Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder what the Minister can commit to do in having his department work with the Department of Infrastructure to understand the value of the regional strategic environmental assessment as preparations are made for the SGP Road Project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ensuring that we are sharing the information that comes out of these studies as we move forward collectively, gathering information is certainly important. I think it's a big part of ensuring that the projects are moving together collaboratively. And in the early stages of developing the terms of reference, we want to ensure that the timelines for the study are accurate. And to specifically questions related to the criteria and the timeline for the regional study, we oh, sorry, the GNWT is not my apologies, Mr. Speaker, could I ask the Member to repeat the question, please.
Member from Yellowknife North, please rephrase your question.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this is a question of cumulative impact assessment that looks at the whole region in a holistic way, and then we have a road project that this government is leading that, if it pushes ahead, will have to have a specific environmental assessment done for it but there's value in seeing a holistic regional assessment to understand the broader impacts before going ahead with the road project. So what I was getting at was given that the Department of Environment and Climate Change includes many staff working on cumulative impact assessment, what can the department do to work with the Department of Infrastructure to understand the value of that work as they plan the road project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I think the key to success here is that the departments all work together and look at it from a wholeofgovernment approach in how we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that Canada and the GNWT's bound legally by section 35 in UNDRIP to bring themselves in compliance with Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 rights, the question is how is this new government working to implement section 35 UNDRIP with existing treaties in partnership with Indigenous governments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Could you tell me who you're asking?
Premier. Mahsi.
Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So with the passage of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, we are now obliged through that legislation to develop an action plan for implementation of UNDRIP, and that is going to be and it's legislated to be codeveloped with Indigenous governments, and so that is the avenue to address a lot of these issues. And if there is things such as taxation that the government would like addressed, the time to bring it up is right at the beginning so that work can happen during the development of that action plan. Thank you.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the oath of office for all the MLAs, again, it just talks about that we'll continue to honour and respect the treaties signed with Indigenous governments, so help me God. So I am happy to hear that from the Premier. Thank you for that.
How do we ensure future laws do not impose taxes on First Nations in breaching trust sorry, breach of their treaty rights on Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 territory? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And we are going through that process right now, and that is the land claim and selfgovernment negotiations. I think that is what we need to conclude to ensure that there is a welldefined relationship between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada, and the governments in Treaty 8 territory. And so in terms of the Akaitcho treaty that we hope to finalize in the not too distant future, that would be the place to identify those relationships, and that is why it is important that we get that AIP concluded, to reference the Member's questions from the other day. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Premier. Mr. Speaker, as you know that the territorial council or the Territorial Council Act was created in 1967. That's 67 years ago. So my question to the primary is will the Premier consider developing some taxation to Indigenous governments as to how they're going to deal with taxation on treaties? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, that's the work that is happening as we negotiate the Akaitcho treaty, and so I look forward to that progressing. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final oral supplementary. Member from Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you. And I understand the negotiation process. I was part of that process as well. Going back to 1967 to date, so it'd be nice if this government could start looking as to how we're going to be dealing with taxation through that process so that sorry? To the question. The question is basically through negotiations that the taxation compensation to Akaitcho Treaty 8 be looked at from 1967 going forward? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, it is that treaty process, so I look forward to or the negotiations, so I look forward to including this and being able to in future Assemblies say yes, those issues have been settled. The issues that the Member from Tu NedheWiilideh raised back in the 20th, we've dealt with those, we now have this the Akaitcho treaty and, you know, the Akaitcho people are exercising their inherent right to selfdetermination and selfgovernment. Thank you.
Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this week we've been seeing in the news news about funding to the Spruce Bough lapsing. I wish I had time for two Member's statements but I know you like to run a tight ship so I'll get to the question.
How does the Premier envision nonprofit programs like the Spruce Bough, who deliver critical services on behalf of the GNWT, fitting into the mandate stemming from the Assembly's priority of increasing access to health care? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member, can you tell me oh, the Premier? Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I don't want to preempt any mandate discussions that we need to have as a Cabinet, as a Caucus, but nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental organizations, are going to be essential and they are essential right now, but to the future operation of the territory they will be essential. They have significant expertise, significant ability, and flexibility to do a lot of the work that we need to get done, and so as we develop that mandate they will be at the forefront of my mind. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for the answers. Certainly myself and a number of Members have been pressuring him about the importance of long term funding for our NGOs, and I do appreciate his attention to the matter.
What are the government's plans to ensure sustainable and sufficient funding for the Spruce Bough program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, of course the Government of the Northwest Territories was providing funding for the operations of the Spruce Bough, and that was federal money that we were using and, of course, we always knew that that funding was going to run out and so, unfortunately, there wasn't a way to extend that funding. And so we're not at the point where that funding is going to expire. We have found some funding to allow the operation to extend for a few more months to buy us a bit more time. I believe that there are meetings happening maybe today or tomorrow with the most senior government officials and representatives from the Spruce Bough. So there are ways for us to work together. And that is actually the way to go forward. There are opportunities to unlock other pots of funding, find other funding from the federal government, maybe other sources, but we need to work together. We need to share information. And we need to have that same goal in mind and go in the same direction. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I've said, and I think many members have said before, that what we need our NGOs to be focusing on is doing the work and not necessarily looking for funding, and we do hope to see the GNWT supporting them in that.
Mr. Speaker, just to the point of buying time, I question the Premier, we constantly seem to be caught off guard by these funding pots lapsing that we've known years in advance are going to lapse. So why is the GNWT failing to plan ahead and ensure long term and sustainable funding for these critical programs in such a way that we don't have to buy time at the last minute to ensure that they continue? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the Government of the Northwest Territories certainly wasn't caught off guard. It was well known that this funding was time limited, but this is not a Government of the Northwest Territories program. And so what this does is it highlights the need for closer collaboration with the NGOs and, you know, to my earlier point, for information sharing between the government and NGOs so that these types of situations don't sneak up on anybody. Thank you.
Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, in 19th Assembly on June 1st, 2022, Motion 5419(2) called on the government to improve health care in the small communities. I want to ask the new Minister of Health and Social Services what has been done since that time to improve health care in the small community? Thank you.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for that question. Mr. Speaker, you know, we've heard in this House many times from many members, especially the representatives from the small communities, on health care in the small communities and, you know, we were we're going not just the Northwest Territories but Canada has been struggling with health care service providers, getting hiring permanent nursing, permanent doctors, so I think that there has been some work done. And I've mentioned this, you know, working with the paramedics in the small communities when needed to make sure that there's access to care. There's been the launch of the 811 service across the territory 24/7 over the phone to a registered nurse to provide residents with immediate health care assistance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since that motion was brought forward, can the Minister assure this House that the health care provided in small communities has seen some improvements? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I can't understate the challenge that we face in the Northwest Territories. You know, I assure this House that we are actively working to improve health care. I've had many discussions with my staff. I've had discussions, you know, from what I've heard from other Members. And one of the discussions that I have been having is, you know, ensuring that we're looking at the communities and the model that we're providing in the communities, and that is something that I will be focusing on during my time as the Minister of health, is how, you know, the how do we support smaller communities and the residents in those small communities so that they're not having to leave the community as much as they have to, you know, so that they're getting preventative care in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister for social services. Supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you for that. Yes, Mr. Speaker, there have been dozens of stories, stories over the years of health centres prescribing Tylenol to very sick or even dying individuals seeking medical attention only to be dismissed or minimized and unheard. Does the Minister agree that Tylenol is being overprescribed to residents in our smaller communities? Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for raising this. In the small communities, we you know, we tend to get a lot of concerns we gotten a lot of concerns in this House when I was a Member, and we continue to hear stories but what I can say is we like, I cannot comment on individual cases in this House, but every report that every time there's a complaint, every report that's given to you know, that is put forward is looked into.
The other thing that I wanted to say is, you know, the Office of Client Experience is a new department. It had its oneyear anniversary. This is something that the 19th Members, you know, we all together worked hard to get Indigenous advocates. We you know, we and from that the Office of Client Experience has also been created so that people in the Northwest Territories can go directly to them when they're having concerns or if they have a complaint, and they can be helped through that. They don't need to go through the MLA to get a consent form. They can do verbal consent through that office. And so I encourage the Member to you know, and all Members, to ensure that their residents know about the Office of Client Experience. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister share with us how many permanent longterm health workers that are living in currently living in small communities across the NWT? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that specific detail I don't have here, but I'm willing to work with the Member and all Members in that hence to get that information and provide it back to the Member on the permanent how many permanent health care nurses that we do have. Thank you.
Social services. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, I have constituents who have been waiting years for any kind of clarity on recreational land leasing. So I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change, can the Minister commit to a consistent and transparent land leasing process? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Mr. Speaker, the existing land lease processes are consistent and transparent. The department has and continues to work on improving the service and the processes that it uses to deliver these programs to the public. For any application, the department works with the applicant to outline the steps and processes that are required for tenure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Thank you to the Minister for explaining that. But, you know, I do think that a few of my constituents would disagree. So I'll make it more precise. Can the Minister commit to a 90day service standard for land lease applications? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process for land leases requires consultation with the Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations and, Mr. Speaker, I respect that consultation process so I will not stand up here and commit to changing the process without proper consultation with the Indigenous organizations and governments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
