Ask a question, get a non-answer

Keith Peterson, MLA for Cambridge Bay, asked Premier Paul Okalik four simple questions about Nunavut's much-vaunted suicide prevention plan, released by the government in June, during question period Oct. 31.

He did not receive one coherent answer.

"Can the Premier tell the House who the lead minister is who will be accountable for the success of the strategy?" Peterson began.

"We have worked really hard on this," Okalik replied, without answering the question. "We are working with Health and Social Services because we cannot do it alone and as a government, we can only try and assist those people who do consider ­suicide."

Next, Peterson asked, "can the Premier tell the House if any specific dollars had been allocated to the strategy to date?"

Okalik said nothing of money, and instead offered: "The staff that we are currently using will be helping by collecting information to run an office. We want it to run very smoothly for the benefit of all Nunavummiut."

Third, Peterson asked, "I wonder if the Premier can tell the House if he can explain to us how the Government of Nunavut will measure the success of this strategy once it's implemented."

Again, no answer.

"This will be ongoing. There was the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Services. So what we're trying to do is to make it into one so that we can help the people. At this time, we are not sure, but we certainly want to see a decrease in suicide."

Last, Peterson asked "can the Premier tell us, to date, how the Government of Nunavut has communicated this strategy to the local wellness workers in the communities who have to work with people with suicide issues?"

Okalik offered no explanation as to how this is being done.

"That's exactly what we're trying to do; to do that so that there will be good communication between the communities and the government without a concern to work together so that we can make a dent in the number of suicides," Okalik said.

"We have to work together with the community and work with the families, even though it is one of the most difficult things to tackle in Nunavut."