The Department of Social Development was created in 1967 when the Government of the Northwest Territories was centralized in Yellowknife. The mandate of the Department was to provide social and health care services to Territorial residents. Originally, the Department had three divisions: Alcohol Education Program, Corrections Service and Probation Service. In 1969 the Probation Service was included in the scope of Corrections Services Division. Child Welfare, Medical Social Services and Rehabilitation, Social Assistance and Categorical Allowances were also added to the Department. Medical Social Services and Rehabilitation focused on the problems associated with illness and hospitalization as well as the special needs of aged, disabled and infirm. Correctional Services oversaw probation services, correctional institutions such as the Yellowknife Correctional Institution and the Baffin Correctional Centre in Frobisher Bay, the Correctional Camp until its closure in 1973, and the Juvenile Training Centre in Forth Smith. The Alcohol Education Program focused on individual counseling, referral and education, as well as broad-base community work on finding long-range answers to drug abuse problems. In 1970, Categorical Allowances was renamed Blindness and Disability Allowances. Child Welfare was created in 1970 due to the Jubinville Committee’s major recommendations; one of which was to integrate juvenile delinquency services with child welfare. In 1971, Health Insurance Services was transferred from the Territorial Secretary. HIS was responsible for carrying out the requirements of the Territorial Hospital Insurance Ordinance and the Medical Care Ordinance, both implemented in 1971. This enabled budgetary and funding changes for Territorial hospitals. Additionally, the Health Care Plan was created to provide health services for all Territorial residents. In 1972 Medical Social Services became Medical Social Services and Special Care. In 1973 the Department created the Community Social Services division. In 1974 the Alcohol and Drug Program was responsible for the Alcohol and Drug Co-ordinating Council, but did not list it as a responsibility past that year. In 1975 the blanket Special Services Division was created to manage the development, maintenance and coordination of community based social services in its divisions of Child Welfare, Juvenile Probation, Day Care, Homemaker Services, and Aged and Handicapped Services. By 1976 it only listed its divisions as being Child Welfare and Aged and Handicapped Services. In September 1977 the Department was renamed Health and Social Services.
The Department of Social Services was established in 1978 when the Department of Health and Social Services was split to form two distinct departments.
The Department of Social Services was responsible for promoting, improving and preserving the social well being of the residents of the Northwest Territories. The department provided services directly to individuals and families and supported the delivery of services through community-based organizations and agencies. Community Social Services Workers were placed in most communities and provided financial assistance assessments, investigated complaints of child neglect and abuse, supervised probationers and parolees and provided counseling to children and adults. The department assisted groups in organizing and providing services to the aged and handicapped, operated child care facilities, adult and youth correctional centres and homes for handicapped and elderly persons requiring assistance. In addition, funding was provided for foster homes and home support services to enable residents to remain in their homes as long as possible. Awareness programs and training were offered in the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, domestic abuse and child abuse.
The Administration Activity was responsible for developing, coordinating and managing the delivery of services related to child welfare, special services, financial assistance services, alcohol and drug programs, institutional and community corrections services and programs for the elderly and disabled in Yellowknife and within the communities. This Activity provided the funds for all staff within these programs, except those working in institutional settings. As the Department of Social Services evolved, this activity became responsible for development of policies and management of the department to ensure consistent application of policy, programs, standards and procedures throughout the Northwest Territories. In 1988, this activity was renamed the Directorate; it consisted of the Deputy Minister's Office, the Policy and Planning and Finance and Administration Support Divisions, the Regional Superintendents and their support staff, and Community Social Service Workers located in the communities throughout the Northwest Territories. The Directorate was also responsible for the delivery of the Youth Initiatives Program that assisted community groups that were interested in developing youth leadership programs, drug and alcohol prevention programs and educational and counseling programs.
The Corrections Activity was comprised of institutional corrections programs and community-based corrections programs. The institutional corrections programs provided custody, supervision and rehabilitative treatment to persons sentenced to jail terms in the Northwest Territories. Wilderness programs, education and life skills training were offered within the correctional facility that provided inmates with skills appropriate to the north that would encourage self-reliance and responsibility. The institutional corrections programs also provided probation, parole services and offered programs to help offenders adjust to community life after their release. The community-based corrections programs provided an alternative to incarceration for the offender and offered greater public protection through crime deterrence and offender rehabilitation. The Fine Options program for example, enabled persons who could not pay fines to do community service as a substitute. The Victim/Offender conciliation program was another program administered by community agencies through service contracts. Staff training and a Correctional Officer training program, geared towards aboriginal northerners, was also offered through this activity. Community service, restitution and work programs were other major programs delivered by this division. The Corrections Division was involved with the upgrading of correctional facilities, as well as the construction and opening of facilities within the communities, such as the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre and Baffin Correctional Centre. Corrections Services were also responsible for developing crime prevention programs in the communities of the Northwest Territories. In 1988-89, the Correction Services Activity expanded to include a Custody and Community Corrections program for Young Offenders. Emphasis was placed on improving educational and life skills programming within the already established young offender facilities, as well as constructing two permanent facilities in Iqaluit and Yellowknife. The division continued to emphasize alternatives to institutional care for young offenders through measures administered by Youth Justice Committees that utilized community resources such as probation services and community service orders. In 1993-94, the Department of Justice assumed the responsibility for Corrections Services.
The Family and Children's Services Activity was responsible for providing services relating to Child Welfare, Child Day Care, Child Sexual Abuse and Family Violence Prevention. The activity provided substitute care for children in the custody of Child Welfare, under the Child Welfare Ordinance or Juvenile Delinquent Act. Substitute care resources included adoptive homes, foster homes and group homes. Receiving home facilities such as Trailcross and River Ridge (Fort Smith) provided assessment and treatment services for adolescents; Northern Lights (Inuvik) and the Yellowknife Receiving Home provided group home treatment and family crisis services. The Family and Children's Services Activity emphasized community involvement in responding to child welfare needs and workshops and programs were offered in order facilitate that involvement. In 1981, the Hay River and Fort Providence Dene bands, with assistance from the Department of Social Services, successfully organized and operated three summer camps for young people in order to prevent young people to from coming into conflict with the law. The camps were then used as bases for fall and winter trapping activities in which juvenile offenders would be under the supervision of experienced trappers and hunters. The activity evaluated programs and facilities and offered training programs to staff in dealing with behavioral and emotional problems of children and families. This activity developed a childcare diploma program that was delivered by Arctic College in 1987. Family and Children Services also became involved with custom, private, departmental and international adoptions in the late 1980's. When the Child Day Care Facilities Act and Regulations came into effect in 1988, this activity assisted child day care facilities in becoming licensed and then was responsible for inspecting and monitoring day care centres throughout the Northwest Territories. The day care program also administered grants and contributions to licensed day care operators and offered training assistance to day care staff. In 1986-87, a Spousal Assault Service was introduced to the Department of Social Services and joined the Family and Children's Services Activity in 1988. The primary function of this activity was to develop family violence programs that would encourage and enable families and communities to help themselves and to provide safety and assistance for those living with violence. Community crisis centres were developed, as well as, shelter programs and counseling services for assault victims and for the batterers.
In 1980, the Services to the Aged and Handicapped Activity was added to the Department of Social Services. This activity provided funds and guidance to purchase and provide services to assist the elderly and disabled people to maintain themselves in their own home or community. Coordinated home care programs such as protective visiting, the delivery of meals and home nursing services were delivered through cooperation from hospitals. Studies and need assessments were conducted to determine the needs of handicapped people and elderly people in the north. This activity was responsible for a wide range of personal, community and residential services for the aged and handicapped. This involved the development of appropriate standards and policies, as well as planning services and constructing facilities.
Financial Assistance Services, formerly known as Income Maintenance (1978-79), provided social assistance, supplementary benefits to recipients of Old Age Security plus the Guaranteed Income Supplement and provided financial assistance for payment of non-insured health services for persons who were unable to pay the cost. This activity also identified the various types of interventions and counseling that were offered by the department in order to develop self-support and problem solving to those in need. Community Social Service workers provided counseling in order to teach life skills and promote self-support. In 1988-89, this activity joined with the Aged and Handicapped Services to form Community and Family Support Services.
The Community and Family Support Services Division provided services and financial assistance to the aged and handicapped persons and to individuals and families in financial need. This division also facilitated and monitored the transfer of social services programs and services to local governments under the Government of the Northwest Territories Transfer Policy. The Financial Assistance service within this division provided financial support to persons requiring assistance in meeting their basic needs, day care subsidies to parents and supplementary benefits to qualified northern recipients of Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit Act. The division also provided information and assisted community and band councils interested in assuming increased responsibility for program delivery. The division processed and approved applications for rehabilitation programs and provided for an appeal process. Through an employment enhancement program that was cost shared with the federal government, recipients of social assistance were placed in job training programs for guiding, outfitting, tool making, carving, skin preparation, sewing and academic upgrading.
In 1981-82, the Alcohol and Drug Service was added to the Department of Social Services. This activity provided contribution funding to support community-based alcohol and drug projects in order to combat alcohol and drug abuse in the Northwest Territories. The division assisted in the development and delivery of staff training programs for local people that would enable them to work in projects within their home communities. The Alcohol and Drug Service provided administrative services to the Alcohol and Drug Coordinating Council, which included assessment of funding applications and project evaluations. The Alcohol and Drug Coordinating Council employed staff who offered education, counseling and rehabilitation services to community residents. The Alcohol and Drug Coordinating Council also acted as the Regional Advisory Board for the federal National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program. Other major program areas included community education and in-school programs that were designed to increase public awareness of impaired driving and fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol Awareness Week was coordinated in conjunction with the Departments of Education and Health and a youth alcohol and drug prevention program was delivered by this activity. Consultative and counseling services were also provided to governmental employees through liaison with the Department of Personnel.
In 1988-89, the activity was renamed the Alcohol, Drug and Community Mental Health Activity. The activity was responsible for facilitating the transfer of community based mental health services and the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program from the federal government. Emphasis continued to be the development of programs that prevented alcohol, drug and mental health programs at the community level. The Community Mental Health Programs consisted of regional specialists who provided advice, guidance and support to community groups who wished to take an active role in the prevention and treatment of mental health programs. These specialists also provided counseling and crisis intervention services. The Clinical Assessment and Treatment Services provided a team of children's mental health specialists who were available to travel to communities upon request of regional centres. The specialist provided assessments, diagnosis, consultation and treatment for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioural and psychological problems. Between 1990-1991, a Suicide Prevention Program was added to this activity. Work on developing a northern suicide prevention-training curriculum began in Baker Lake, Coppermine, Iqaluit, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife, which assisted community groups in educating the public about suicide prevention. This activity also provided psychological services to correctional centres.
In 1995, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Health were consolidated to form a single department called the Department of Health and Social Services.
The Department of the Executive was established in 1967. It was comprised of the Commissioner's Office, the Ministers' Offices and the Executive Council Secretariat that provided administrative and operational support to the department and to the Executive Council that in turn directed the administration branch of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Regional Directors coordinated government activities in each of the five administrative regions of the Northwest Territories. Executive staff, which reported to Regional Directors, were located in many communities and assisted with the coordination and dissemination of information related to government programs and services at the community level.
The Department of the Executive provided operational and administrative support to many activities and agencies including: Fire Marshal or Fire Prevention Services (1967-1971); Management Services or Internal Audit and Regulations (1969-1971); Historical Advisory Board (1970-1971); Liquor System (1970-1971); Emergency Measures or Emergency Planning and Environment Protection (1975-1977) and (1982-1983); Science Advisory Board (1976-1977); Land Claims Secretariat (1978-1980); In-Service Library (1973-1975) and (1981-1983); Geographic and Place Names (1985-1986); Security Advisor or Security (1974-1993) Office of Constitutional Development or Office of Devolution (1985-1992); Highway Transport Board/Public Utilities Board (1989-1992); Energy and Resource Development Secretariat or Energy, Mines and Resource Secretariat (1981-1989); Bureau of Statistics (1979-1994); Worker's Compensation Board (1982-1997) and the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories (1989-1994).
In a major restructuring between 1994 and 1995, the Executive Council directed that the Ministerial and Departmental Mandates and Goals of the Department of the Executive, Finance and Personnel be revised and that associated organizational changes be implemented. The Department of the Executive was reorganized and divided into three separate and distinct programs, each under the authority of a separate Minister. The three programs are: Executive Offices, the Financial Management Board Secretariat and the Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs (formerly Aboriginal Rights and Constitutional Development Secretariat).
The Executive Offices Program provides overall direction, management and coordination to the GNWT as a whole. The Department provides policy, legislative, communications and strategic advice to Cabinet and to GNWT departments. The program also provides broad direction for the territorial public service and addresses national and international issues that have cross-departmental implications. The Executive Offices reviews all departmental initiatives to ensure that they support the government’s agenda in a balanced manner and directs focus towards areas where balance is not being achieved. The Secretary to Cabinet/Deputy Minister of Executive manages the Executive Offices Program. This program is responsible for the following: the Commissioner's Office, the Ministers' Offices, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Public Utilities Board. In 2003-2004, Executive Offices Program became responsible for the another unit, the Beaufort Delta Regional Office, which was responsible for implementing Cabinet priorities and direction, coordinating GNWT program and service responsibilities in the region and transition planning at the regional level in preparation for the implementation of a final self-government agreement.
The Commissioner’s Office provides funding for the Commissioner’s operational expenses, travel and support staff and for the Commissioner’s Award Program which recognizes individuals who distinguish themselves by acts of bravery of exceptional public service.
The Ministers' Offices include the Premier's Office, Ministers' Offices, and Women's Advisory. This unit provides advice, communication and operation support to the Premier and Cabinet, six Ministers and support staff. The Women’s Advisory provides a point of contact within the territorial government on issues of concern to women and advice and support to the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
The programs delivered by the Cabinet Secretariat have changed throughout the years. It has included such units as Secretariat Management, Official Languages Unit, Personnel Secretariat, Division Review Secretariat, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Corporate Services, which supports all three Programs of the Department of the Executive budgetary by providing, budgetary, financial and administrative services. The Legislation and House Planning unit provides advice and support to Cabinet, departments and government agencies with respect to the development of legislation and for sessions of the Legislative Assembly. Between 1998-1999, the Regulatory Reform Secretariat was added to the Cabinet Secretariat activity. This activity was responsible for reviewing the way government departments and agencies carry out regulatory responsibilities in order to reduce barriers to economic growth. This review process was completed within the same fiscal year. The Division Review Secretariat also operated between 1998-2000, and provided support and advice to Cabinet and acted as a liaison between the GNWT and the Government of Nunavut. After division of the Northwest Territories and the creation of Nunavut, this unit ceased to exist. In 1999-2000, the Personnel Secretariat Unit was renamed Corporate Human Resource Services. This unit continued to develop and monitor the government's recruitment policy, Affirmative Action Policy and other government-wide human resource policies, as well as provide training and advice to GNWT departments on staff development and human resource planning. Furthermore, the services delivered by the Official Languages Unit were transferred to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in 1999. Between 2000-2001, three new units were added to the Cabinet Secretariat; Communications, Regional Relations and Intergovernmental Forum Secretariat. The Communications Unit develops, produces and distributes Department of Executive publications, provides advice and implements public affairs strategies to the Premier, Executive Council and Departments and provides protocol services to the GNWT. In addition, this unit communities the goals, strategies and agenda of the GNWT within government and to the public. The Regional Relations Unit is responsible for enhancing communications within and between regions and Headquarters. It also assists regions in preparation for transfer of government programs and services through capacity building and aboriginal self-government. This unit ceased to exist in 2002-2003. The Intergovernmental Forum Secretariat is responsible for coordinating the Government’s participation in Aboriginal, Territorial and Federal government discussions on issues such as devolution, resource revenue sharing, oil and gas developments, and fiscal relationship with Ottawa and northern control over northern resources. In 2002-2003, the Intergovernmental Forum Secretariat and the Intergovernmental Affairs Unit joined to form the Intergovernmental Relations and Strategic Planning Unit. The Energy Secretariat was added to the Cabinet Secretariat in 2002-2003. It was responsible for coordinating the development of an NWT Energy Strategy within the GNWT. Once this unit completed its task and ceased to exist in 2003-2004. The Corporate Review and Transition Planning Project was added to the Cabinet Secretariat in 2003-2004; it conducted an examination of GNWT functions and structure in order to report on future issues and actions for consideration by the Executive Council.
The Public Utilities Board is an independent regulatory agency responsible for the regulation of the energy utilities in the NWT. The Board derives its authority from the Public Utilities Act.
The Financial Management Board Secretariat (FMBS) was expanded and transferred from the Department of Finance to the Department of Executive. With the exception of staffing and external financial responsibilities, the Financial Management Board Secretariat has assumed all human resource and financial management functions of the Department of Personnel and Finance. FMBS provides centralized revenue and general accounting, comptrollership, program and organizational design services, internal audit, program evaluation, pay and benefit services, human resources planning and development as well as labour relations services to the Government of the Northwest Territories. These services are provided through four core business units: Directorate, Human Resources, Government Accounting and Audit, Budgeting and Evaluation. Between 1998-99, these core units changed to the Directorate, Labour Relations and Compensation Services, Government Accounting, the Audit Bureau and Budgeting and Evaluation. In 2003-2004, the Office of the Chief Information Officer was created and reported to the Secretary of the Financial Management Board/Comptroller General. This Office was responsible for developing a strategy for the management and utilization of the GNWT’s information resources, as well as coordinates an information management/information systems/information technology planning process that span multiple departments as well as provide advice and support to the Informatics Policy Committee.
The Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs serves the Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and the Cabinet Committee System. The Ministry manages and coordinates GNWT participation at land claims, self-government and treaty negotiations and monitors Western constitutional development. The three areas of program support included the Directorate, Policy and Implementation and Negotiations. Between 2001-2002, the Policy and Implementation Division separated to form their own separate divisions. The Implementation Division became solely responsible for the negotiation of implementation plans and managing and monitoring the implementation of settled lands, resources and self-government agreements. In 2002-2003, a new unit was added to the Ministry. The Intergovernmental Forum Secretariat is responsible for GNWT coordination in Aboriginal, territorial and federal government discussions on pan-territorial issues such as economic development, capacity building and financing governments. The Ministry also works to enhance communications with regions and between regions and Headquarters and to work with regions to prepare for changes to the delivery of government programs and services in advance of new governance arrangements being negotiated. A sixth functional unit was added to the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs in 2003-2004 with the Devolution Division. This division is responsible for managing GNWT participation and representing the GNWT interest in the negotiations of devolution and resource revenue sharing agreements. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations (DAAIR) formed in 2006-2007 when the Department of Aboriginal Affairs gained the intergovernmental relations function from the Department of Executive. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs had also been responsible for devolution and resource revenue functions, however with the formation of the DAAIR, these functions remained with the Executive.
The Department of the Territorial Secretary was created in 1967. It was responsible for general administrative services in the newly established Government of the Northwest Territories. It was also responsible for the administration of variety of ordinances and the Territorial Public Library Services. The department was divided into five divisions: Administrative Services Division; Labour Division; Public Library Services; Administration of Ordinances Division; and Health Services Division.
Among the duties handled by the Administrative Services Division were: the administration of the Central Registry Filing system, mail room services, stenographic services, allocation of office space; provision of equipment and furnishings communication services including telephone and telex; and printing services. The Department of the Territorial Secretary published the Territorial Gazette and all manuals related to all departments of the government.
The Labour Division administered various ordinances relevant to employee-employer relationships. Its responsibilities included maintaining liaisons with employers, employee groups and individual employees in the administration of Labour Standards and Workers Compensation. Other aspects of labour relations and safe working conditions included: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, Employment Agencies, Fair Employment Practices, Fair Wages and Conditions of Employment, Wage Recovery and Elevator and Fixed Conveyances. Because of some of these ordinances, the division worked with the federal government on mine safety, arranged contract inspectors for boilers, pressure vessels, elevators and fixed conveyances and compiled statistics for the federal government.
Territorial Public Library Services were headquartered in Hay River in the Centennial Memorial Library. Library Services supported the efforts of member libraries located in many communities including Cambridge Bay, Fort Smith, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson, Iqaluit (Frobisher Bay), Holman Island, Rankin Inlet, Inuvik, Pine Point, Fort McPherson, Tuktoyaktuk Coral Harbour and Deline (Fort Franklin). Services were also provided directly to those residents whose communities did not yet have libraries. A children's library program was promoted by community libraries and headquarters.
The Administration of Ordinances Division was responsible for administering various major and minor ordinances. The major ordinances consisted of: Motor Vehicles; Public Service Vehicles; Companies; Societies; Co-operative Associations; Vital Statistics; and Change of Names. Other ordinances administered by the division included: Billiard Rooms and Bowling Alleys, Business License; Consumer Protection; Coroners; Credit Union; Dental Profession, Dog; Evidence; Herd and Fencing; Hotel Keepers; Insane Persons; Insurance; Justice of the Peace; Legal Profession; Marriage; Medical Profession; Motion Picture; NWT Public Service Association; Optometry; Pesticides; Petroleum Products; Pharmacy; Presumption of Death; Scientists and Explorers; Veterinary Profession; Cornea Transplant; Curfew; Fur Export; Game; Human Tissue; Jury; Lord's Day; Public Health; Teacher's Association. In conjunction with the Vital Statistics Ordinance, certain functions relating to maintenance of Indian Band records, preparation for treaty payments and liaison with the federal Department of Indian Affairs were required. Project Surname, a project directly connected to Vital Statistics work, sought to have all Inuit register surnames. The eventual aim was to eliminate the use of the "Eskimo disc system."
The Health Services Division was formed after the federal government transferred the administration of the Territorial Health Insurance Ordinance to the Government of the Northwest Territories. The division maintained a close liaison with hospitals in the Northwest Territories and throughout Canada. Included among this division's responsibilities were: payment of accounts, review of budgets, determination of eligibility, and the accumulation of necessary statistics.
The Department of the Territorial Secretary was headed up by H.E. Cross, the Territorial Secretary, until 1971 when it was disbanded and its responsibilities were distributed to other departments, including the Department of Administration and the Department of Public Services.