Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 17/05) - The effects of economic development in the North is something social workers deal with daily.

It was also a key topic of discussion at the Association of Social Workers in Northern Canada's annual general meeting held in Yellowknife at Northern United Place.

Esther Doucette, president of the Association of Social Workers in Northern Canada with Geri Elkin, the executive director, at the annual conference. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

More than 40 members from the NWT and Nunavut attended the two-day conference earlier this month.

"Social workers are on the front line of talking about economic development," said Esther Doucette, association president.

"We see both the positive and negative effects of the influx of wealth. Social workers are noticing a loss of traditional language and connections to the land in youth," she said.

"There's a sense of loss of identity in young people," said Doucette.

Connected to this is an increase in depression and suicide. Ray Pidzamecky, from Children and Family Services in Yellowknife, ran a session on youth at risk. Problems include mental health issues, addictions and sexual assault.

"One of the biggest problems is the over-representation of youth in the criminal justice system," said Pidzamecky. "It looks like we are criminalizing our kids instead of working at the front end."

The members also discussed the effects on families when a parent works a two week in and two out schedule in a session run by Alistair MacDonald, an environmental assessment officer with the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board.

Social workers hear that mothers feel like a single parent and the eldest son becomes head of the house, which creates tension when the father returns.

Doucette said social workers give a voice to the disadvantaged.

"I believe social workers can play an advocacy role for clients and communities because the North is in a time of change, economic growth and development," said Doucette.