Facts - Government of the Northwest Territories

THE
March 2009
Volume 13 • Issue 3
F ACTS
A Newsletter for Employees of the
Government of the Northwest Territories
New Help for Smokers
Who Want to Quit!
Help to stop smoking is now just a
telephone call away for NWT smokers.
On March 1, the Department of
Health and Social Services launched
the NWT Quitline. This 24 hour/sevendays-a-week
telephone line is a free,
confidential service. It provides support
and advice from trained cessation
counsellors on how to stop smoking.
Translation services are offered in all
NWT languages. The line is operated by
the current providers of the Tele-Care
Health Line.
This new telephone service helps
fulfill the Department’s cessation goals
as identified in the Territorial Tobacco
Strategy. It is also in line with a major
national initiative. In 2010, the federal
government, in cooperation with all
provinces and territories, plans to
print a 1-800 number on all cigarette
packages sold in Canada. This will
direct the caller to a cessation line in
their own territory or province. With
the addition of the NWT Quitline, the
Northwest Territories will be ready for
this initiative.
During the initial call to the Quitline
a counsellor will help the caller to
determine their readiness to quit,
assess their smoking patterns and
review their personal supports. During
later calls, the counsellor will work
with the caller to establish a quit plan,
resolve practical problems and prevent
relapse, and to give support and
reinforcement for the caller’s quitting
goals.
An important feature of the NWT
Quitline is the personal call-back
option that is based on the quitter’s
needs. A caller can receive up to five
calls from a counsellor to support their
own quitting process at times that are
convenient for them. Panic calls – when
the temptation becomes too great –
are also accepted. The telephone line
counselling will be supplemented with
a mail out of support materials.
With their patient’s consent, a
health care worker can initiate the
referral process to the Quitline. The
first call to the smoker will then be
initiated by a Quitline counsellor at a
time convenient for the smoker.
With this line in place, NWT
residents will have one more tool to
help them quit the habit and take a big
step towards a healthier future.

Some
National Social Work Week
(NSWW) is celebrated annually across
Canada during the month of March.
In the NWT, NSWW will be celebrated
during the week of March 2 to 6,
with this year’s theme being “Making
a Difference in the Lives of Older
Adults and Their Families”.
Aurora College would like to
recognize the work of this group
of professionals, particularly the
faculty teaching in the Social Work
Program at the Yellowknife Campus.
Pictured here are: Sandy Little,
Senior Instructor; Instructors Heather
Fikowski and Bruce Stewart; and
Student Counsellor Joanne Erasmus.
The program offers two years
of general university studies and
professional curriculum leading to a
Diploma in Social Work. Graduates
may apply to have their two years
credited toward the Bachelor of
Social Work Degree at the University
of Regina or Yukon College. This
program is designed to be of
particular relevance to the Northwest
Territories, and its social issues and
cultural groups.
Social Work faculty have been
instrumental in introducing an Antioppressive
Social Work Practice
course into the curriculum and
participating in local and national
research initiatives. Two members
of the faculty volunteer as board
members with the Association of
Social Workers in Northern Canada,
linking social workers across the
north and advocating for social work
issues. During NSWW, the Aurora
College Social Work Program will host
Yellowknife social workers, linking
into a national educational webcast
on seniors and mental health.
We would also like to draw
attention to the contributions of
the students in the program. Each
of Our Own
Making a Difference
year the students and faculty attend
a seven-day on-the-land cultural
camp, which is certainly one of the
highlights of the program. Students
in the second year of the program
are participating in their final
practicum placement and preparing
for graduation in May. Some students
are taking steps to continue their
education outside the NWT to achieve
a Bachelor of Social Work Degree.
Sandy, Bruce, Heather and Joanne
have accumulated over 60 years of
social work practice, 40 with the
GNWT, and have participated in local
and national research initiatives and
projects. The Social Work Program
is a welcome addition to the Health
and Human Services Program area
that includes nursing, advanced
nursing, personal support workers
and community health representative
programming. We appreciate their
hard work, commitment to their
profession and to their students, and
of course all the humour and home
cooking that has come our way.
In light of this year’s theme for
NSWW, we would add that these
dedicated professionals have made a
significant difference in the lives of
many students at Aurora College.
Submitted by Denise Bowen,
Chair, School of Health and Human
Services Programs, Aurora College,
Yellowknife Campus.
Keeping Tracks Keeping Tracks Keepin
Best wishes to Bob Sanderson, Regional
Director in Fort Smith, who retires after
31 years of service. Bob and his wife, Jean,
don’t’ have plans to move away just yet,
but they hope to take it easy and to travel.
Having been born and raised in Fort Smith,
Bob is well known and loved by many and
will no doubt be missed!
DOT
Welcome to Jessica Decker, Finance
and Administration Clerk, and Sam
Anderson, Fire Fighter. Best wishes to
Peter Buell and Brian Noksana, who
leave the GNWT.
ENR
Good luck and all the best to Donald
Helfrick on his retirement.
ECE
Best wishes to Brenda Dodman, who
transfers to ITI/ENR as a Purchasing
Officer.
HSS
Welcome to Susan Hunt,
Administrative Assistant, and Donna
Nash, Children and Youth Disabilities
Specialist. Elske Canam moves to
YHSSA as the Supervisor, Family and
Community Programs.
HR
Best wishes to Anna Bergen, who
moves over to HSS as a Senior Nursing
Consultant.
ITI
Goodbye to Cherie Arrow, who
leaves the GNWT to pursue other
endeavours.
Justice
Congratulations to Cory Pond on his
promotion to Sheriff’s Officer. Farewell
to Ronald Mortin and Dan Milligan,
who move on from the GNWT.
Stanton
Welcome to: Andrea Booth, Relief
Registered Nurse, Medicine; Shawna
Tohm, Registered Nurse, Obstetrics;
Adriana Ewen, Relief Registered
Nurse, Medicine; Lindsay Lawson,
Relief Registered Nurse, Surgery; Lisa
Anderson, Relief Registered Nurse,
Surgery; and Christy Lee Campbell
and Kathy Beaupre, both Registration
Clerks/Relief Workers. Congratulations
to Julia Adam on her promotion to
Manager, Clinic Services, and to Betty
Dryden on her promotion to Laboratory
Technologist II. Bests wishes to Lisa
Sanderson, who moves on to the Fort
Smith Health Centre as a Patient Care
Coordinator.
BDHSSA
Welcome to: Inuvik’s Ruth Grandon,
Child, Youth and Family Counsellor;
Gladys Aleekuk, Home Support Worker;
Kerry Cheyne, Registered Nurse, Acute
Care (Emergency); and Brenda Ward,
Medical Social Worker. Welcome to
Vikki Gruben, Home Support Worker,
and Darlene Gauthier, Community
Health Nurse, in Tuktoyaktuk.
DHSSA
Welcome to Rene Lamothe,
Traditional Healing Project Coordinator,
in Fort Simpson.
SHSSA
Welcome to Suzie Smith, Community
Health Nurse, in Deline.
YHSSA
Welcome to: Zulfqar Khan, Family
and Community Social Worker; Heather
Daye, Records and ATIPP Coordinator,
Finance and Administration; and
Robin Boothe, Home Support Worker.
Congratulations to Ruth Robertson
on her promotion as the new Chief
Executive Officer. Best wishes to Dr.
Nancy Fraser as she moves on from
Gibson Medical Clinic, and to Lori Oake,
who transfers over to HSS as Health
Planner, Homecare.
TSCA
Welcome to (Beth) Donna Elizabeth
Nuttall, Community Social Service
Worker III, in Behchoko.

Eating Better – Together!
March is Nutrition Month
HR BEAR iN miND
To mark Nutrition Month in the
NWT, the Department of Health
and Social Services, along with their
partners, the Northern Nutrition
Association and the Regional Health
and Social Service Authorities,
dietitians and nutritionists, are
promoting “Eating Better Together”.
Current research suggests that
eating as a family has great benefits
for your children and teenagers.
Did you know that teens who eat
with their families smoke less and
score higher on achievement tests?
Younger children who sit down to
dinner with their families eat more
fruits and vegetables, drink less pop
and consume foods higher in most
nutrients and lower in fat. When
you cook and serve meals at home,
you have more control over the
quality and quantity of your family’s
food choices. Family meals should
be dynamic – an exchange of ideas,
conversation and feelings. Turn off the
television, the video games and the
computer. Meal time is a wonderful
opportunity to strengthen family ties
and pass on family cultural traditions.
The Nutrition Month partners will
be promoting healthy eating for the
whole family this month. Some of
these partners have just worked with
37 schools involved with the February
2009 Drop the Pop campaign (www.
dropthepopnwt.ca), which encourages
students and their families to make
healthier beverage choices as well
as recognizes schools that support
healthy eating.
These partners will also be cooking
up activities around the NWT. Some
of the activities include, displays
at grocery stores with healthy low
cost recipes, promotions, taste tests
and giveaways. Other events that
will be happening include nutrition
and health promotion staff from
Yellowknife HSSA working with
nursing
students
at Aurora
College to
help all AC
students
with food
budgeting,
shopping,
cooking
and meal
planning. The Yellowknife
School Nutrition Coordinator
(located at Mildred Hall School) will
be involved in local school health
fairs. Inuvik will be involved with
promotional activities in collaboration
with Healthy Foods North (www.
healthyfoodsnorth.ca), and Hay
River will be supporting school-based
projects.
As we know, eating healthy can
be expensive, but even on a small
budget and with a bit of planning and
preparation, you can still eat well. We
want to hear from you and ask for
your tips and suggestions on how to
reduce your grocery bill. Prizes will be
awarded for the tips submitted and
we will share the best ones with you
on the GNWT Messenger Service in
March and April, since good nutrition
links with Dental Health Month in
April. Send your tips to
elsie_deroose@gov.nt.ca.
Leave Entry Deadline!
The 2008/2009 fiscal year end for the
GNWT is fast approaching – please ensure
all of your leave is entered into PeopleSoft
by March 27, 2009. As well, if you intend to
apply for further leave between now and
the end of March, please have it entered
and approved as soon as possible to meet
the March 27 deadline.
Your 2008/2009 Employee Balance of
Leave Credits form will be distributed to
you in early May. Please review it carefully
and note any discrepancies in detail on the
form and return it to your supervisor.
Watch for upcoming changes that will
simplify the administration of leave in 2009.
Premier’s Awards – Nominations
One of the GNWT’s most popular awards
is ready for new nominations! Do you
know someone who shows excellence,
innovation and dedication in the work they
do? If so, nominate that special employee
or team for the Premier’s Award for
Excellence. Or, for teams which have GNWT
and non-GNWT members, there is the
Premier’s Collaboration Award. Deadline
for nominations is April 1, 2009. For more
information, visit www.hr.gov.nt.ca/training
Grin
and Bear It
Reveal!
Although many of you guessed
our mystery cheerleader to be Marie
Wilson from the Workers’ Safety and
Compensation Commission it was none
other than Nancy Gardiner, Programs
Officer with Human Resources.
Congratulations to Peg Embleton (DOT),
who won herself a Bear Facts tea tumbler.
New IDs ready
Get yours today! The GNWT has updated
the look of its employee photo ID cards.
You can get one made at your local HR
Service Centre: www.hr.gov.nt.ca/contacts/
locations/
HR Survey Thank You
Thanks to all GNWT employees who
completed the Corporate HR survey in
January. We received over 900 completed
surveys! Thanks also to those who
participated in focus group sessions and
interviews. We value your feedback.
All information received is being
compiled and will be used in the
development of the 10-year Corporate
Human Resources Strategic Plan and threeyear
action plan.
PeopleSoft Home Page
You will notice additional features on
the PeopleSoft home page. Once you sign
in, you will see the time entry cut-off date,
a “did you know” information section and,
for those users with reporting access, you
will be able to see when new reports have
been added for you. We look forward to
bringing you more improvements this year.
The Bear Facts – It’s your newsletter! Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Send us a fax at 867-873-0629 or drop us a line at bearfacts@gov.nt.ca