Northern Territories Federation of Labour meets via zoom Jagmeet Singh MP (Burnaby South) Federal Leader NDP, Lori Idlout MP (Nunavut), local representatives and the CLC
I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the NDP on Wednesday afternoon including Jagmeet Singh MP (Burnaby South) Federal Leader NDP, Lori Idlout MP (Nunavut), local representatives and the CLC. Thanks to everyone who participated for making the time for this meeting as well as those who I consulted with in preparation.Items raised and discussed were:
Baffinland Iron mines. 1100 Baffinland employees, (approximately 350 Nunavut hires) have received termination letters as the mine has reached its production limit and the Nunavut Impact Review Board as well as the Federal Minister in charge continue to delay the process for approving the Baffinland expansion or renewal of the existing permit originally approved 3 years ago. I asked that the NDP push for a quicker decision in the hopes of saving those jobs and that the local NDP representatives go to the communities impacted, along with the union (IUOE) representing those members and hear from those workers impacted by these delays. Pending scheduling those meetings are in the works.
Health and Social Services in the North, particularly the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Health and Social Services in the two Territories are struggling greatly with staffing, staff retention and burnout. Our members are being overworked and pushed to the limit, often operating programs and units with below the minimum number to operate safely or being assigned well over the established standard caseload by 2-3 times. I acknowledged the Federal Government doesn’t involve itself in the day to day operations of the Territorial Health systems. However, despite the failings on the two Territories to provide adequate services and protect staff from burnout, the Federal Government still has a role to play. As Health Care and Social Services continue to get more expensive to provide, the Federal Government needs to step up and increase Federal Transfer payments to ensure the Territorial Governments have the ability (financially) to provide those services. Health Care and Social Services providers as well as the residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut deserve better. The NDP agreed and believes Federal Government needs to be a partner and has role to play in addressing the failures of Health and Social Services in the north.
I look forward to future conversations on these issues and those that are equally as important but we couldn’t fit into this meeting.
If you have any questions, concerns or issues you would like to see raised in the future please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Thanks,
Avery Parle
He/Him
NWT Vice President/Executive Administrator
Northern Territories Federation of Labour
Cell: 705-733-6734
Office: 867-873-3695
4910 53 St #100
Yellowknife, NT X1A 1V2
