Shane Thompson

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Philip Maurice Gargan was born to his parents Celine and Charles Gargan, March 1, 1943. Phillip was born during a time when his parents lived at Redknife, but his birth certificate his place of birth as being Fort Providence. It is therefore unclear as to whether he was born at Redknife or in Fort Providence.

Phillip grew up at Jean Marie River, and it was there he was sent to residential school in Fort Providence. When Jean Marie River Federal Day School opened in the early 1950s, he returned home to attend school there. To finish his schooling, he went to Akaitcho Hall...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 48: Post-Secondary Education Act, sponsored by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on March 14, 2019 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development (committee) for review, the results of which are reported below.

Bill 48 proposes to create a structure for recognizing post-secondary institutions within the Northwest Territories (NWT). In summary, Bill 48:

prohibits the establishment or operation of a university without the consent of the Minister and an act of the Legislative...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 23-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development report on the review of Bill 40, Smoking Control and Reduction Act, and Bill 41, Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 100(4) and have Committee Report 23-18(3) moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 40: Smoking Control and Reduction Act and Bill 41: Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Services, each received Second Reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 28, 2019. The bills were referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development, committee, for review, the results of which are reported below.

Can the Minister tell us what the department is doing to ensure social workers are aware of the standards and are using them to guide their practice in such situations?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. During my time back home, I have had a couple of concerns brought to my attention, and I have worked with the Minister. I thank him and his department for working with me on that. My first question is: is there a policy to guide social service workers when a parent, foster parent, or concerned citizens alert authorities of a missing child under the care of the director of Child and Family Services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

With the challenges that we saw last year, can the Minister advise us what MTS is doing to ensure that this doesn't happen in the future and whether MTS has a risk management plan in place?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have heard the barge scheduled to go to the Kitikmeot last year was cancelled in May. Can the Minister explain the rationale for the barge being cancelled? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will table two documents. The first document is a letter dated May 29, 2019, addressed to me, from CHOU Consulting & Development Inc. The second one is a letter from the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories, dated June 3, 2019, addressed to me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, and I appreciate the information the Minister has been able to share with us here today. My final question: will the Child and Family Services quality improvement plan that is effective soon support and align with these standards and the training? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.