Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a number of years ago, we moved forward with a new approach to providing child and family services here in the Northwest Territories called Building Stronger Families. The premise and the intention behind Building Stronger Families is to move away from an apprehension system to a prevention system to support families. The bottom line is we want to find ways to support families so the children never have to be apprehended. In that model, it includes working with families to identify the challenges they are facing and come up with ways to address those issues...

When it comes to cannabis, our goal is to protect residents, especially children and youth, from second-hand cannabis smoke exposure. Also, in some ways more important, we want to make sure that residents have the facts on the risks of cannabis and its use on the developing brain. This is an area that I think we need to put some additional attention on to create awareness of so that young people and pregnant and nursing women understand the risks and impacts of cannabis on that developing brain.

Officials within the department have begun meeting to design a public education awareness campaign...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some initial activities to develop the mental health and addictions recovery action plan are under way. We're compiling key findings. We're looking forward to seeing the report from committee on suggestions of things that we need to do better. We're pulling together best practices from around other jurisdictions to help inform further discussion. We've also put together, or we're in the process of putting together, an interdepartmental working group of social envelope departments as well as the NWT Health and Social Services Authority in the Tlicho...

It was clear that after-care is one of the areas that is a challenge for our residents who have gone out for treatment. Whether it is an on-the-land program, whether it is a community-based program, it is the after-care that we need to make sure they are getting.

Not only did the facilities mention the programs that they are providing as far as after-care, which I am open and willing to and will be directing the department to include in our discussion around the addictions recovery plan, but there was also the suggestion that peer support needed some additional support. There is peer support...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did attend the tour, and I did hear exactly what the Member heard, and I agree with what the Member is saying. There is no question that we want a stable environment for our individuals to go to when they are returning. I will say that some people are returning to their homes, which may provide the environment they need, but we heard loud and clear that there are some individuals who are returning to couches, and that is deeply troubling.

We are working on a new addictions recovery action plan, and I am really looking forward to hearing the report from the...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following 12 documents entitled "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 753-18(2) Portable Ultrasound Machine for Fort Simpson Health and Social Services Centre," "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 835-18(2): Regional Wellness Council Meeting," "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 873-18(2): Safe Houses for Victims of Family Violence," "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 889-18(2): Proposed Hay River Long Term Care Facility," "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 890-18(2): Prescription Drug Coverage for Mental Illness," "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 923-18(2)...

Mr. Speaker, the retrofitting of the old building will be the responsibility of the property manager, bringing it up to a state that we need to meet those needs. There is not necessarily room available in Stanton for a separate school once you actually factor in all the things that we are hoping to put in there, which, as I said, includes 72 long-term care beds, a large number of extended care beds, OT/PT outpatient, as well as clinic services and a kitchen and whatnot to support those services that would be provided in that building.

Currently, when it comes to the nursing program at Aurora...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we know, moving forward with the 258 beds by 2026, there is going to significant demand for long-term care staff, which does include RNs, but will include more things like residential care aides and other individuals who will be providing support in that hospital. Currently, Aurora College does provide that training. They have delivered that course up in Inuvik, and it was well-attended and the results were fantastic.

I am happy to be working with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to explore opportunities to train for what could amount to...

We are going to be utilizing that building for long-term care, extended care, as well as outpatient services, as I have previously indicated. There is no plan at this point to turn it into a university or a college, but we do accept, and I agree with the Member that there is a great opportunity to do some on-site training for individuals in partnership with something like Aurora College or some of our Indigenous partners who might want to pursue training.

The training will likely occur there, but it should also occur in places like the Beaufort Delta and in Hay River and Simpson, and places...

The plan at this point in time is to utilize the existing Stanton building for a number of different services, including 72 long-term care beds, a number of extended care beds, some area for outpatient services in areas of OT/PT, as well as a clinic.

When it comes to training local people for local work, Aurora College has been a fantastic provider of both nursing training here in the Northwest Territories as well as training for things like resident care aides. All of those training opportunities require practical or clinical placements, and the Department of Health and Social Services and the...