Debates of February 12, 2025 (day 43)

Member’s Statement 484-20(1): Aurora Polytechnic Transition

Topics

Member’s Statement 485-20(1): Office of Integrated Services Delivery

Member’s Statement 486-20(1): Aurora College Community Learning Centres Closure

Member’s Statement 487-20(1): Trades and Labour Workforce Development for Norman Wells Oilfield Remediation and Reclamation

Member’s Statement 488-20(1): Housing Support for Dechcho Residents

Member’s Statement 489-20(1): Implementation of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Member’s Statement 490-20(1): Inuvik Bypass Road

Member’s Statement 491-20(1): Stanton Territorial Hospital Public-Private Partnership Project

Member’s Statement 492-20(1): Challenges of Consensus Government

Member’s Statement 493-20(1): Retirement of Gary Schauerte

Minister’s Statement 93-20(1): Respecting Tradition, Building a Strong Future: NWT’s Commitment to Indigenous-Led Stewardship

Question 491-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Policies Regarding Evictions

Question 492-20(1): Inuvik Bypass Road

Question 493-20(1): Draft Climate Action Plan Public Consultation and Feedback

Question 494-20(1): Aurora College Community Learning Centres Closures

Question 495-20(1): Publication of NORTRAN Program

Question 496-20(1): Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Question 497-20(1): Improving Northwest Territories Healthcare Cards

Question 498-20(1): Stanton Territorial Hospital Public-Private Partnership Project Leases

Question 499-20(1): Northwest Territories Early Learning and Childcare Agreement

Question 500-20(1): Stanton Territorial Hospital Public-Private Partnership Project

Question 501-20(1): Aurora College Polytechnic Transition

Question 502-20(1): Stanton Territorial Hospital Public-Private Partnership Project

Question 503-20(1): Stanton Territorial Hospital Public-Private Partnership Project

Question 504-20(1): Northwest Territories Early Learning and Childcare Agreement

Question 505-20(1): Indigenous Employment Policy

Question 506-20(1): Student Financial Assistance Northern Bonus Discontinuation

Tabled Document 289-20(1); Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 9-20(1): Report on the Review of Bill 8: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act

Tabled Document 290-20(1): Letter from Northwest Territories Family Violence Shelter Network regarding Building Shelter Capacity Funding

Statements

Shauna Morgan

Yellowknife North

Thanks, Madam Chair. With the remaining time I have in this segment, I also just wanted to ask about -- I think there was a commitment in -- I'm not even sure which document it comes from now. But due to the closures of NWT residential treatment centres for children and youth, there were plans to pilot land-based healing youth programs to try to fill some of those gaps and there was an intention, anyway, in December 2023 to pilot a cultural wellness camp for youth with complex needs. So -- and this sort of bleeds partly into community mental wellness and addictions recovery too I think. But can the Minister give an update on what programs are ongoing to fill the gap left by the closures of those NWT residential treatment centres for children and youth, and I guess where that shows up in this budget. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So there was a pilot that did happen, and planning is underway on how to move forward to post a contract for youth land-based therapeutic programming, including aftercare services. So NTHSSA is working to propose the reallocation of monies from what was previously Trailcross Treatment to that; however, that work is ongoing and, you know, we also -- within child and family services, they do utilize other services. Sometimes they use out of territory services to support families if they need -- if they have needs immediately, individually and family, that they're supporting, so that is what we have at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Members, we will give Members a second chance to ask more questions in this area but for right now, I have the Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Child and family services, here within the budget, you know, 2023-2024 it was like 4.46. Are we on -- I'm on page 205. Okay, so there's an increase from 46 -- from that time and then 2024-2025 and then there was a -- it revised -- the budget was revised -- the estimate was revised. And then 2025-2026 went to 52. I don't know if this is good or bad because, you know, child and family services. So is this -- okay. So I know that this takes care of the -- you know, the -- all the NWT. And so how much of this is for child and family services program that are for the children in care and the support program? I mean, that's a huge increase from 2023-2024 to current, so it means that the children in care, did it increase as well? Thank you

Thank you. Minister of health.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll have the ADM Mathison break down where that change is. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. ADM Mathison.

Speaker: MS. JEANNIE MATHISON

Thank you, Madam Chair. And the increase in this area, a lot -- you'll hear me say this a lot is that a lot of the increase in the areas are due to the collective agreement increases negotiated with the UNW. So there's about $3.6 million of increase that's associated with that. There was also an additional $3 million that were added to fund the delivery of programs that were already existing and to address things such as the increased foster care rates that the deputy minister spoke about earlier. So that is new money that's added into the budget to address those pressures as well. And that is the -- those are the two reasons for the increase over last year. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

So it was mainly for compensations and benefits within that area, okay. Okay, thank you.

Another one too here, community wellness and addiction recovery support program. You know, we don't have no treatment program and we do have addiction issues. We have a crisis among our young people, and it's all the communities in the territory are affected, and we all know of someone who is suffering with addictions. And then there's mental health and addiction recovery fund. There's mental health and addiction recovery capacity building funds. You know, it's good there's programs but there's one here, northern wellness initiative. Is that the one that you mentioned that was sunsetted that -- with the federal program? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of health.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. That is, and I think we are -- it's in the works right now to be renegotiated. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Okay, yes, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that there's -- we do have a lot of mental health issues too in the small communities, you know. Like, I mean, we have lots of issues in small communities because we have high rates of unemployment, housing crisis. There's accumulation of all the social issues. It's all -- you know, it all goes back to mental health issues. So I just wanted to ask if they know or if they're working with Indigenous governments or organizations to take on -- you know, if they're working with these organizations to take on more of a mental health and addiction services in the regions? Are they working with the Indigenous government? I just want -- I want to ask if they're doing anything to help the Indigenous government or organizations that want to provide mental health services to its people. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we do provide community counsellors and wellness workers within most regions in the Northwest Territories but what we also -- you know, and I've mentioned this in this House, what we -- the direction that has come from Indigenous governments is that they want to have a fund to be able to access funds to be able to provide those types of programs in their own way in their own regions, and so what we do have is the community wellness and recovery -- or wellness and addictions recovery fund. And I know that most of the regions access this -- Indigenous governments access this fund. It is -- some of them have multi-year agreements so that they can plan, like, programming. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. I appreciate that, the answer.

Healthy choices fund went up from 2023-2024, and healthy family program stayed the same. I mean, those two are very important for many of our communities because I know it's being used a lot. I'm on page 206. So why does healthy family program have not changed? Is it going to continue well into the future or, like, is there -- because it just stopped at that number, stayed the same from 2023, didn't move or didn't go down. That is an important program for many of our communities, and healthy choices fund as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the healthy family program that's itemized in this section on 206, the 292 that the Member is referring to, is a contribution that goes directly to the Tlicho government. And then the -- the healthy choices fund is a -- like, it is -- I think it's an application-based, and there are 13 applicants that have applied through this fund for -- and I can provide that list, if you want, to committee afterwards. Thanks.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Thank you for the information, yes. I have no more other questions on this topic as well. So thank you.

Thank you, Members. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Denny Rodgers

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.

There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Report of Committee of the Whole. Member from the Deh Cho.