questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question here entitled "Sole Source Contracting for Northwest Territories Health and Social Services under Procurement Criteria 1.8.2(a)."
Government contract regulations require that contracts be issued through a competitive process, unless they meet the regulatory requirements for sole source contracting. The GNWT can enter into sole source contracts based on narrow criteria. One of these criteria states that performance of the contract is urgently required, and delay would be injurious to the public interest:
What budgetary total and portion of amount and rate of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority’s contracting is awarded under the sole source criteria 1.8.2(a) provision which states "performance of the contract is urgently required and delay would be injurious to the public interest;”
What is the average length of time of contracts awarded under sole source criteria 1.8.2(a);
What is the rate of sole source contracts awarded under criteria 1.8.2(a) that undergo change orders;
What is the average rate of increase of change orders awarded under criteria 1.8.2(a); and
Given a significant amount of sole source contracts awarded by NTHSSA under criteria 1.8.2(a) are largely for training, goods, and some ongoing services, why are longterm sole source contracts used rather than shortterm contracts to address urgent needs followed by a competitive contract process for longterm needs?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Written questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question here entitled "Use of Indigenous Languages on Official Documents."
The last update I received from the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to the Indigenous Fonts Working Group indicated the group had not yet met. As such, I have the following questions:
Will the Minister table the Terms of Reference for the interdepartmental Indigenous Fonts Working Group;
Has the working group met and is their work moving forward;
Has the working group delivered on the task to "assess the upstream and downstream implications of changes to the collection and sharing of information using Indigenous fonts and diacritics for affected programs and services to minimize disruption and impact to clients"? If yes, will the Minister please advise of the results of this work;
Has the working group identified the technical requirements and financial implications of changes to the existing information systems? If yes, what were the results; and
What are the intended next steps and deliverables of the working group?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following two documents: Model Bill for the Rebate of NWT Carbon Taxes; and, a letter from the federal minister of northern affairs to the Tlicho Grand Chief regarding a Regional Study for the Slave Geological Province dated February 3rd, 2023. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, I will move the following motion:
Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to pause the garnishment of elders and Indian residential school survivors’ pension to pay for Housing NWT arrears immediately;
And further, Housing NWT identify all elders aged 60 and over and consenting Indian residential school survivors in public housing who currently owe arrears or who are having their pension garnished;
And further, Housing NWT implement the principles of the collections policy and develop a strategy by the 2023 fiscal year to determine the feasibility and reasonableness of collecting arrears from elders and Indian residential school survivors;
And further, in an act of reconciliation, Housing NWT forgive arrears that cannot be collected despite demonstrated effort for elders and Indian residential school survivors;
And further, the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, I will present Bill 74, Forest Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Government House Leader.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, I will present Bill 75, Council of Women and Gender Diversity Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 72, Opioid Damages and Healthcare Costs Recovery Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 73, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 4, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Bill 73 has had first reading and is ready for second reading.
First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 23, Bill 29, Bill 60, Bill 61, Bill 62, Bill 66, 67, and 68, Committee Report 4019(2), Committee Report 4319(2), Committee Report 4419(2), Committee Report 4519(2), Minister's Statement 26419(2), Tabled Document 68119(2), Tabled Document 64919(2), Tabled Document 81319(2).
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 81319(2), 20232024 Main Estimates, Health and Social Services. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
