Debates of March 8, 2005 (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is International Women’s Day, but this week is Social Workers’ Week. Earlier this week the Minister of Health and Social Services made a statement in praise of the work that social workers do. This is also the first academic year where there were not enough students enrolling in the Social Workers’ Program at Aurora College. I have asked questions in this House about what the government is doing to see that that does not happen again. Surely, I think that we do need to produce our own social workers and if there are not enough people going in, then the government has an onus to look into that. I wanted to know if the Minister and the Minister of Education, and the government as a whole, have done any kind of review to get some real answers to what happened. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Member raised the issue during the review of the budget of Health and Social Services, I indicated that I would be talking later that night with the president of the Social Workers’ Association, which I did do. We had a fairly lengthy discussion. One of the topics of concern was what is happening in the college; the need to do a better job in marketing the college program and what other things should we be doing as a department to better support the social work profession.

I have since had meetings with the deputy to pass on some of the concerns, and the fact that there is a willingness and interest for us work collaboratively with the Social Workers’ Association. I have also had discussions with the president of the college to talk about -- and he raised the issue as well -- we have to put our heads together to come to grips with how we better market this issue.

I also just met yesterday with the social work managers/child protection managers that were in town from across the Northwest Territories. One of the issues that I put on the table to them was I asked for their advise and feedback on what they thought we could do to better support the profession of social work so that in fact we could encourage people to join this very honourable profession and have more students signing up at the college. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am still not getting the answer as to, Mr. Speaker, whether the Minister and government are interested in doing a review of the program at Aurora College. I can see that he is talking to various players, but I am not hearing that there will be any kind of formal process to really get to the bottom of what is going on. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that you can’t solve the problem unless you know what the problem is. I am not getting the indication that the government has a clear idea of what has happened. Can I get more solid information from him as to exactly how he envisions that he is going to improve this situation by fall? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was following up on this issue because it is an important issue and not just for the sake of a conversation with a bunch of people that I know are good conversationalists. This is a serious issue. I have laid out a fairly extensive list of contacts. The president of the Social Workers’ Association is also the chairman of the department for the social services program has already had meetings with the college administration to try to look at what issues are there that may be prohibiting or impeding the success of this program at the college level.

I have talked to the president of the Social Workers’ Society, plus I have talked to the president of the college. I have had discussions with the deputy minister about our need to pay attention to this; to look at it with the same kind of attention that we paid to nurses and doctors and allied health professionals, when recruitment and retention was an issue.

We are going to bring the lessons we learned there and the planning we learned there to bear on this particular issue as well. So there is a lot of work underway. Whether that is formal or enough or not for the Member, I am not sure, but it constitutes a lot of action and activity already underway by many people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I still think, far be it from me to call for a study, but this is a real problem. I would like to see the government do something solid and concrete by this fall; way before that so that the college and we are ready to get more students in. I would like to see the Minister do more than just having meetings with the stakeholders; not that there is anything wrong with that. Could I get the Minister to commit to reporting the results of all of his conversations and consultations to us by the June session, so that we can take part in it as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the Member was encouraging or saying that I have to be Minister to conclude all the studies I already have underway, I could probably squeeze in one more.

---Laughter

But the reality is, Mr. Speaker, this doesn’t require a study. This requires a plan of action and, yes, I would be happy to report back in June. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the things that the people in this profession are saying is safer working conditions and probably a better compensation package. It doesn’t help that the government writes job descriptions in a way that seems to attract southern educated social workers, eliminating the chance for people up here to get a job. Will the Minister look into that as well, while he is studying -- yes, another study -- with a deadline, though, for June? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 565-15(3): Enrollment Levels For Social Work Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is currently a collective bargaining process underway that includes the social workers, and the issue of compensation will be dealt with directly through that process. If there are classification issues, then there are processes to look at that as well. Very clearly, we are interested in having a profession that is attractive, that has a good package of compensation and enumeration and we are going to look at all aspects, the same as we did for the allied health professionals, to make sure that we are competitive and that we have our classes filled with northern students that are going to become social workers tomorrow. Thank you.