Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he can commit in helping residents complete the applications regarding residential scholarships. The deadline is fast approaching. Perhaps the government services officers, or GSOs, in communities can provide assistance, or perhaps the Minister knows of other appropriate employees who can step up and assist. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been coordinating working on this exact issue. I don’t have any specific details, but I will commit to having a conversation with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and share that information with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t know whether I should continue asking the Minister of Health and Social Services questions, but I’ll try. A significant portion of residential school survivors, at the federal level the Residential School Settlement Agreement has provided numerous remedies and forms of compensation.
What is this government, the GNWT, doing to build on these remedies? Is it providing direct support such as professional counselling to the thousands of NWT residents negatively affected by the residential school experience? Mahsi.
Once again, I will pass that information along or that question along to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and I will get a more fulsome response. At the same time, all residents of the Northwest Territories are able to receive the services we provide, which includes counselling, mental health and addictions services. We do have a number of contracts with different providers for individuals who have substance abuse challenges. Those services, all services, all services that are available in the Northwest Territories are available to all residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe in his role on the Social Envelope Committee of Cabinet, the current Health and Social Services Minister may be the appropriate Minister to answer this question. I would like to know if there’s an appetite, a political willingness for the territorial government to match the federal government’s $3,000 personal credit. A matching territorial credit would benefit anyone who doesn’t manage to meet their upcoming deadline. Or could it be used by people who want to collectively organize on the land healing activities. Mahsi.
I’m not familiar enough with that particular program of the dollars being provided by the federal government to say that we are committed to it. But what I will do for the Member is I will talk to the Members of the Social Envelope Committee and Cabinet. We will get ourselves informed and we’ll be in a better position to respond. Thank you.
Thank you. Ms. Bisaro.
