Northern premiers talk mental health funding at Kugluktuk meeting

The North's three premiers wrapped up a two-day meeting in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, on Tuesday.

Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod and Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski were hosted by Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna in his home riding of Kugluktuk.

The purpose of the summit was to prepare for a meeting of the Council of the Federation — all of Canada's premiers — in St. John's, N.L., next month.

Topics such as infrastructure, energy, and an inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women were on the agenda, as well as mental health.

Pasloski says the meeting was useful in determining how to distribute the funds that are currently available among the three territories.

"There was a review done and we talked about some of the initiatives that each of the territories are now working on, and then from that we hope to be able to provide the greatest level of care in the most efficient manner we can, with the limited funding that we have," he said.

That means good news for the Northwest Territories' on-the-land initiatives for mental health and addictions. McLeod announced during a Tuesday press conference that pan-territorial funding under the federal government's Territorial Health Investment Fund will be used to support the initiatives, saying he was "very pleased" with the development.

E-mental health and remote delivery of services were key areas of interest for Taptuna. In March, Nunavut hosted a Circumpolar Mental Wellness Symposium in Iqaluit, bringing together stakeholders from many Arctic territories and nations to speak about common issues. 

"There's been some work already done in the respective territories to advance e-mental health, and delivering mental health services into our smaller, remote communities," said Taptuna, who added that he plans to advocate for more mental health funding for the territories during the upcoming Council of the Federation Meeting.

That meeting will take place July 15-17.