Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all share in the responsibility of ensuring that our schools and communities are safe spaces. Today, we take a moment to pause and reflect on how each of us contributes to safe spaces where bullying is prevented whenever possible and quickly addressed when it occurs.
As I am sure all Members of this House are aware, bullying can occur to anyone of any age at any time. It occurs when aggressive and repeated behaviours happen between one or more people in a real or perceived power imbalance. This imbalance can be based on a range of factors from size, age, or ethnicity to religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. No one, from any walk of life, is immune to becoming a bully or being bullying. This behaviour has negative impacts on individuals, families, and communities. It causes fear, emotional harm, and physical, psychological, and social distress. We must support victims of bullying and ensure we provide education and formative consequences to bullies so they can learn the harm in their actions and repair relationships.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has Safe School Regulations that establish a Territorial Code of Conduct and ensure all schools have a Safe School Plan. These plans ensure students from Junior Kindergarten to grade 12 take healthy relationship programming and require schools to address instances of bullying in accordance with the regulations. A Safe School Plan ensures there are structured mechanisms in place for keeping students and staff physically, emotionally, and mentally safe.
Last year, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment released the Guidelines for Ensuring LGBTQ2S+ Equity, Safety and Inclusion in Northwest Territories Schools. We continue to support schools in upholding these guidelines and in the development of their gender sexuality alliances through our partnership with the Yellowknife Rainbow Youth Coalition.
Mr. Speaker, Northwest Territories schools should be safe and caring environments for the entire school community. We must continue our vigilance to ensure our schools are safe spaces where people respect each other's differences and recognize each other's similarities. When we see bullying, we need to speak up, and if we bully others, we must reflect on our actions and seek ways to do better. Let's lift each other up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today on Pink Shirt Day, we come together to commit to creating safe spaces for each other and for our youth, places where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in significant ways and has highlighted the importance of supporting one another and advocating for those who need help and for youth in particular. We know that the harms associated with bullying can have devastating and long-lasting impacts on individuals, families, and communities. Having accessible mental health services is critical to support both victims and people who use bullying to heal from the wounds this behaviour inflicts.
Mr. Speaker, over the last three years, the Department of Health and Social Services has worked closely with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment on the phased establishment of child and youth care counsellors in NWT schools and communities. This approach was informed through engagement with NWT youth who told us they wanted access to confidential and flexible mental health services. The GNWT is currently in phase 3 of a four-year implementation plan. I am pleased to report that staffing these positions is going well. A total of 33 out of 39 child and youth care counsellor positions have been successfully filled throughout the NWT, along with five clinical supervisor positions. The child and youth care counsellor initiative, in combination with our work to eliminate wait times and establish same-day access for counselling supports, has greatly improved access to services for all NWT residents when they need it most.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from Northerners about the need to provide a variety of options when it comes to mental wellness supports. One of the ways we are expanding options is through the implementation of e-mental health options such as the Strongest Families Institute. A year ago, the GNWT partnered with Bell Let's Talk and NorthwesTel to have the Strongest Families Institute provide telephone-based support for children and families experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, depression, and behavioural concerns. So far, we have seen a positive response to this service, and I would like to share some testimonials we received from parents. A parent of a 12-year-old said, "The coaching was instrumental in teaching me the skills and techniques I needed to feel more in control of my situation, build a stronger relationship with my son, and feel hope for the future." A parent of an 11-year-old had the following to say, "My coach with Strongest Families was super helpful, understanding, and supportive. She helped me to see and understand parenting on so many levels. The skills and strategies put in place are effective and are definitely worth learning."
While the pandemic has produced innovation in the area of virtual care, government recognizes that these types of services may not be easily accessible by all. As a result, staff across the territory are working to ensure that creative solutions are in place to support children and families who may not have access to a phone in their home. Some of these solutions include making space available within health centres, dropping off packages with information and resources at people's homes, and making use of community partners to ensure information about the availability of services is shared.
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority now has a child and youth mental health coordinator who is leading the way with several key initiatives that will improve our approach to caring for children and youth with mental health needs. Some of these initiatives include:
working with the Stanton Territorial Pediatric In-Patient Unit to develop in-patient psychiatric admission processes and programing;
working with the Stanton team to build care pathways, therapeutic resources, after-care, and staff capacity;
supporting health centre staff across the territory with mental health system navigation and building their skill sets to care for children and youth in need of mental health services; and finally
leading the implementation of the Northwest Territories partnership with the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto to improve access to specialized child psychiatric services across NWT regions and communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services is also working with schools to support the delivery of the Talking About Mental Illness program, called TAMI for short. TAMI is a school-based program focused on increasing awareness and reducing stigma about mental illness. Programs such as these increase comfort talking about mental health and help to increase the likelihood that youth will access help if they need support. Additionally, children and youth can also access the NWT Help Line and the Kids Help Phone, both available 24/7 for free, confidential support.
Mr. Speaker, there is no single approach that will work for everyone when it comes to addressing youth mental health, but by providing a variety of options, we ensure that we are better positioned to support youth when they need it most. I urge each of us, on this Pink Shirt Day, to take the time to consider how we can support and lift each other up. Remember, a little kindness and compassion can go a long way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I speak about addictions and mental health. I was going to start by citing statistics. However, we need to hear real-life situations if we want to really understand the issues and develop workable and respectful solutions.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk about Jane, a fictional name of a young Aboriginal lady who was raised in a loving and caring family. At the young age of 16, she lost her way and began to hang around with others who found themselves in a similar situation. Drugs and alcohol appeared to be the solution to dull the pain of not fitting in to societal norms or the constant pressure from family to do well in school. Although she was strong academically, Jane never completed high school but went on to work for minimum wage in the retail sector. Jane did settle down some in her early 20's, had children with a man she soon left due to an abusive and toxic relationship. She again turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. This time she could not break the cycle of addiction. It was fortunate that her family stood by her and took custody of the children. Jane does see her children from time to time, but continues in another abusive relationship. If nothing is done to change it, she will be found dead at the hands of the person she is with.
Mr. Speaker, another person, I will call him Richard, recently finished high school. During his time in high school, he was bullied, turned to drugs, and became somewhat of a loner. Richard lives in a single-parent home where his addiction became drugs and gaming. He basically locks himself in his room and only associates with those who are also lost in a system that is not meant to inspire those who are not adhering to societal norms. Richard and his friends, some of whom are aging out of foster care, will most likely find themselves in the street, homeless, without support, and potentially end up as a statistic. Richard's parent is concerned that there are a number of at-risk-youth who are living in situations that provide them only one path, and that path is addictions, living with unchecked mental health issues and homelessness.
Mr. Speaker, Jane and Richard are only two of the many youth between the ages of 18 and 25 in similar situations. They and many others need this government's immediate support before we are asked to cover their funeral costs. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions in the Northwest Territories. Alcohol can be found from many sources. Where there is a will, there is a way, so the saying goes. The social acceptance of drinking can often lead to denial, and if left untreated, can have severe consequences.
Mr. Speaker, alcohol is one of the leading causes for family breakdowns that hurt not only the adults involved but also the children. Alcoholism has seen many good men make decisions that lead them to destruction and jail and, sadly, even death.
Mr. Speaker, many youth and young men across our territory have fallen to peer pressure and have taken up the bottle, and sadly, there goes any hope we had of grooming the young to be the next leaders of our communities. We feel as though we are losing the battle to combat alcohol and alcoholism in our communities. There are too many forces working against us. The well-intentions of a few community members, the very community members that may, in time, face burnout and fatigue. We have to be mindful of the fact that alcoholism-related diseases are stressing out our already stretched healthcare system.
Mr. Speaker, there are many ways this government can assist communities to address the ongoing problems with alcoholism. This government has the resources to assist the communities in addressing this addiction. I will have questions for the Minister of Health at the appropriate time. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I just want to acknowledge Pink Shirt Day. I'm glad to see we're all wearing pink today and talk about mental health a little bit. I want to say that kindness, love, and support must shine through to fight these issues. I just heard a couple of my colleagues talk about crime and whatnot, so I'm going to segue into that.
Mr. Speaker, I last spoke about the Affirmative Action Policy and the hiring practices in November. At the time, I spoke of policy shortfalls, specifically Ministerial appointments, GNWT hiring practices. Today, I'd like to talk about individuals with criminal records and how they need to be given consideration when being hired. Many of us in this room are aware there are very high crime rates in the NWT, and it's even more magnified in our smaller communities.
Mr. Speaker, in my time working in the diamond mines, I was involved in community work, public relations, and worked with Indigenous governments. I worked closely with HR personnel promoting the product and actively seeking out any potential people interested in working at the time. One common barrier that we saw is that many of the interested candidates had criminal records.
Mr. Speaker, many industries that work in the North now know that our small population limits the available talent. As such, many skilled workers come from south of the border. One common-sense approach I observed was individuals who had a criminal record were assessed on a case-by-case basis by an HR team. These teams use their discretion before we had to make sure that there were no serious crimes against the person or serious property crimes.
Mr. Speaker, sometimes, we had to work with individuals who worked in smaller communities to help them get pardons for past offences. It should not be a barrier if one wants to work in the public service. I do support firm rules, though, when it comes to working with our vulnerable populations, and I don't expect that we stray from that. I fully support anyone who has paid their debts to society who are genuinely trying to make strides to better themselves. Everyone deserves a second chance. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker, and I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, today marks 30 years since an impaired driver collided with my husband's family. His brother Michael was seriously injured and medevaced to Edmonton. That's 30 years since doctors prepared my in-laws for the worst: first, that Michael would not make it through the night; then the week; and then, that he would never walk or talk again. This community rallied behind their family for an entire year while Michael recovered in the Edmonton Children's Hospital. He made it through the night, the week, defied the odds, and started over at five years, one month, and 28 days old. The North wrapped itself around my in-laws as it does to support victims and survivors. That day, Michael, having never touched drugs or alcohol, was the victim of addiction.
There are two other victims in this tragedy. The vehicle that hit their family had both a passenger and a driver. They, too, are victims of addiction and trauma, but they did not receive the same wraparound care required to heal. Faceless victims struggle every day through mental health and addiction in our vast territory with limited community, regional, or capital-based support services. If NWT mental health and addiction rates match the number of breast cancer patients, we would call this an emergency. If the NWT COVID deaths matched the people we lose to mental health and addiction annually, we would call this an emergency. An emergency is defined as unexpected, and we are not in an unexpected place. We are at a time of intense difficulty, Mr. Speaker, and that is called a crisis.
Michael's journey led to change. He inspired the NWT's Students Against Drinking and Driving chapter. Students rallied to create awareness, and Michael's peers were change-makers who lobbied this GNWT for impaired driving legislative changes. The fight against impaired driving doesn't rest on planning a drive home, and the ring is not solely the driver's seat. The fight against impaired driving is equally routed in how we proactively heal our territory.
Michael was a victim with an entire community supporting his recovery, but victims of mental health and addiction who fall into the faceless cycles that weave through our territory need clear paths to gain sobriety and then stay sober with the same wraparound care we afford to those with physical injuries. Some fight a silent battle while others fight a violent battle, and sadly, some lose this battle. If we are not outraged, Mr. Speaker, we are not paying attention.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For my Member's statement today, I will be joining my colleagues on the topic of addictions and mental health. Specifically, I will be focusing on the after-care component of addictions services. In a Member's statement last March, I spoke about the need for more after-care services to be made available locally to the people of the NWT. That's because there is currently an inefficient amount of after-care services being offered to NWT residents upon their return home from treatment centres in the south.
Mr. Speaker, when individuals return to their home communities from addictions treatment, it can be extremely challenging for some people to readjust to normal, everyday life. With the structure and routine of treatment suddenly gone, when they return home, people can easily slip back into their addictions if sufficient after-care services are not available. That's simply the nature and cycle of people struggling with addiction and is a gap that we, as a government, must fill and address.
Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, on October 27, 2020, during question period, I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services about expanding after-care services in the NWT. Specifically, I suggested the idea to build an after-care facility in three different regions of the Northwest Territories: one in the South Slave region, one in the central region, and one in the Beaufort-Delta region. As I stated, this type of addictions service is sorely needed across all regions of the NWT. Therefore, I strongly suggest that our government work to improve this lacking component of addictions services. I know that all NWT residents would greatly benefit from improvements in this area.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, my hope is that this government will not only hear my concerns about after-care services but will, more importantly, work to address these concerns during the life of the 19th Assembly. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, residents across the territory are wearing pink shirts in support of the national anti-bullying campaign. Pink Shirt Day has its origins in an incident when a child wore a pink shirt to school and was bullied for the colour of his shirt. It is reported that one in five children experience bullying, but it is likely that number is much higher. Bullying exists in many forms, including racism and discrimination, and can often lead to mental health and addiction issues. In some cases, when bullying is severe, it may lead to suicide and death. We must combat the effects of bullying by treating each other with empathy, kindness, and compassion. If you or your loved ones are experiencing or have experienced bullying, I urge you to seek out the supports that are available to you.
In the North, statistics show we are a population prone to addiction and mental health issues. The root of addiction has been closely linked to childhood trauma and abuse and, in particular, residential school impacts, when it comes to Indigenous populations. This has created a systemic cycle of addiction and mental health issues. People looking to escape from pain will often turn to substance abuse as a form of self-medication.
There are four components to a successful rehabilitation: counselling, detoxification, treatment, and recovery. Once an individual suffering from addictions receives counselling, they have taken the first step to reclaiming their life. Counsellors will help people to understand the steps required and prepare them for entering medical detoxification, or detox, when they are ready. A person cannot travel south nor enter a treatment program unless they are sober.
In a treatment facility, patients move forward in their progress working through the trauma and learning new coping skills. However, the journey doesn't end with treatment. Once a sober person emerges from a facility, they will need ongoing support, culturally appropriate after-care. On-the-land-based programs, trauma counselling, sober living facilities, online and social media supports, and sober event programming are all key components towards establishing a healthy support network for Northwest Territories recovering from addiction and mental health issues. Additionally, teaching life skills so people can re-enter society and contribute is equally important as self-worth is a key component of maintaining sobriety.
Currently, people are experiencing isolation like they have never seen before. This isolation is leading to an increase in the consumption of alcohol and cannabis, as well as exacerbating ongoing mental health issues. When our population is not healthy, nothing in our territory can prosper. It is time for us to ensure that we can revive our vulnerable residents with a full-scale rehabilitation program that accounts for all steps on the road to recovery and removes them from the cycle of rehab and relapse that is becoming far too normalized in the North. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If we hold people to a standard of complete sobriety and perfection, we are setting them up for failure, but also ourselves. As a society, if we keep with the mentality that pure sobriety is the only option, people give up too easily, and the scope of our addictions makes the problem hopeless. Harm reduction allows people to celebrate little ways, and thus, it is better feedback for continuing empathy from all of us. I want to quote the Minister of Health when she was a Regular MLA, "Not everyone wants to be sober. There are people who are perfectly content not to be sober for the rest of their lives. I think we also have to recognize that we have people who have alcoholism as a chronic health issue, not as a moral failing, but as a health issue."
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more. I have said it before in this House, but it bears repeating: alcohol is not the cause of addiction; trauma is. During COVID-19, when we were faced with the choice of having to risk people going through withdrawal while also self-isolating due to COVID-19, we provided alcohol to many of those residents to mitigate having to deal with two public health crises at the same time. Much of that work expedited our path to managed alcohol programs. However, as these programs emerged, they were not fully funded or true managed alcohol programs, simply programs to mitigate withdrawal. A true managed alcohol program requires medical professionals and social workers providing supervised consumption and wraparound services.
Recently, I toured the new Arnica facility and saw the work they are doing there to establish their managed alcohol program. They are one of several organizations looking to take on and expand this work in the last year. However, Mr. Speaker, my concern is that much of this funding is COVID relief funding. I want to see permanent funding for managed alcohol programs and wraparound services be a legacy of this pandemic. Many of us recognize that an integrated service delivery model is how we make progress here. Data from jurisdictions across North America make it clear that, when it comes to our most vulnerable, we must look beyond housing-first and have a combined approach that tackles housing, mental health, and addictions. However, implementing such a vision is no small task.
We have made strides in incorporating managed alcohol programs and housing-first models over the last year, but if we hit 75 percent vaccination rates, we can't lose the progress that we have made just because one public health crisis is over while another rages on. I will have questions for the Minister of Health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The recent release of the Health and Social Services System 2019-2020 Annual Report paints a picture of many major health conditions and trends for the Northwest Territories. There are some positive outcomes shown, including a decrease in potentially avoidable mortality due to preventable causes, as well as those due to treatable causes; a decrease in the rate of children in permanent care; a decrease in the proportion of mental health hospitalizations due to alcohol or drugs; and a decrease in workplace safety claims.
However, the overall health of our residents is still not improving in a number of significant areas, including mental health hospitalizations remain at twice the western Canada average, with four in 10 related to substance abuse, about four times the national average; and one-third of NWT residents smoke, three in 10 drink heavily, and four in 10 are considered obese. Client satisfaction with Health and Social Services systems has also fallen below 90 percent for the first time since measurements started in 2004.
Against this backdrop, Health and Social Services recently released a further report examining potential social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report tracks indicators related to child maltreatment, mental health and addictions, alcohol-related harm, and family violence. It's also a good check-in regarding what's happening with people during a pandemic.
Taken as a whole, though, the annual and the pandemic reports describe a Health and Social Services system hard pressed to respond, let alone improve, the overall well-being of our residents. While this year's budget promises a $75-million increase in funding for healthy communities and citizens' programs, we just don't seem to be making significant overall progress. I'll have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services on the way forward for improving wellness and health of our residents. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Today is Pink Shirt Day. It's a day that we make all aware of the problems that are caused by bullying, and working together, we could put an end to it. Each day, we see bullying in our communities, in our workplaces, the schools, and online. We can't judge people, but they should think before they hit "send." This impacts on our youth who are seeing this on Facebook and across social media. Today, I stand here to say enough is enough. As individuals and as leaders across our territory and across our ridings that we represent, we have to stand up and work together to end bullying for our youth and for everybody to work together.
Bullying has serious impacts on our people, especially on our youth. I am afraid that our youth, who are often going through difficult times, suffer more that are bullied. That can contribute to mental health and alcohol and drugs and substance abuse. I am asking all Members of this Assembly today to join me and stand up against bullying. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to salute my constituent Germaine Arnaktauyok on the occasion of her national recognition with the highly prestigious Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts. Germaine Arnaktauyok is one of only eight recipients of the 2021 award organized by the Canada Council for the Arts to celebrate the exceptional careers of Canadian artists. As the Governor General's award citation says, "Germaine Arnaktauyok's contribution to Canadian art is significant. She has been a serious artist for over 60 years and has continued to explore and develop artistically and professionally. She has charted her own course and created her own unique visual language, and her lifelong interest in her own unique Inuit culture has been an inspiration to many younger artists."
Born in the Igloolik area in the 1940s, Ms. Arnaktauyok began life drawing from her visionary world whenever materials became available. She studied fine arts at the University of Manitoba, commercial art and fine craft at Algonquin College, as well as print-making at Arctic College in Nunavut.
In her work, Ms. Arnaktauyok focuses primarily on Inuit myths, stories, and feminist narratives centred on birth and motherhood. She has illustrated and written several books, including illustrating the recently published "Takannaaluk" released in spring 2018. Her silk screen design, "The Drummer," was chosen by the Royal Canadian Mint for the two-dollar coin to mark the birth of Nunavut in 1999. Her professional career has included the production of lithographs, etchings, and serigraphs that illustrate Inuit myths and traditional ways of life. Her artwork is held in a variety of museums, including the National Gallery of Canada and the British Museum.
Please join me in saluting the life and work of Germaine Arnaktauyok and her recent distinction through this prestigious national award. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Claude Fontaine was born on October 13, 1963. His parents, Gerard and Therese Fontaine, and their six children welcomed Claude into a loving and caring home. Claude and his seven siblings were raised on their family farm in Prud'homme, Saskatchewan. It was there they all learned the value of hard work and the importance of family.
One of Claude's many special gifts was his ability to make deep and lasting connections with people from all walks of life. It would not be uncommon for Claude to meet somebody for the first time and, in a conversation, quickly discover an extended family connection, a friend of a friend, or a common event or place where paths may have crossed at one point. Conversation with Claude was not short, but when having a conversation with Claude, you would not be looking at your watch or your phone to check the time. You would not even be thinking about the time. What would feel like 15 minutes would end up being an hour or sometimes longer.
Claude was trained as a machinist, mechanic, truck driver, and later a welder. He worked on the railroad line, fixing equipment and keeping supplies moving. He drove transport trucks across Canada and the US, moving goods to people. He liked to talk about his travels in his 18-wheeler with friends and family.
Claude decided to settle in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories. He said he knew he was home when he had first laid his eyes on the Mackenzie River. Claude found an instant and profound connection to his new home. At the same time Claude chose to live in Fort Simpson, Fort Simpson also chose Claude as one of their own. He quickly became a beloved local who everybody knew as "Froggy" or "Frenchy." Through his many skills, Claude became a valuable additional to the community, and he developed his family-like relationship with so many people.
Around 2006, Claude met Lisa, a single working mom. Claude became a regular presence in Lisa's life and her son, Tristen's, who was about nine years old at the time. Claude would describe Lisa as his soulmate, the one true love of his life. Claude and Lisa were blessed with their boys, Kaleb and Kole. It was a great game-changer for Claude. At 65, he was not expecting to fall in love, let alone start a family.
Claude found peace and serenity in nature, and he felt his strongest connection to nature when he was in the Nahendeh. Known by the Dene as the land and water of the people, Claude explained to his family in the South that the forest, lakes, rivers, mountains, and animals of the North were much like his church. This is where he felt most connected to God or, as he would say, "the Big Guy."
Mr. Speaker, the family would like to thank the community of Fort Simpson for all their supports during this difficult time. He will be sadly missed but never forgotten. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Just to refer back to my Member's statement on hiring practices in the GNWT, I had a question for the Minister of Finance. First question: can the Minister provide us with any statistics on the number of individuals in the NWT who are screened out because of a criminal record? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Finance.
Thank, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT does not prohibit the hiring of any individual with an unrelated criminal conviction, and as such, there are no people who are screened out simply on that basis. Thank you.
Thank you for that. My next question is: has the Minister's department ever looked into an assessment process for applicants with criminal records?
Yes, there is an assessment process that does exist. There is, in the event that a criminal record has what we call a bona fide connection to the position of employment. In other words, if there is a legitimate connected reason why having a criminal record would prevent someone, for safety reasons, to perform the conduct of their duties, there is a process by which, once they are being offered the position, they could be asked to go and get their criminal record checked and bring that back. There is a process for how that would be evaluated, including potentially by a deputy minister who would be able to evaluate whether or not it is, in fact, connected to their employment.
Can the Minister advise what barriers people with criminal records face when seeking government employment and how can they overcome these barriers?
Again, there isn't intentionally a barrier. There shouldn't be a barrier, again, acknowledging that there may be positions where not having a criminal record is directly connected to the performance of that duty. That said, someone who may see that advertised certainly wouldn't necessarily want to apply if they have a criminal record, and they may not be in a position themselves to make the evaluation of whether that connection is there or not. People may well feel shame around having a criminal record. I very much want to emphasize that people can get criminal record suspensions, and that often is a tool that is not adequately used by many who have past criminal records for something. For what that's worth, I would certainly encourage people firstly to be familiar with the policy that we do have so that they don't see it as a barrier, but also to avail themselves of the process with the federal government around seeking what was formerly known as a pardon and now known as a criminal record suspension.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
