Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for that question because that's the same question that I'd asked the department as to why could we do things during COVID and we can't do them now, and it's privacy, and there were exceptions made during the public health emergency that allowed for certain things that wouldn't meet the standards of our privacy. And so we are looking into those options right now as to what tool could be used. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, you can book at least one clinic here in Yellowknife. I looked up in Vancouver -- I said, Vancouver online booking medical appointments, and all of a sudden my Google was flooded with options, Mr. Speaker. So maybe the Minister can explain to the House, but not just to the House, to Northerners, what is the obstruction specifically that's stopping the government from making the system more user friendly for the end user which are the citizens, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as part of this, the whole review of the EMR and accessing services and being able to book appointments, I think all of those are -- we're trying to tie those in all together through this review. And I understand that there might be pieces that we will be able to do sooner than later. You know, the patient portals that people have requested, you know, that's something that we want to be able to use and, you know, so I think that's one of the biggest parts of our whole system, is that it's very piecemealed together, and I acknowledge that, and that's the work that the department is doing right now. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think people would have a difficult time understanding why this is okay in the context of privacy and security during COVID when we couldn't bridge to non-COVID times. So, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister endeavour to see if we could change that -- whatever the obstructing policy is, and I'd like to hear what it is, why it was okay during COVID but not okay today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I will do is I will get the information so that I'm not saying the wrong thing on the floor and get back to the Members with an answer to that question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Upon that perfect answer I'm anticipating, is the Minister prepared to bring forward some type of initiative to address this problem? Because Northerners are tired of calling phone numbers and no one answers, and then when it does leave a message, no one phones them back, and they have to drive there to get appointments. Can you imagine how difficult it is for someone in the communities? So is the Minister willing to bring a timely initiative once we get an answer on this perplexing question why we can't do things when we really should be able to. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member. I just recently had an update that there is some work around that's going on with the phone system. As I mentioned in this House many times, is the phone system that's in Stanton doesn't allow for what people would normally get to call and be put in queue for the next, it rings, and then you have to wait for someone to answer and then leave a message if it's -- someone's on the phone. There is no other option. So what they're working on right now is a workaround and as soon as I have more details, that workaround is going to work in our phone system, I will advise the Members. This is something that is computer technology, again, that's going on in our system and so, like I said, I'll let the Members know as soon as I have the details.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain how Municipal and Community Affairs is engaging community governments and Indigenous governments about shared responsibilities and what input they have had on the formula change? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members are aware, the formula funding that has been reviewed previously, and a few times, has been out there for a while. Since September -- August/September to now, MACA's been out engaging with communities through regional superintendents, also reaching out to communities to engage with them in regards to the new formula funding. So we made every effort. We're continuing to make effort to reach out to the communities to speak about the formula funding. In fact, just previously, on Monday, I met with -- myself and the Department of MACA, we met with SAOs and community leadership throughout the territories through virtual. So the department is reaching out to all the communities, and it's been ongoing for a while. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yes, thank you for the information. Mr. Speaker, I have an issue with this formula. I would like to know what studies were done to show the formula is adequately meeting the needs of small communities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The point behind this funding is not to run a community fully 100 percent. It is to operate the community's essential services, so your water and sewer, your public works department, you know, and to make sure that the funding is there for those key services. Every community has a right to operate their community the way they want. They can charge fees. They can charge, you know, service fees or recreation fees, that kind of thing. So the whole formula based on their operations is how MACA distributes the funds that we have -- currently have for the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Okay, well it would be nice if they can show us the formula. Can the Minister explain how the department knows or determines what amount of funding is adequate? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more than happy to -- and actually, I think we're sitting with the committee here soon to explain all this. But it is a pretty detailed formula based on the community's assets. So for an example, if we're calculating the O and M, we're taking the infrastructure, taking the safety and recreation of the community, the administration and the services, and we're calculating it all together to make the formula up. So there is a few steps to it; it's not just one simple step. And that's all based on what the community's needs are to provide those key services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Mr. Speaker, this is not good. Well, this is not good for small communities, especially, for example, Wekweeti. It's not really comparable to Yellowknife. Wekweeti relies more on funding because of the high cost of living. It's not just Wekweeti; it's other communities. Even the Sahtu region, we've been getting e-mails about the high cost of living and yet it appears they will be getting less. So can the Minister explain whether there is a different funding formula being used to take into account community size, or is this offset somehow? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the formula -- the funding provided for the formula we all know has been not enough for communities, and it's been an ongoing issue and it will continue to be an issue if it's not a priority. So right now what we're doing is we're taking the hundred -- roughly $110 million, we're dividing it, and our goal is to equitably divide it amongst the communities for their assets and their actual needs. And it's not ideal obviously. It would be nice to have 100 percent funding for all the communities, but the reality is we have to find a way that distributes this funding equitably and fairly across the territories to all 33 communities. The problem is in previous formulas, we've had some communities that have been overfunded, some over 100 percent, so essentially providing a lot of money to a community that doesn't necessarily need it. I mean, they all need it, but when you have a larger community or another community that can't operate because they're underfunded, there's a problem. And at some point, this has to be fixed in order for new funds to come in instead of throwing money at a problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement last week, the Minister of housing stated that the waitlist across the Northwest Territories is 897 applications. I was just wondering how much authority does the board level -- the board at the local housing authority have, and my question is what is being done to clear the waitlist of nearly 900 applications for public housing programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Minister for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the needs for housing in the Northwest Territories is difficult and that 897 families on the waitlist is an almost insurmountable task for the Northwest Territories and for this government. And the Legislative Assembly has made housing its number one priority. Housing NWT is up to the task along with this government, but that requires both federal funding, territorial funding, working with partners like our Indigenous governments, working with NGOs. So, again, it's not insurmountable but we have to make headway. We have been making some headway over the last couple of years, especially with the 19th Assembly, and we continue to do the work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my riding, especially in that community, you see a lot of people that are approaching me and asking me like what is the government doing. Where are all these -- where's the money to allocate housing. How many of those 897 applications include residents in the Mackenzie Delta communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have that exact data at this moment, but I can commit to the Member to provide that to him for Mackenzie Delta riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister, for that response; I await the numbers. What is being done to get more public housing units available and accessible on the ground in the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last number of years, Housing NWT has provided reports, done community housing plans with communities, has provided assessment reports with various contractors, has held NWT Housing forums, has met with Indigenous governments, signed collaborative agreements with Indigenous governments to work together. There's much work being done but the funding is limited again. So this is both a federal issue, a territorial issue, and something that we have to work together in partnership to get things done. But the work continues. Housing NWT has come up with a three-year notional plan that is willing to present to committee. And this would outline some of the ideas that Housing NWT has over the next number of years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How is Housing NWT addressing the issue of suitability of housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was trying to quickly look for the waiting list numbers for the Member while he was asking the question.
In terms of suitability for housing, again, this is work that's being done with Housing NWT. Suitability of housing requires many of our units to be modernized and improved. And this is something that I mentioned in the capital plan update last week, the ministerial statement that there's 364 units that were in the plan to be modernized and improved over the next couple of years. So this is an indication that Housing NWT is working, is planning, is looking at data. We also have a territorial housing needs assessment that's being worked on at this moment, that's something, again, that this House will have the information available. So work is being done. It's just information takes a bit of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister of Justice be willing to explore a formalized relationship with an external oversight agency of the NWT's RCMP, an arrangement such as the one between the Yukon and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the department has looked at this previously. It was a few years ago, maybe around 2015 I believe. So currently there is an oversight body in the territory, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission. They review investigations into RCMP conduct. As the Member stated earlier, though, those investigations are conducted by other police bodies, whether it's the RCMP or perhaps a municipal police force. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is something different. It's not headed by a police force. It's -- there's a civilian essentially at the head of that, and they work with police forces as well as independent investigators to actually look into the RCMP. And this is only for very serious incidents, not every complaint that might be brought forward.
So we have looked into this previously. The cost is quite a bit. There would be -- from the last discussions we had, the requirement was to have a couple investigators on staff and then as well as a travel budget for them to travel around. So we're looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars for the, you know, zero or one or two cases a year, or three or four or five cases even a year that they might deal with, but the caseload and the cost they don't really align.
What we are doing is making investments in body-worn cameras, and those are beginning to roll out this month starting, I believe, here in Yellowknife and rolling out across the NWT over the next -- over the coming year. And so hopefully that will provide some comfort to individuals as well who want to ensure that the RCMP are held accountable. And of course that's what we all want. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has assured me that increasing safety of Indigenous women and girls is a priority for him and the commanding officer of G-division. Can the Minister speak to how all parties are moving forward with fulsomely addressing the concerns of the Yellowknife Women's Society report in a meaningful fashion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that is a priority. In fact, as Minister of Justice I establish the RCMP policing priorities. We go out for input from Indigenous governments and other stakeholders and from that we craft a limited number of policing priorities. One of those is to provide policing services that are responsive to the needs of Indigenous women, girls, families, and children experiencing family intimate partner violence and sexualized violence in the NWT. And there's only four priorities, and so that is one of the four priorities. So it is a priority for myself, and we've made it a priority for the RCMP as well.
The RCMP have been active participants in meetings to address housing and homelessness which have been occurring more frequently here in Yellowknife. They've offered to work with the service providers to improve their working relationship and better understand the needs of the clients. And that's in line with what we are doing as a government, trying to integrate our services and work more closely and more respectfully with the NGOs as well. And the RCMP, they did have a follow-up meeting with the Yellowknife Women's Society. And so the work is ongoing and will continue to be ongoing. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm specifically interested in the women's society's recommendation that asks for resourcing for Street Outreach here in Yellowknife to be a 24/7 team alleviating pressures on the RCMP. Can the Minister commit for his department to seek funding pots for services across the GNWT, departments across the GNWT that might address this crucial need? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And there's no doubt that the Street Outreach program has been successful. I've spoken with the RCMP about it, and there's definitely a noticeable decrease in the types of calls that they have to respond to because of that team, and so I'm very supportive of that. Right now, the program is undergoing a review by the city of Yellowknife and so once we see the outcomes of that review, we'll have a better idea of what we actually need to do, what type of support they might need from the GNWT, and we can look at what types of funding that could be accessed at that point. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Justice. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Thanks, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. He'll be happy to know that review is out, and I look forward to hearing more from him.
There are a suite of recommendations in the women's society report that discuss comprehensive review of policing in the NWT. In particular, there's a request for consideration of establishing a Northwest Territories police council with Indigenous co-governance. Can the Minister say as to whether or not he's discussing this recommendation with the Council of Leaders? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the Member's correct, the review is out. We are reviewing the review, so that's the work that's happening now.
The Council of Leaders, this is not a topic that has been raised at the Council of Leaders. The agenda there are decided upon by consensus or as close as we can get to consensus, and this has not come up yet. But the new commanding officer is scheduled to meet with the NWT Council of Leaders at the next meeting, so I look forward to seeing what comes of that. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Justice. Oral questions. Member from Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was very impressed to hear the statement made by the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs on the health care systems sustainability unit, the creation of that unit, which leads me to my first question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
After a review of federal-funded positions hired in the Sahtu, is a medical travel coordinator position feasible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many of our programs that are federally funded are -- you know, they're allocated as to certain area that is are, you know, priorities of the federal government. And so we have to try and fit the needs of the Northwest Territories into that. However, you know, with the medical travel, you know, what I can do is I can commit to ensuring that we review as part of our process under reviewing medical travel where our staff are located, and where are they located it best meets the needs of the territory and the residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
