A motion brought by Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins to separate the territory’s Department of Health and Social Services into two distinct departments passed on the floor of the legislature on Tuesday.
A change of this magnitude would require support from cabinet to be implemented, regardless of the motion passing. It does not compel cabinet to act.
Hawkins’ motion passed with seven votes in favour and three against, all from regular MLAs.
Hawkins suggested a new department of social services could be created to oversee child and family services, mental health and addictions, and community well-being.
A department of health, he said, could focus on emergent and primary care and public health.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Hawkins first discussed bringing forward a similar motion during the last sitting of the legislature in June, but it was not raised at the time.
On Tuesday, Hawkins argued that splitting up the department could allow for improved service.
As evidence of the need for change, he pointed to reports from Canada’s auditor general that found “serious shortcomings” in the territory’s delivery of child protection services in 2014, 2018 and 2026.
The motion was seconded by Range Lake MLA Kieron Testart, who said there are “real issues” with the way healthcare and social services resources are managed by the territorial government.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Offering a counterpoint, Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan noted the motion would not create a position for a new minister to oversee the new department.
“We wouldn’t have a new person to be able to devote more of their focus to any of these things, including child and family services,” said Morgan.
“I don’t see any evidence for how it would create efficiencies and, in fact, what we’ve seen in the past is that doing a reorganization of different departments tends to cost a lot of money.”
Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong expressed support for the motion. As a reason for such a restructuring, she cited the disproportionate number of Indigenous children in care who are removed from their home communities.
Lucy Kuptana, who currently holds the health and social services portfolio after Lesa Semmler left public office, said the question at hand was not whether these services need to be improved, but whether splitting up the department would facilitate that goal.
“Reorganizing programs and moving responsibilities from one department to another does not automatically make services more accessible, improve accountability, or strengthen outcomes for residents,” said Kuptana.
Frame Lake MLA Julian Morse said he didn’t recall seeing a new department in any recommendations brought forward by the auditor general, but added he was open to exploring the idea if more evidence to support it was collected.
In a recorded vote, Morgan, Morse and Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Denny Rodgers opposed the motion. (While Rodgers was selected to join cabinet in Semmler’s place earlier in the day, he had not formally done so at the time of the vote.)
Ministers abstained from the vote. All others voted in favour of the motion, save for Great Slave MLA Kate Reid, who was not present at the time.
The territorial government has 120 days to respond.
