Mr. Speaker, on April 1, 2018, the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories will increase from $12.50 to $13.46 per hour, the third highest minimum wage in Canada.
To ensure that our minimum wage continues to work for employees and employers, the minimum wage rate is reviewed by a Minimum Wage Committee every two years. The decision to increase the minimum wage to $13.46 per hour was informed by options and extensive research provided by the Minimum Wage Committee, including current minimum and average hourly wages in other Canadian jurisdictions, as well as social and economic influences specific to the Northwest Territories.
I am confident that this increase will be both good for workers, who will earn a better wage; and good for business, which will be better able to attract workers for minimum wage positions. Most employers in the Northwest Territories already pay more than the minimum wage because higher wages are required to attract and retain employees here.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment informed employers of the scheduled increase at the beginning of January to provide time for planning and implementation. The department will continue to inform employers, employees, and the public through advertising and reminders of the increase leading up to April 1st.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to maintaining fair and competitive wage rates while encouraging economic activity and supporting small
businesses. I believe the increase to the minimum wage strikes that balance. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, one of our government’s mandate commitments is to implement online delivery of a community government training curriculum to build the capacity of community governments. I would like to inform Members about the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ progress in the development and implementation of web-based training opportunities for community governments.
Web-based training enables community governments to access training at a reduced cost, lessening both travel expenses and time away for staff. The department’s new training opportunities aim to meet the diverse needs of community government learners by offering a variety of ways to learn. There remains a core group of courses delivered in the traditional face-to-face learning environment. However, we now have virtual classrooms where instructor-led, full-length courses are offered. As well, we now offer shorter, self-directed online workshops on a variety of topics that meet the training needs of community governments and their elected officials.
Mr. Speaker, we regularly reach out to community government staff in every region to determine if we should offer additional opportunities to update staff knowledge and skills. Based on this input, we design short webinars, which are broadcast, recorded, and saved online for unlimited future access, as well as video conferences broadcast between our distance training facility in Yellowknife and similar facilities in the regions. These webinars allow us to respond to particular issues in a timely manner. For example, we can deliver a webinar on how to complete a report for a specific federal infrastructure program.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to report that the department, through the School of Community Government, now has two web-based training programs on the topic of community governance; six workshops for municipal councillors; and six more for Indigenous government councillors. In addition, we now offer full-length courses in bylaw enforcement, basic emergency management, and climate change. The climate change course is helping us meet another mandate commitment, which is to assist community governments as they develop innovative strategies to address the effects of climate change.
I would like to share one student success story. It is about a young Inuvialuit man living in Yellowknife, who had career hopes of one day becoming a municipal bylaw officer. He completed the department’s online bylaw enforcement training. The certificate he received, together with other qualifications and his interview skills, helped him secure his current employment as a bylaw officer with one of our municipalities.
Mr. Speaker, our virtual classrooms have been busy this winter, with groups of students taking courses in the areas of community government management and recreation programming. Some of those students have successfully completed their courses, and others will be finished shortly. Prior to the end of the fiscal year, the department expects to bring the total number of online training opportunities available to community governments to 23.
I would like to offer another example of the benefit of this new virtual classroom delivery. A community government staff member needed just one more course to complete her ten-course community finance program. Unable to travel to take the course face-to-face, she began the course online. Thanks to additional one-on-one support she received from her online instructor, she was able to complete her course and has now received full certification in the School of Community Government’s Finance Program.
Mr. Speaker, the department is also receiving inquiries from other departments and governments about our self-directed online programming. For example, we are working with the Minister for the Status of Women in the redesign of the Campaign School for Women to promote women running for municipal and Aboriginal Governments. As well, the School of Community Government staff will be meeting with their counterparts from Nunavut’s Municipal Training Organization in March. The Nunavut officials are travelling here for the second time to explore partnerships with the Northwest Territories in online course delivery and to discuss our best practices.
Mr. Speaker, we are confident that the department’s web-based training will make our courses more accessible and help us build capacity in all of our community governments. These courses and programs also meet the learning needs of individual students and allow them to gain the skills and knowledge to build their future with community governments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. The Honourable Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the honourable Glen Abernethy will be late arriving in the House today due to a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in December 2016 the federal government announced that it would be developing a new Arctic Policy Framework (APF) in collaboration with Indigenous, territorial and provincial partners. I would like share some of the work and feedback that Inuit of Canada are proposing in response to a draft Table of Contents shared at a recent meeting.
The APF proposes four themes, Mr. Speaker:
Economy and Trade;
Defence, Safety, and Security;
Environmental and Scientific Cooperation; and
Social and Cultural Cooperation.
Mr. Speaker, the Inuit Circumpolar Council of Canada (ICC) recommends a reorientation of these themes, focusing on Inuit self-determination:
Changing "economy and trade" to "sustainable economy and trade," emphasizing the fact that, while the GDP in Canada's Arctic is 150 per cent higher than the Canadian average, most of the wealth generated in the region does not stay in the communities;
Changing "defence, safety, and security" to "peace, safety, and security," emphasizing a reorientation from defence to peace;
Changing "environmental and scientific cooperation" to "healthy environment, healthy people," focusing on considering environmental health and Inuit well-being as one, and equal consideration of traditional and scientific knowledge; and finally
Changing "social and cultural cooperation" to "Inuit-Crown partnership for social, cultural, and global cooperation," emphasizing meaningful Inuit participation in international agreements and bodies.
Mr. Speaker, the inextricable linkages between issues of sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Arctic and the Inuit's self-determination and other rights require states to accept the presence and role of Inuit as partners in the conduct of international relations in the Arctic. The foundation and projection of Arctic sovereignty and sovereign rights all require healthy and sustainable communities in the Arctic.
Mr. Speaker, there is an opportunity for Indigenous groups in the Arctic to get involved in developing of the new Arctic Policy Framework. The work that ICC has done today is a good example and shows how Inuit division of policy takes shape. I encourage other Indigenous groups to participate in meaningful engagement with federal government and other partners on this important framework. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the dream of a "road to resources" in the North first became part of the national conversation about 70 years ago. It was a dream of economic growth, prosperity and wealth, jobs, and comfortable lifestyles for all Canadians.
Back then, Canada was a very different country. Today, Mr. Speaker, we are resolving land rights and building Indigenous partnerships. We know about climate change and the urgency of reducing our carbon emissions. We know it is essential to manage any resource development responsibly and respectfully.
Something that has not changed, Mr. Speaker, is our need for economic growth. Our early economy largely grew from gold mining. In this century, diamonds have been our biggest economic driver. Unlike our gold mines, our diamond mines were developed within an environmental plan, and a restoration strategy built in.
In the 18th Assembly, we have focused significant energy on the need to grow new economic sectors, but in our economic discussions, we always come back to one fact. For the jobs we need now to build the health centres and schools we need now to afford junior kindergarten and social supports and care for elders that we need now, we can rely on one sector: mining.
That's why I'm speaking today about the road to resources, Mr. Speaker. Specifically, the road to the Slave Geological Province. Just outside our backdoor, the Slave Geological Province is formed of Archean age rock. Around the world, this kind of rock is known to host deposits of diamonds, gold, silver, copper, zinc, and many more important minerals.
From our back door, the Slave Geological Province extends up through Nunavut all the way to the Arctic Ocean. This resource-rich area has the potential to create wealth for us and our sister territory and ultimately to grow into a new national corridor of opportunity for this country.
Any development brings risks and challenges, Mr. Speaker, and we must manage them with our best knowledge and proven practices, but the benefits to our communities and to future generations rely on us to take bold steps and build on our opportunities. Mr. Speaker, the dream started 70 years ago. Let's make it a reality today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With our Arctic Winter Games less than a month away, athletes and coaches are excited about getting there to represent Team NWT. Unfortunately, today we will not be talking about this.
Mr. Speaker, during the territorial trials four athletes from the Nahendeh region did not get the chance to compete for a spot, due to no fault of their own. On January 19, 2018, I ran into one of these athletes here in Yellowknife and was informed that he would not be in the Arctic Winter Games. When I asked him about the reason, he said he could not get there due to weather.
I have witnessed him training for the past two years, and the other three. He made every possible attempt to try to attend. The chartered flight was supposed to leave Fort Simpson on Thursday, January 19th, but was unable to land due to fog in Fort Simpson. The trials were delayed due to this cancellation. The athletes were informed that the charter would be arranged for the following morning and that it would be the last chance to get out. Not wanting to be reliant on the weather, he and another athlete drove from Fort Simpson, arriving in Yellowknife at 2:00 a.m. Friday morning. They went to check in for the flight to Inuvik at 9:00 a.m. and were told that there was a delay due to weather. By 9:30, they were informed that the flight for Inuvik was cancelled.
Once this happened, the athlete contacted the organizers to see if there were options. They were willing to compete on all the required trial events by video and willing to go do back-to-back events.
After he was told they would not entertain this idea, the athlete appealed this decision. The athletes had to wait over three weeks to hear the appeal be denied. He was told weather cannot be appealed. I'm wondering why it took so long, and if this was already in their appeal process. The athlete was directed to appeal to the international committee, asking to see if Team NWT could add a fifth athlete to the roster. They denied the request because they would have to add in an additional spot to each contingent.
Mr. Speaker, this athlete started training for these games right after coming so close to breaking a world record. Then this happened. It's not fair. I have received a number of phone calls from across the NWT and face-to-face meetings saying the same thing: not fair, and why wasn't the government prepared for this type of thing?
The department needs to address this so it doesn't happen in the future. I'll have questions for the Minister later on today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. One of the commitments made in the mandate of the 18th Assembly was to create a Northwest Territories Energy Strategy because the previous one expired in 2015. A draft NWT Energy Strategy was finally released to the public on September 25, 2017. It would be fair to say that very few of the standing committee's comments were incorporated into the draft.
The strategy proposes a confusing array of energy targets as follows:
A 25 per cent reduction of GHG emissions from electricity generation;
A 10 per cent reduction of GHG emissions from road vehicles;
A 40 per cent increase in renewable energy use for space heating; and
A 15 per cent increase in residential commercial government building energy efficiency.
No energy targets were specified for the largest energy user industry. There are no visible links to the Climate Change Strategic Framework, or to any potential carbon tax revenues. No roles are contemplated for the NWT Power Corporation. In the future, the Arctic Energy Alliance receives almost no attention. No specific actions are identified in any detail and no funds are identified for implementation.
The draft energy strategy is overwhelmingly focused on electricity generation, which represents about 10 per cent of the energy used in the NWT and our greenhouse gas emissions. It's difficult to understand the complete failure to address energy use in the industrial sector, which is over half of all Northwest Territories energy use and over 40 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions.
What's missing is an overall direction to move us toward reducing fossil fuel consumption, not vague statements. I had expected to see something like a bold vision of the Northwest Territories where communities and householders are energy self-sufficient. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation, doing itself out of a job, bolstered Arctic Energy Alliance with resources to build community energy plans leading to self-reliance and programs for householders to conserve energy and switch to renewables. Clear energy targets are needed for each sector that should be related to reduced energy demand, fuel switching, improved efficiencies, and improved technologies. These targets should be linked to GHG reductions in the Climate Change Strategic Framework. Carbon tax revenues and potential federal funding also need to be incorporated into the strategy.
Later today, Mr. Speaker, I'll have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure, who also has responsibility for the Energy Strategy. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since we returned to the House at the beginning of this month, I have often shared stories of the challenges faced by Deh Cho communities calling on the government to fulfill its commitments to Northerners. There are stories of Deh Cho resiliency, Mr. Speaker, in our communities, innovations, and ambitions. Today, though, I want to celebrate another part of the Deh Cho: our sense of fun, our community spirit, and our celebration of tradition.
That's right: it is K'ambaa Carnival weekend. The K'ambaa Carnival has been held every year since 1984, Mr. Speaker, when Fred Martel Jr. and Diane and Paul Tourangeau organized their first one to celebrate the return of the sun and the season's first days of warming weather.
Since then, the carnival has continued to flourish. People from all over come to join the fun from Hay River, Fort Resolution, Fort Providence, and other Metis communities, even other provinces, including Alberta and Saskatchewan. It's something we all look forward to.
Last year, the K’atlodeeche K'ambaa Carnival committee, mostly women, even won the NWTs Outstanding Volunteer Group award. This year's fun and games will kick off the K’atlodeeche K'ambaa Carnival on March 1st at 5:00 p.m., and yes, Mr. Speaker, I have bought my tickets. Have you? That night, we will see our youth compete in the annual talent show, showing off their skills in jigging, singing, and fiddling.
Mr. Speaker, I'm sure to go over my time if I list all of and every activity planned for the carnival weekend. We can go with the most important: dog races, drum dances, pancake breakfast, hand games, raffles, a poker derby, a youth mini carnival, youth and adult outdoor events, you name it, the K'ambaa Carnival Committee has probably got it on offer. To see it all, you will just have to come out to the Hay River Reserve for yourself.
Please join me, Mr. Speaker, in thanking the volunteer committee and recreation coordinator Sharon Pekok for their hard work making this special event happen. I'll see you this weekend. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Several years ago, the Sahtu region's future was poor at best with the low world commodity prices, closure of the Norman Wells oil field. Mr. Speaker, two projects initiated by the Government of Northwest Territories, they were the Sahtu Health and Long Term Care Facility and the 12 kilometer Canyon Creek all-season road.
Mr. Speaker, these two projects greatly contributed to the region's economic downturn on providing employment and opportunities; respectfully, the Tulita Health Centre also.
Mr. Speaker, today is federal budget day, and the Sahtu residents are anxiously waiting on the announcements under the National Trades and Corridor Infrastructure programs on the long awaited Mackenzie Valley highway, connecting the last frontier of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, connecting the region, the Sahtu region, in my view, is a sound investment. The early NWT mining discoveries were in this region. The region's 26 per cent land quantum to the NWT holds vast, virtually untapped, resources.
Mr. Speaker, it is the Sahtu's respectful position on returning assistance for the two aforementioned projects in its contributing acknowledgment to the NWT GDP by allowing an all-season road connection. Later, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions to the Minister of Infrastructure on the Canyon Creek and the regional health centre project benefits. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the knowledge economy emerging and becoming an ever more vital contributor for continued sustainability of northern economic growth, it would seem like a sector this government would seek to stimulate through strategic investments and development and innovation strategy that rewards private sector investment in innovative solutions. This would also prepare us for the coming reality of carbon pricing and green economy solutions to northern mining and manufacturing. For, in the end, innovators will move to jurisdictions that support innovation. That is why I am quite dismayed to find that our Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment has not commissioned a strategic plan on how to benefit from the emerging knowledge economy.
On March 22nd of last year, the Government of Canada committed in its 2017 budget the next steps for an innovation in jobs skill plan. This is a long-term plan to create jobs and strengthen the middle class by helping Canada's highly skilled work force develop the skills they need to evolve and keep up with the demands of a changing workplace. This was followed by the announcement of $1.26 billion in the Strategic Innovation Fund on March 30th, which will ensure that Canada remains a top destination for businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs. This is the kind of investment that we desperately need here at home, Mr. Speaker.
Business innovation funding is available to Canada's aerospace and automotive firms and will expand to support high-growth tech sectors such as clean technology, information, communications, and agri-food.
Mr. Speaker, it's very clear to me that this indicates that not only does the federal government appreciate the need to invest in our innovators, but they are giving a helping hand to provinces and territories by contributing some of this money to our local governments so we can develop innovation on a local level. This government should not only take its note from its federal counterparts, but also attempt to capitalize on that funding to support our local innovators.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the deputy minister of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and I'll quote what he said here: "Other departments are looking at research facilities, but I don't think, to be honest with you, it's fair to say that we don't actually have a focus now in ITI that is looking specifically at the innovation and knowledge agenda."
Mr. Speaker, let me remind the Members of the other side of the House that the first commitment in its mandate of this government is, and I quote: "Making strategic investments in infrastructure, resource development, work force development and the knowledge economy." Failing to even implement the strategic plan is not what we expected when we all concurred on this document.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister on ITI on innovation and knowledge economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last fall I brought forward concerns for my constituents about the loss of extended ferry service. I warned the Minister that, without those services, the government risked leaving communities in the Delta to face heightened costs of living, restricted travel between communities, heavy commercial traffic, and potential fuel shortages.
Well, Mr. Speaker, I take no joy in the fact that my fears are justified. As I committed to doing last fall, I monitored ferry use for the rest of the season and kept track of private and commercial traffic as well as community needs. This winter, Fort McPherson, a community of more than 900 people, ran out of gasoline, and Tsiigehtchic ran extremely low on groceries, along with many other communities in the region, including Inuvik. Suffice to say, the communities are disappointed, as I am, Mr. Speaker.
This is simply not the kind of message we want to see from a government that says it wants to help small communities. Our small communities want to know that government hears their concerns and understands their needs, and that the government won't save a few pennies at their expense.
I will have further questions later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the justice system in Canada. Over the past few weeks, we have seen two high-profile court cases in Manitoba and Saskatchewan that have sparked mass outrage and protest within Indigenous communities across the country. The court cases I'm speaking about are that of Colten Boushie and Tina Fontaine, both of whom are young Indigenous youth who were murdered.
Colten Boushie was shot in the back of the head in 2016 and Tina Fontaine was a missing girl whose body was found in the Winnipeg Red River in 2014. The suspects in both cases were non-Indigenous males who were each charged with second-degree murder. In Tina's case, there was insufficient evidence to convict the accused, and for Colten's case, it appears the jury felt his death did not warrant a manslaughter conviction, even though that was an option available.
Mr. Speaker, statistics speak for themselves in Canada: Indigenous people account for 4 per cent of the overall population, yet 25 per cent of the adult in-custody federal offender population is Indigenous. The statistics are even more severe for Indigenous youth, because 37 per cent of all youth in provincial/territorial custody are Indigenous, despite accounting for only 7 per cent of the population; and the numbers in the NWT, Mr. Speaker, are even starker. A vast majority of the inmates in the NWT are Indigenous, even though the Indigenous population makes up around 50 per cent of the population.
Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Residential Schools made several calls to action to address areas of justice stating:
"We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to commit to eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in custody over the next decade, and to issue detailed annual reports that monitor and evaluate progress in doing so.
We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments and Aboriginal governments to commit to eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal youth in custody over the next decade."
Mr. Speaker, I conclude my statement with a quote from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples:
"Social and structural change will not take place unless Canadians want it to. Leadership from governments is necessary. People need to see reasons for, and the justice in, the Commissioner's agenda for change. They must urge governments forward when they waver, and they must be ready to accommodate the setbacks and surprises that are inevitable to come with major change." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't mean to brag, but the future is bright, and the potential is enormous for the hub of the North. What am I talking about? Just look at some of the investments being made in and around Hay River. Last week, Osisko Metals completed its acquisition of Pine Point Mining. When you consider the strong outlook for zinc, the quality of the deposits, and the fact that Osisko has the expertise, the determination, and most importantly the financial backing to put Pine Point back into production, I expect this mine to become operational in the coming years. That's hundreds of jobs for our region.
The Aurora Wood Pellet mill project is coming to fruition. Land is being cleared, and construction of the $70,000,000 capital project is scheduled to begin this May. The mill should be completed by next year, creating dozens of jobs across the region.
Cando Rail Services is setting up shop in Hay River. They are going to hire locals to do work that is currently done by CN crews from High Level. That's half a dozen jobs.
Tourism is on the rise, as well, Mr. Speaker. Private operators have been making investments that are beginning to pay off, and are putting the industry in a great position for future growth. The Town of Hay River is also doing its part for tourism. It's now keeping the visitor information centre open year round, and it's hired a full-time tourism and economic development coordinator. I've also heard of some other potential ventures that are very exciting and could be big for the entire region.
The government is also chipping in, Mr. Speaker. This government recently announced the new 48-bed long-term care facility. I hope that will be operational in the coming years. In addition to keeping our elders close to their families, the facility will provide 60 jobs. The GNWT has also put our shipping industry back on solid ground, ensuring 140 seasonable jobs at MTS in addition to the year-round positions.
The new Marine Training Centre that was recently announced not only means new jobs, it also helps ensure that locals can get the training they need to take advantage of those jobs at MTS. The centre also supports the strategy to revitalize the Great Slave Lake commercial fishery. This access to training, combined with a state-of-the-art fish processing plant that this government has committed to build, will help the fishers bring the industry to new heights.
The GNWT's renewed focus on agriculture and manufacturing also bodes well for the region, which is the heart of both industries in the NWT. The future is bright for Hay River, Mr. Speaker. Prosperity is on the horizon, and growth is inevitable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its Report on Adult Residential Addictions Treatment Facilities Tour 2017 and recommended to the House.
The Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services (HSS) contracts with four adult residential addictions treatment facilities: the Edgewood Treatment Centre in Nanaimo, British Columbia; Fresh Start Recovery and the Aventa Centre of Excellence for Woman With Addictions in Calgary, Alberta; and Poundmaker’s Lodge in St. Albert, Alberta.
From December 3 to December 8, 2017, the Standing Committee on Social Development visited these facilities. The committee also visited Guthrie House in Nanaimo, a residential treatment program in the provincial corrections system. Our goal was to study the residential services offered at each facility to better understand the options available to Northerners and to develop recommendations to enhance territorial addictions treatment.
The committee thanks the Minister of Health and Social Services and his staff for their assistance in coordinating these visits and for joining us in our tour. We also thank the staff of each facility and the residents who shared their experiences.
Although a person's addiction can affect their families and communities, both addiction and the decision to pursue treatment are also deeply personal. There is no one correct path to sobriety, and a person may also pursue treatment, whether counselling, peer support groups, or on-the-land programs at home, or residential programs, at any point in their healing journey. HSS is currently developing an action plan on addictions recovery, work that will also include an inter-departmental working group and public engagement. The committee intends its recommendations to form a critical part of this plan, and we thank the Minister for his willingness to collaborate.
According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, alcohol is the most common drug used by Canadians. In 2015-2016 the Northwest Territories (NWT) had the second-highest per capita level of alcohol consumption in the country: roughly 12 litres per capita in sales per year. These figures excluded alcohol sold through bootlegging. In the same year, NWT residents were hospitalized due to alcohol consumption at a rate of 1,315 per 100,000. The lowest rate was just 172 per 100,000 in New Brunswick.
In the NWT, particular populations also face increased risk. According to a 2012 HSS report, residents of smaller NWT communities were more at risk to experience harm from drinking alcohol when compared to residents of regional centres and Yellowknife. Small community residents and Indigenous residents were also more at risk to experience harm from somebody else's drinking.
Illegal drug use is also a problem, and substance use and addictions negatively impact Northerners involved with the criminal justice system. In 2016, Vice Canada reported on the impacts of trauma and addictions on territorial crime, highlighting the ongoing impact of intergenerational trauma and the anecdotal reports of the RCMP officers identifying alcohol as a common factor in calls to the police. In the same year, the Chief Coroner reported that in the previous five years, an average of one person per year died as a result of fentanyl use, with 27 deaths overall linked to narcotics use. During the recent trial of the leader of a drug sales operation, the Crown prosecutor said the ringleader was selling between six and eight kilograms of cocaine each month in Yellowknife, as well as other drugs.
Together, alcohol and drugs are also closely linked to territorial mental health hospitalizations, making up 68 per cent of admissions and 49 per cent of system costs between 2008-2009 and 2010-2011. HSS reports that annually in the same period, an average of "429 NWT patients were hospitalized 615 times with one or more alcohol or drug related issues, resulting in 3,250 bed days at an estimated cost of $7.5 million to the territorial health system."
Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that Northerners urge the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to improve addictions and mental health services, to decolonize healthcare and address needs for culturally relevant programming, and to integrate the developing field of trauma-informed care into territorial treatment models.
The committee hears these concerns. We make our report today to share our knowledge with the public and to make recommendations intended to improve communication, so that Northerners have the information they need on addictions treatment. We also seek to build upon the treatment options HSS has developed to date so that Northerners have access to the care they need.
At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn it over to the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you.
Masi. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, since 2013-2014, 712 Northerners have been approved for residential placements in southern facilities, with 467 completions, 152 early or self-led discharges, and 102 self-cancellations. Note that these figures likely reflect multiple sessions for the same individuals.
Most recently, roughly three quarters of Northerners who started residential addictions treatment in 2016 completed a full session. When we set out on our tour, point-in-time data indicated that 38 adult Northerners were in residential treatment. This group ranged in age from 24 to 60 years and was almost evenly split between women and men.
Calgary's Aventa Centre of Excellence for Women with Addictions provides trauma-focused women-only services, prioritizing services for pregnant women. The 64-bed facility delivers a 60-day main program, as well as two supplementary 90-day programs and open-ended aftercare, including monthly gatherings and telephone support as needed. Religious and cultural needs, including those rooted in Indigenous spirituality, are accommodated. Aventa is abstinence-based, overseen by a psychologist-led support team, and focused on trauma-informed care. Notably, the committee learned that nearly three quarters of Aventa supports residents in developing individual discharge plans, including program work to help residents build "sober days," and offers a hard-copy assistance guide, toll-free support by phone, a follow-up survey, and community-building through an alumni newsletter and monthly meetings.
The committee was impressed by the supports offered to residents from the Northwest Territories, including the ability to undertake admissions interviews and follow-up support by telephone, staff participation in our government's Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training, and subscriptions to territorial newspapers. Our discussions at Aventa also identified areas for improvement in aftercare, particularly transition processes for residents intending to return to the territory after completion.
Fresh Start Recovery
Calgary's Fresh Start Recovery provides men-only services through an abstinence-based program grounded in a 12-step model. The 50-bed facility delivers a 16-week program, with detox available on-site and psychologist, nurse practitioner, and dental services available on-site as needed. As at Aventa, religious and cultural needs, including those rooted in Indigenous spirituality, are accommodated, and programming focuses on trauma-informed care. However, while Aventa delivers a more clinical program, Fresh Start draws more on the peer-support traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. For aftercare, Fresh Start supports residents in developing discharge plans, including treatment plans and peer support, and will aid interested residents in securing transitional housing within the province. However, staff also noted challenges in this area.
The committee was particularly interested in supplementary programming provided at Fresh Start, particularly the delivery of a five-week family healing program. Fresh Start has also developed condensed and Skype-based versions of alternative delivery. The committee was also supportive of the Minister's suggestion of training territorial healthcare providers to deliver this type of programming in our communities.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to turn the reading over to the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Masi. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Edgewood Treatment Centre
Nanaimo's Edgewood is an 80-bed co-ed facility, although women and men room separately. It offers both inpatient and outpatient programs, including on-site detox and medical staff. Its programming is also based on a 12-step model and residents are able to leave the facility to attend AA, NA, or other similar meetings. Significantly, Edgewood also offers specialized care for opiate addictions, as well as gambling and sexual addiction. Prior to program completion, residents may undertake home trips as trial runs for their sober return home. For after-care, Edgewood offers telephone support and online aftercare facilitated by clinicians, as well as monthly alumni gatherings. Residents may also be recommended for outpatient or open-ended extended care programs, typically ranging between one and three months. Staff also encourages residents to participate in AA or other 12-step programs after their stay.
Like Fresh Start, Edgewood also offers a specialized family support program. The six-day Insight program sees residents' families stay on-site, separate from residents, and undertake study, discussion, and counselling specific to their needs. The committee learned that Edgewood is experienced in travelling to small provincial communities to train local healthcare providers in delivering Insight and that the facility is also developing a version tailored to video conferencing. Members see potential options for NWT families in both.
Poundmaker's Lodge
Poundmaker's Lodge in St. Albert programs two programs in its co-ed, 60-bed facility. The first is a 42-day program for individuals aged 18 years or older. The second is a 90-day program for Alberta youth aged 18 to 24 years. Northerners may access the 42-day program, while NWT women may also access after-care through the facility's Iskwew Healing Lodge Program, an eight-week transitional program built on the Aboriginal Therapeutic Community Model. Poundmaker's Lodge combines FNMI (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit) concepts with the abstinence-based 12-step model seen at other facilities. Unique services include meetings with Indigenous elders, opportunities to participate in sweat lodges and smudging, a focus on Indigenous spiritualties, and an annual round dance.
The committee was particularly interested in the facility's partnerships with northern governments. For example, Poundmaker's Lodge previously collaborated with the Salt River First Nation and the GNWT to facilitate a short, mobile treatment program in Fort Smith. Members heard that this program provided participating Northerners with a way to explore and test treatment, and that it ultimately encouraged some to pursue full residential treatment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll pass it on to our colleague, Mr. Nadli. Thank you.
Masi. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my colleague, as well.
Guthrie House
Guthrie House is a residential treatment program known as a "therapeutic community". It operates within the British Columbia corrections system and is administered by the provincial Department of Justice. It is not a treatment facility under contract with Health and Social Services.
Nevertheless, the committee's visit to Guthrie House was informative. The men-only treatment program offers continuous intake, but caps enrolment at roughly 50 residents. To participate, inmates must either self-identify or be recommended, and must meet established criteria, including having a minimum of four months remaining on their sentences, being in open or medium custody, and participating in an entry interview. Although Guthrie House is on the site of the Nanaimo Correctional Centre, residents are housed separately from inmates. The program is abstinence-based and day-to- day operations are managed almost entirely by residents who advance in responsibilities and duties as they progress through the program. The committee learned that those men who completed Guthrie House programming reoffended at a rate roughly 45 per cent less than those who remained in the traditional corrections setting.
Both staff and residents emphasized the importance of peer support and peer accountability, both in the program and in aftercare, as well as resident-led programming and the availability of housing upon release. To address this, Guthrie House also contracts an aftercare worker through the local branch of the John Howard Society. This aftercare worker collaborates with residents, corrections staff, local governments, and community organizations to ensure that residents are not released into homelessness. The committee was also struck by all staff's dedication to this challenging yet vital work, as well as the residents' openness in sharing their stories.
The committee has heard from many residents that the government must build a treatment centre in the Northwest Territories, rather than continue to send Northerners to southern facilities. Indeed, some Members have previously put forward the same proposal.
However, the current use of southern residential placements provides three critical benefits. First, it provides residents with the opportunity to leave the site of their addiction, a need often brought to our attention during our tour. Second, it provides residents with a wide range of immediately available options for treatment: individuals may choose the facility that best suits their needs and preferences for gender-based services, cultural and spiritual services, peer or clinical support, and more. Third, it provides the greatest value for money. Drawing on our research, our engagement with our constituents and with the Minister, and our work during this tour, the committee believes that southern residential placements will continue to serve the Northwest Territories well, provided that the Department of Health and Social Services and its partners strengthen complementary services at home.
While our tour demonstrated for us the effectiveness of southern residential placements, we also identified the need for significant improvements in public communications, aftercare, family supports, and trauma-informed practices. Notably, these themes previously arose in recommendations made in Healing Voices, the 2013 report of the Minister's Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. These past recommendations included "develop a communications strategy aimed at informing the public about territorial treatment options and how to access them," "provide inclusive treatment options that include families," and "offer affordable housing for low-income individuals and families to provide them with stability and security."
The committee recognizes that this work is not simple. Altogether, Healing Voices made 67 recommendations, and it is clear that the Minister of Health and Social Services and his colleagues in the social envelope departments have made significant advances. We again thank the Minister for joining us in this tour and for his willingness to collaborate, most recently demonstrated in his commitment to Members to explore alternatives to the 12-step model as well as new pharmaceutical options for dampening cravings.
Now we must work together to continue our progress.
Mr. Speaker, I now turn my reading portion back to the Chair, Mr. Shane Thompson. Mahsi.
Masi. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, honourable Member from the Deh Cho, and thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Recommendation 1
The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services enhance its public communications on addictions treatment.
The committee suggests that this might be accomplished through communications initiatives. They would include plain-language documents describing an individual's path through each contracted facility; profiles or testimonials of participating Northerners, with any necessary concessions to privacy and confidentiality; and the plain-language profiles of each contracted facility, highlighting the benefits that make it attractive as a service provider. Collaborative initiatives like the recent partnership with Poundmaker's Lodge and the Salt River First Nation also provide opportunities for Northerners to engage directly with contracted facilities while within their home communities.
Recommendation 2
The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services enhance community-based aftercare services by encouraging the development of a peer support network, scheduling regular access to counselling and addictions facilities through existing health centre resources (e.g. TeleHealth), and engaging with southern facilities to train territorial healthcare providers in the delivery of family support programming.
At each facility the committee visited, both staff and residents stressed both the importance and the challenge of aftercare. We heard that, even when residents live in the city in which these treatment facility operates, aftercare is difficult, requiring a healthy community network of healthcare support, sobriety advocates, community-based AA or other peer support programming, and facility-led follow-up, both individual (i.e. telephone calls, surveys, or counsellor follow-up) and group-focused (i.e. monthly meetings or celebrations).
Here in the Northwest Territories, we must strengthen connections of aftercare between departments to southern residential treatment and returns to home communities. For example, HSS should make space at health centres available for local sobriety advocates to lead peer support meetings, connecting with the newly sober and the long-term sober. HSS could also work with contracted facilities to develop telephone and/or online aftercare options specific to Northerners. As mentioned earlier in this report, both the Minister and facility staff proposed programming, or training to deliver programming, to support families of Northerners in treatment. The committee supports this proposal.
Recommendation 3
The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services partner with its fellow social envelope departments, community governments, and community organizations to develop a pilot program centred on ensuring that Northerners completing residential treatment are not discharged into homelessness, but instead connected with housing opportunities.
The committee repeatedly heard both facility staff and residents emphasize the importance of safe, secure, and sober housing, and the threats to mental and physical wellbeing posed by homelessness or the return to the site of one's addiction due to a lack of housing options. Guthrie House demonstrates that securing housing for residents upon discharge is difficult, but not impossible. A targeted, collaborative pilot project could connect Northerners in need with housing options, whether in transitional, market, or public housing, and whether in the Northwest Territories or in partnership with contracted facilities that offer housing options, such as Fresh Start and Edgewood.
Recommendation 4
The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends that the Government provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.
Conclusion
This concludes the committee’s Report on Adult Residential Addictions Treatment Facilities Tour 2017. All committee reports are available online at the Legislative Assembly website at www.assembly.gov.nt.ca.
