Mr. Speaker, when our new government first met last October, we agreed on a vision for the Northwest Territories. Our vision is of strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Developing an Anti-Poverty Strategy is part of achieving this vision. It is linked with all of our goals and will ultimately form part of the basis for our government’s coordinated approach to social issues.
Mr. Speaker, our goals as the 17th Assembly are all connected. To have healthy, educated people free from poverty, we need a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. We need sustainable, vibrant, safe communities. We need an understanding by all parties that people’s well-being is critical for the overall well-being of the Northwest Territories, our communities and our families.
Many Northerners continue to struggle. We spoke with many of them during the consultations that were held over the last year. In all, 250 people from across the Northwest Territories took part in these discussions in all regions. We heard from residents and stakeholders, from front-line workers and clients, students, elders, businesses and non-governmental organizations, as well as community and Aboriginal leaders.
We heard that poverty is complex and influenced by many factors such as education, employment, housing, and health. We were told to focus our efforts on poverty-related issues: addressing
addictions, improving education and skills, improving housing and creating jobs. We need to address issues of wellness, poverty and addictions as we seek to keep our communities safe. We need to address the high cost of living and make sure that our programs encourage self-sufficiency. During our last session we saw Northerners’ and Members’ dedication to this issue.
Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table What We Heard, a summary of the consultation results. Our government believes in people and builds on the strengths of Northerners. It is time to begin the work of developing a strategy to respond to their concerns. Reducing poverty in the Northwest Territories is not something that the government can do alone. Individuals, their families and communities, other governments and volunteer and community organizations all play a role. We heard the need for leadership and accountability at all levels.
This government will work collaboratively with all stakeholders from non-governmental organizations, Aboriginal governments, business and others with an interest in poverty in the Northwest Territories. Under the leadership of the Social Envelope Committee and a lead deputy, this government will develop a plan and bring it back to this Assembly before the end of this calendar year.
In the meantime, work will continue on the actions we have already identified that will address the underlying factors that contribute to poverty. We are moving forward to enhance addictions treatment, address housing needs and increase employment opportunities where they are most needed. We are helping people become and stay employed, reducing dependency on government programs and making investments in infrastructure that will create economic opportunity and reduce the cost of living in our communities.
We have also talked many times about the need to address housing issues, which are closely linked to our economic and social agendas. Housing is a major determinant of health and lack of housing makes economic development difficult, especially in our communities. The ongoing Shelter Policy review will provide a long-term strategic framework for delivering housing in the Northwest Territories and the basis of specific actions on this priority.
Some of these projects will likely be identified in the final Anti-Poverty Strategy. This work requires a balanced approach that acknowledges that action on one priority will support action on other priorities.
I look forward to returning to this House and to committee to continue the discussion about how best to reduce poverty in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Now, more than ever, Northerners are realizing the importance of literacy. January 27th was Family Literacy Day. Celebrating Family Literacy Day helps recognize the important role that families play in literacy development.
The Northwest Territories has vast economic potential, and Northerners want to be able to access the jobs being created. We know that to take advantage of the opportunities, we must have a skilled, educated and literate workforce.
Family support is imperative to our children’s literacy development. Parents and elders are our children’s first and most important teachers. They are role models, and when they work at improving their own literacy skills, they demonstrate the importance of literacy. They are also the keepers of language and pass on language skills to the next generation.
Our partners in literacy are also helping to support northern families through programs such as Reaching Out to NWT Families, administered by the NWT Literacy Council. Through this program, families receive kits with books in Aboriginal languages and activities that support literacy development. As well in 2011, family literacy facilitators were trained to deliver support to families in 24 of our smaller northern communities.
This government recognizes the valuable part that families and the community play in literacy development. I am confident that by working together and believing in people, we can achieve meaningful increases in literacy levels, which will positively affect and build on the strengths of Northerners. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to establishing a public service that is inclusive of all people and that accurately represents the population it serves. Today I would like to provide Members with an update on initiatives launched under 20/20: A Brilliant North, the Public Service Strategic Plan, that focus on diversity in the public service.
There are several government initiatives currently underway aimed at increasing the number of persons with disabilities in the public service. This is a segment of the population that we understand has historically been under-represented in the GNWT workplace based on the limited information we have.
Since the spring of 2010, the GNWT Advisory Committee on Employability has been advising on ways for the government to promote, support and increase the participation of persons with disabilities. Working closely with the committee, the Department of Human Resources is now developing a framework to increase the representation of persons with disabilities in the public service. This framework will guide efforts to promote the public service as a place that welcomes people with disabilities and ensures that our workplaces remain inclusive and accessible to all.
To support this work, the Department of Human Resources surveyed government employees in January to encourage employees with disabilities to anonymously identify themselves. This survey will provide us with more accurate baseline statistics and correct a long-standing gap in our data. With this information, the department will be able to better plan for increasing the participation of persons with disabilities.
New disability awareness training sessions are starting this month, available to all government employees in all regional centres at no cost. This training provides participants with an understanding of biases and assumptions about the employability of persons with disabilities, and helps build a spirit of inclusion and acceptance among government employees.
Two new policies directly related to employees with disabilities were implemented in 2011. The Duty to Accommodate Injury and Disability Policy ensures that government employees are provided with the disability-related accommodations they need in a timely and reasonable fashion. The Harassment Free and Respectful Workplace Policy outlines our commitment to a workplace which is free of harassment and disrespect. The Department of Human Resources is now providing training for public service employees on accommodation and respectful workplace issues.
Mr. Speaker, another form of diversity that is vitally important to our government and central to the Public Service Strategic Plan is the representation of Aboriginal persons within the public service. Since early 2010, the Department of Human Resources has been working closely with the Aboriginal Employees Advisory Committee, which was set up to provide advice on ways to promote, support and increase the representation of Aboriginal employees in the Public Service.
In February of last year, the GNWT also completed a consultation with Aboriginal organizations on Aboriginal cultural awareness among government employees. Information from this consultation is now forming the foundation of an Aboriginal cultural awareness training framework aimed at increasing awareness of Aboriginal history and culture within the workforce and promoting an understanding of Aboriginal issues among all employees. This is something that has never been offered within the GNWT before. The first phase of training will consist of on-line learning workshops, and in the future we will be considering classroom and on-the-land training opportunities.
In addition, the Department of Human Resources is also developing an Aboriginal employment framework, which includes initiatives to assist Aboriginal people across the NWT in applying for jobs in the public service. Creative marketing plans that communicate employment opportunities to Aboriginal people are also being developed.
One of the most important initiatives to come out of this work is the Associate Director/Superintendent Program. This program, currently in its second year, is designed to increase the number of Aboriginal employees at the senior management level by providing targeted training and developmental positions.
Mr. Speaker, 2012 will be an important year for diversity in the public service, with a number of new initiatives joining those already in place. As we strive to develop and maintain a representative workforce, by ensuring that the Government of the Northwest Territories is an attractive employer to all, diversity in the public service is a goal we can all get behind. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is widely known that our federal partners from Infrastructure Canada have a successful Building Canada Plan which is focused on building a stronger, safer and better Canada through modern world-class public infrastructure. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the provincial/territorial base funding that was established under this 2007 Building Canada Plan.
This $2.276 billion provincial/territorial base fund was provided to provinces and territories for infrastructure in almost all Building Canada Fund eligible categories. To be eligible for funding, each province or territory had to sign an agreement with the Government of Canada, and most recently this government passed capital estimates for small and large cap projects that had the ability to access the balance of such funding.
Although the GNWT did not determine the eligibility criteria to award these projects for funding, it could advance projects that it identifies as eligible for federal funding. In essence the federal government contributes up to 75 percent of eligible cost with the remaining percentage of the budget coming from our government.
This is the nuts and bolts of the program and I’m bringing this known funding program into the House today for nothing more than a quick aerial view of what sometimes gets slipped through the cracks.
You see, one of the comments that many of my Yellowknifers ask is why is the City of Yellowknife always missing out on potential infrastructure dollars, and as a result, how does it maintain itself as a healthy and vibrant capital city.
As a Yellowknifer, I believe this is a fair ask and in doing so, there is no disrespect to our small or remote communities as this question would be equally valid for them if the situation were present. We need to ask such a question in order to make sure we are in harmony in government and for our people, all people.
If one was to analyze all the GNWT projects funded under the Building Canada Plan between 2007 and 2011, Yellowknife received a total of $15,596,099 from a potential amount of $140,682,148 that was given to the GNWT. In other words, Yellowknife, our capital city, home to over half our population, a huge contributor to our tax base, only received 11 percent of this potential funding. Let me repeat that number again, 11 percent.
I believe the purpose of this program under the Building Canada Plan was meant for all Canadians, in order to support projects that contribute to cleaner air and water, safer roads, shorter commutes and better communities, small and large.
We cannot change the past, but in the future I ask that this government consider best practice and fair distribution of infrastructure needs of all communities when looking at proportionate distribution of funding dollars. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today it’s a pleasure to rise and welcome a new constituent, Olivia Froese, who was born in Hay River in the middle of January. She came three weeks early and this is special to us because we typically cannot have deliveries in Hay River.
Myself and Sarah and Jason Froese would like to thank the staff at H.H. Williams Hospital for their good work, strong work. It brought great pleasure to those workers, I know, who delivered the baby. We get to see the good side of life as opposed to the illness and the dark side of it, I guess; the bad side, the end of it. This is something that we’re striving to do more of. We’re hoping that this happens more and we get more birth certificates that have Hay River written on them.
My point today is that we’re missing the ability to deliver those babies in Hay River and my questions today will be put to the Minister of Health where the Midwifery Program is and the review that was supposed to be completed.
Like I said in my statement, we’re definitely missing that in Hay River. We want to see more of the ability to deliver babies in Hay River, get to see the joy, experience those joys with our families and share them with the community.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement again today will be regarding addictions and treatment options that need to happen here in the Northwest Territories. Yesterday I spoke at length in my Member’s statement, and as I said then and will say yet again, the Minister does like stats, so I need to remind him on a couple of them.
Eight-nine percent of people in our jails struggle with addictions, and from a hospital point of view, at least 350 people are hospitalized a year because of substance abuse. The problem with addictions is it preys on everybody in the context, it doesn’t require a specific face, a specific gender or colour. It doesn’t really care. Once it’s got its claws in you, it doesn’t want to let go.
Since my statement yesterday I have to say very little has changed in the perspective of how we’re going to treat people in a detox context and in a sad case, which is also a positive one, we all know that the free market principles apply here. If there are sellers, there are buyers. The sellers need to be attacked on all fronts by the RCMP, which I’d like to give credit for the recent announcement of their seizure. What they ended up pulling in was approximately $750,000 worth of material off our streets in an arrest: 7.5 kilograms in marijuana, two kilograms in cocaine and 500 grams in crack cocaine. I have to applaud their efforts because they’re really putting a dent in this particular problem.
As I said earlier, there are sellers and there are buyers. The buyers are the territorial government’s perspective, their responsibility. Our responsibility is to provide options for these people who need help. As I said earlier, it’s colourless, it’s faceless, it’s genderless. We need solutions in a detox context here in the Northwest Territories to help people. We need to start taking those positive steps providing that support.
Yesterday the Minister highlighted – and correctly, of course – we have the Nats’ejee K’eh centre which does provide a certain amount of relief, but it’s only a very small pillar of opportunity for certain styles of drugs, certain levels of capacity of addiction. A detox centre really gets at the source. Nats’ejee K’eh does not provide medical services for those people who have, say, a crack cocaine addiction or an ecstasy addiction or any other type of pill addiction. There are a lot of other solutions. His response being, well, we’ll create more on-the-land programs, I’m sorry to say, with all great and kind respect, that on-the-land programs do not solve the hard drug problems.
Today in question period I will be asking the Minister how we address this bigger problem.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m becoming increasingly concerned with how this government defines consultation. Not the high-profile, legal definition of duty to consult; no, I’m concerned that we as a government are ignoring the spirit and intent of consultation with our residents and NWT organizations. I’m feeling a shift in the way that our government does business. That a we-know-what-we’re-doing, we-don’t-need-your-help, leave-us-alone attitude is even more prevalent than the last Assembly.
The government seems to have fallen into the habit of preparing a policy, a framework, or a strategy in-house and then goes out and asks residents and organizations or stakeholders if they’ve got it right. It should be the other way around.
A good example in point is the Recreational Land Lease Policy. Municipal and Community Affairs is right now carrying out broad consultation on a discussion paper that they developed, and good for them for doing comprehensive consultation. But that paper was developed without any input, without any discussions or consultation with the current recreational land leaseholders. So it’s no surprise to me, and it shouldn’t be any surprise to MACA, that the recommendations of their discussion paper are being contested by the leaseholders.
Yesterday the Premier made two comments in his sessional statement, which alerted my spidey senses. Most know by now that the government is in the throes of a Shelter Policy review, and while I can’t find fault with the consultation done for that review, it is the next steps which concern me. The Premier stated yesterday that we, Members of the House and the public, will soon see a strategic framework for housing, apparently in advance of seeing the results of the Shelter Policy review. I know that those involved in the provision of housing in the NWT will have opinions on that shelter review and on the results in any report. Why are we not consulting with our service providers, getting their expert advice and opinions on the recommendations from the Shelter Policy review report and then developing a strategic framework?
The Premier also stated yesterday that a government report, yet unseen by the public, but thankfully soon to be seen, will be used to develop an Anti-Poverty Strategy. We’re working backwards, Mr. Speaker. We should be working with our knowledgeable and expert residents before we create a strategy, not after it’s done. We should be seeking their advice and using it in the creation of any strategy framework or policy. We’ve put the cart before the horse and we would do well to recognize it; recognize it and reverse the cart and horse situation before we take the buggy to town.
I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the last government we passed legislation called the Donation of Food Act. This is progressive legislation which allows commercial establishments to donate food for distribution by a food bank while not incurring any liability.
During the election campaign and subsequently in dealing with issues of families in need, the need for a larger-scale food bank in Hay River has come into focus. We need volunteers, corporate sponsorship and, certainly, buy-in from local food outlets. We have a soup kitchen in Hay River for which we’re thankful, with a small core group of volunteers who have fed many people during their tenure there. We, thankfully, have a new building for our soup kitchen and a new location, but it is small and there is not room there for storage of any significant amount of food.
In Yellowknife we know that the Yellowknife Food Rescue Group has saved thousands of pounds of food from the local landfill. This food has, in turn, helped and supported families that were in need.
As I tell my kids, it says “best before” not “rotten after” on the labels, and I believe that there is much good food that could be salvaged and could meet the need of people who are hungry. You would not think so in this day and age, but I know for a fact that there are people who send their children to school in Hay River with no lunch and I know that there are challenges for some of these families in providing healthy food choices for their children.
I am proposing that my colleague from Hay River North and I organize a meeting in Hay River to ask people to come attend, volunteer input, those who would like to be involved in having a larger scale food bank established in Hay River. We’ll invite the retailers as well.
I would also like to at this time say that I would like to invite Mrs. Ruby Trudel, who was the spearhead of the Food Rescue Program here in Yellowknife, to come to Hay River as well. We’ll fly her down there and hopefully she’ll give us some inspiration of the amazing things you can do when you rescue food and redistribute it to people in need.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak about the lack of attention to Highway No. 7 once again. As you know, the Inuvik-Tuk highway is a major item of business for the 17th Legislative Assembly. The federal government has told Canadians this project will fulfill the dream of uniting our country from coast to coast to coast. It has a budget of about $150 million over five years for this project. The GNWT will also spend a share on this highway, but the final costs and economic benefits continue to remain unknown.
Meanwhile, the Liard Highway, Highway No. 7, doesn’t seem to be within driving distance of either government’s capital plans. Residents of Fort Liard and constituents of Nahendeh are frustrated about this lack of attention. Highway No. 7 has proven economic benefits. It opens our communities to both economic and industrial development that can lead to investment into the rest of the Northwest Territories. Spectacular scenery, wildlife and the accessibility from southern Canada make this region an ideal destination for tourists, but the number of visitors to the Deh Cho has been declining. Road conditions are to blame. We are losing money from potential revenue in all areas. We need to invest money into this highway. It will definitely pay for itself in the long run.
I strongly support northern development. I respect the aspirations of people in our northernmost regions, but the total neglect of maintaining infrastructure in one territory while investing so much in another does not help us over the long haul. Our federal engagement strategy must include a discussion of all highways, including Highway No. 7.
Highway No. 7 does not have any investments in the 2012-13 Capital Plan and this is frustrating to me as an MLA. My constituents depend on Highway No. 7 for their living and cannot do it when it is closed for weeks at a time every spring.
At the appropriate time I will ask the Minister of Finance for our government strategy on investing into Highway No. 7. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin my Member’s statement I would just like to take a second to congratulate the Premier on his receiving of the Golden Jubilee Medal yesterday.
---Applause
Continuing with the theme of recognition, I was very honoured last week to attend a long-time service awards for our teachers and staff from the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. They are doing a lot of really great innovative work that is going to reflect on our youth as they come into the future over the next few years and longer. It allows the students of not only Inuvik but the Beaufort-Delta region to succeed and make a strong, good life for themselves.
I would also like to take this time not only to recognize the long-term serving teachers but every teacher that has put the time and effort into teaching our children, keeping our cultures alive and well and continuing to put the efforts in on a daily basis. That is a very tough job. I would like to recognize all the teachers across the Northwest Territories for being mentors, role models, volunteers, and coaches to our youth, our children, when we don’t have the time to do that, and them putting in the extra efforts that go beyond the time allocated in their daily jobs. They don’t have a daily routine as much of us do. They go above and beyond what is called for them as teachers. I would just like to recognize them.
I would also like to take this time to recognize that it is Aurora College Week, and recognize all the staff and the hard work put in through the colleges in all of our communities that will succeed in getting our young adults prepared for going out into the world and getting jobs and being part of society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to raise the issue of the Norman Wells liquor store restrictions that were lifted on February 1st. This is a life and death issue for my people in the Sahtu. Historically, when we lifted the restriction in the 1970s, several people in the Sahtu communities died because of the outcomes of alcohol. In addition to the other causes we know about, more violence and more crimes in the homes in the communities, suicides, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, liver problems and other alcohol-related deaths and injuries due to drinking.
We had people who couldn’t get jobs, who couldn’t keep jobs. We had students who were missing school because of parents drinking. We had elders who were living in fear of their children and grandchildren. We had a wild time when the restrictions were lifted. Then the people aborted to put a restriction on.
Today we ask where is the balance for people who want the restrictions removed, only for reasons of convenience. For the people who want the restrictions to stay is a matter of health and well-being and life and death, yet it is an inconvenience to go back to the store a few more times to get what you want for a New Year’s party or a birthday party. People say watching your loved ones who can be hurt, who can die from alcohol is also an inconvenience. So where is the balance?
We don’t have treatment programs in the Sahtu; we don’t have any detox centres in the Sahtu or any type of service like that. People in the Sahtu have spoken, they’ve said they want on-the-land treatment programs because people are from the land and that’s where they want to do their healing. We don’t have enough police services to enforce restrictions in other communities, and also we’re limited in the way we do the search and seizure provisions under the Charter. All of those things changed how people buy alcohol at this time – you know, limited – is really an effective tool, the least effective tool that we have.
We are seeking a regional approach that makes sense for the Sahtu. A regional approach may make sense in other areas in the North, but in the Sahtu it is different.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
A regional approach might not make sense in other areas of the Northwest Territories but it makes sense in the Sahtu. Five isolated communities, none which is a large centre. Norman Wells has about 30 percent of the regional population, but they have been given the decision-making power for 100 percent of the regional population. The Sahtu communities only have highway access during the short winter season and the rest of the time are limited to travel by air and water. There are no options to drive down the highway to buy alcohol in large centres like Whitehorse or Alberta. Most of the alcohol is coming from Norman Wells. Norman Wells has about 2 percent of the NWT population and 5 percent of the liquor sales. Right there it tells you something.
From 2010 to 2011, liquor sales in the Norman Wells store was $2.1 million. I’m afraid of what they may see for 2012-13 if the sales go unrestricted. I ask the government if they would work with me to see a regional approach to deal with this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been a lot of developments since the last session on the federal introduction of Bill C-10, the Omnibus Crime Bill. I’d like to recap and investigate our status to date.
The national clamour grows as provincial and territorial research confirms the anticipated balloon of court, corrections and policing costs resulting from minimum mandatory sentencing. Following a December 9th motion of this Assembly, the Minister of Justice committed to provide information on the anticipated costs and I’ll be asking questions on that research. An element of that motion called on the government to investigate means of diverting offenders from the justice system using more effective treatment programs and avoiding court and correction costs.
In our meeting last year, the Ministers of Justice and Health promised a comprehensive investigation of mental health diversion court programs to meet part of that need. Again, as called for by this and the 16th Assembly. The need to fight crime at its causes has recently been again confirmed by the work of a community roundtable on downtown social issues here in Yellowknife.
Unfortunately, provincial and territorial jurisdictions have been unsuccessful in knocking the federal government off of this regressive approach. Even political leaders in Texas say filling the jails just doesn’t work. Despite our overflowing jails and known consequences of Bill C-10, our Minister got a firm no from the Government of Canada on our call for assistance.
Recognizing the need to continue the fight, the Nunavut Justice Minister was damning in his criticism of C-10 and the huge human and dollar costs resulting. We need to promptly cost and document the downloading of expenses and take a harder line, in alliance with other jurisdictions calling on the federal government to pay the cost explosion it’s liable to create.
But most importantly, we need to address our real opportunity with more humane and effective treatment of potential and real offenders. Mental health diversion courts, alcohol, drug and family violence treatment programs, community justice mechanisms, these are the front-end investments that will reduce the costs from years of incarcerations and enable our citizens to live healthy, productive and law-abiding lives.
I will be asking the Minister questions on his progress in recent months on realizing these real opportunities and mitigating the real costs expected from Bill C-10.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] When we are here in Yellowknife we are talking about the budget and the people in the community are saying that we do not have enough money. It seems like we have to listen to people more diligently. [Translation ends].
They tend to depend on government to create jobs and opportunities. In the smaller communities half the people who have jobs work for either the GNWT or local governments.
With the current state of the economy this is not going to change any time soon. The employment rate in many communities is under 40 percent. In two-thirds of the Northwest Territories communities it is less than 50 percent. Think about that. In most communities there are no jobs for more than half our employment-aged people. How can we expect people to be healthy, and productive and independent when for so many even the most basic job is out of reach?
If our government cuts back its spending, there could be even more unemployment and even more people relying on income support. The number of people on income support has been rising steadily since the economic downturn in 2008. We typically have more than 1,500 people on income support and it costs this government more than $15 million a year to run this program.
While so many people struggle through life on very low incomes, prices of basic items in our small communities go up and up. The price of food in most of the Northwest Territories would shock most Canadians to the core. To make matters worse, this government has severely limited the caribou hunt in many communities. People are really feeling the squeeze from all sides.
This is the reality our government absolutely must address. We have to develop community economies.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my understanding that the wellness worker position in Tsiigehtchic has been eliminated. It was a full-time position and much needed in the community. This need is even greater in Tsiigehtchic because there is no nurse in the community. The lack of health care and service is acute.
Wellness workers encourage active living and help people shift into healthy lifestyles. They help families and stress the importance of well-being.
Wellness workers are key people in delivering one of the most important priorities of this government. I cannot understand why we would cut this position in Tsiigehtchic.
Residents of Tsiigehtchic have been patient but persistent in their efforts to improve local health care. Their requests have been more than reasonable.
This government has an obligation to deliver quality health services to its citizens. I know that we cannot have every service in every community all the time, but we have to meet the basic standard in all our communities.
The wellness worker position in Tsiigehtchic should be reinstated and this government should fill it promptly.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize and welcome Phoebe Parent, my constituency assistant from Fort Providence.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to direct my questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Tom Beaulieu. I want to follow up a little bit on some of my colleagues here who touched on the issue of alcoholism in the Northwest Territories and treatment for that condition.
We cannot deny that we have a disproportionate number of our people who are involved with an addiction to alcohol. We cannot deny that fact. It is a fact. It is a disproportionate number. We get somehow lulled into thinking that this is normal. This is not normal. If we had a health outbreak of some kind that came and attacked our people here in the North, we would be on the national news. It would be a national crisis. We would be doing everything to find a vaccine to address it. Because this situation has existed for a long time, I believe we have become complacent as a government.
Alcohol addiction is robbing our people of their health, their livelihood, their prosperity, their peace. Peace in their lives. We as a government need to acknowledge the problem and take a more aggressive approach to address it. I was pleased to read… Oh, first of all let me say that there are many, many paths to sobriety and we need to explore all those options. To simply name a few, there’s the residential treatment program, there’s the Alcoholics Anonymous, there’s counselling, there’s spiritual healing. You’ve heard of people who have been miraculously delivered from alcohol addiction, so people should keep praying.
I read of an interesting scenario in the Slave River Journal, where the Fort Smith Health Authority has an out-patient program where people can come in for an hour and a half or two hours a day and receive support and counselling. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he could elaborate on that program for us, where it came from, who is sponsoring it and how we can get that into other communities.
Almost four. Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
