Caroline Wawzonek

When the Legislative Assembly shut down in March due to the COVID health state of emergency, the Government of the Northwest Territories was well into its annual budgeting process. As we continue that discussion, we are also moving forward to other financial matters to be discussed during this sitting of the Legislative Assembly.

The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic do not change the Government’s need to continue providing programs and services. At the same time, we have been responding to the immediate needs of the Northwest Territories economy, communities, businesses, and...

I need to just take 10 seconds and actually go back to the genesis of the program, which was that, when Canada, the federal government, ruled out this CERB program for individuals who were negatively impacted, lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19, and they set a floor that would provide money to everyone, $2,000 into the pockets of people who had been negatively impacted, there very quickly arose, particularly in southern Canada, the fact that a lot of front-line workers were now incentivized to leave what might have been considered, at least perceptually, a higher risk profession, whether...

We have three facilities, four if you include the youth facility, separate from the NSCC, and I would certainly commit to taking a look at the mental health resources available specific to corrections workers across all of those facilities. Thank you.

I have no doubt that there is some burn-out. The correctional facilities across Canada right now, many of them have actually been struck quite significantly by COVID-19. We have been fortunate in the Northwest Territories to not be in that situation, but it is not for lack of tremendous effort put in by the correctional facility staff to undertake their work in a very difficult environment. We are aware that they always work in a challenging environment, and they are working in a particularly challenging environment right now with COVID-19. There are additional requirements for hygiene and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 117-19(2): Response to Affirmative Action Policy"; "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 171-19(2): Daylight Savings Time"; and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 190-19(2): Lack of Enforcement in Illegal Drug Trade." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will take a moment first to just remind all GNWT employees there are quite a number of measures that have been made available to staff for mental wellness. They are available under the "My HR" website. There have been extensive changes made to increase and enhance what is available for all employees, including correctional services employees. Prior to COVID-19, there were efforts under way already between human resources and corrections to start working together to really identify the fact that correction services is a challenged environment for employees and to try to find some solutions...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, there is no indication that additional staff are necessary. What we have been doing, though, is certainly working with human resources in the correctional facilities to ensure that all staff are available to be present. The information I have is that, so far, we have had no difficulty in maintaining the services that are required in the correctional facilities.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, I appreciate the Member's comments. The department did work tremendous hours over the last many days. Other departments did as well, as well as at the same time dealing with their COVID planning. The 5 percent is not meant to go on top of grants, contributions, et cetera; at least, not initially, it was not. There were different individuals working on this, and in the bit of the rush and the fact that we wanted to get this before committee here today, for Lands, Legislative Assembly, ITI, and the Health and Social Services Authority, there is an...

Yes, I do.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 4, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2020-2021, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.