Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Premier in regards to my Member’s statement in finding new ways of dealing with capacity crisis we have in a lot of our communities. Mr. Speaker, we have a situation throughout the Northwest Territories of attracting professions to fill a lot of positions in communities throughout the Northwest Territories, but it is becoming more and more difficult for us to be able to find people in the different professional fields that we are looking at, from mental health to education to community capacity, by way of SAOs and financial officers. But yet, Mr. Speaker, aboriginal organizations have been using the Frontier Foundation to find individuals who have the different professions. We have people who have retired who have a lot of experience and have a lot to offer. There are organizations out there that can help our communities deal with these vacancies that we have because of just trying to find professional people to come into our communities.

I would like to ask the Premier, is the Premier and this government open to working with foundations such as the Frontier Foundation to help our communities fill those vacancies that are out there? In some cases, two or three years these positions have been vacant but yet we can’t fill them. I would like to ask the Premier, is this government open to working with the Frontier Foundation to help us deal with this capacity issue in our communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have in the past, and the Member used an example of district education authorities working with the program to have people come in and help with the schools, so, yes, as a government, we are open to looking at avenues where we can have that type of assistance available in our communities. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does work with communities to open this type of dialogue with those groups. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the area of capacity, I am talking more than municipal responsibilities; I am talking about program responsibilities, mental health, alcohol and drug positions, no police in a lot of our communities, justice workers, probation officers, you name it. These positions are vacant in a lot of our communities because we can’t…

Do you have a question, Mr. Krutko?

I would like to ask the Premier to look at this with a broad brush to look at all areas throughout the Government of the Northwest Territories. The programs and services are not being delivered in our communities because they have not been able to attract those people to fill those positions.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, across the North and in many of our communities, it is an ongoing challenge to have staff in all of our positions that are available. We do look for opportunities and options that may be available to us. So I would be prepared to work with Members of this Assembly to see what avenues we may be able to look at to try to lighten that area or relieve the workload or put people in places. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to the Premier’s response, I’d like to ask the Premier, if this is a temporary fix where we know we’re not…It’s been quite a while before these positions have been filled. So I’d like to ask the Premier if he’s willing to sit down with myself, with individuals from the foundation, different communities that are supportive of this effort to move forward on trying to find a way that we include these types of organizations in the existing policy that we have in regards to community empowerment.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have in the past with a number of departments looked at these options and have worked in this environment, I’d be happy to sit down with the Member and look at what options are available, how we can work in there. We also have to look at the framework that we do operate in and there may be some restrictions that we have to work with. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to include the different municipal organizations and the NWT Association of Municipalities in this, because we are having some crisis situations in our communities; policing, nursing. Those things aren’t being delivered in our communities and I think it’s critical that we have these positions filled. So I look forward to working with the Premier, but also including other organizations, agencies. I, again, would like to thank the Premier for moving on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I’m not sure if I heard a question there. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 31-16(1): Rural Community Capacity Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I committed to working with the Member, and Members of this Assembly, and organizations, we can also use the work that’s been done through Municipal and Community Affairs with communities across the Northwest Territories. So I’m prepared to sit down and look at what options are available to us. Thank you.