Caroline Cochrane

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Family Violence Awareness Week. This week is recognized across the country and takes place from October 21 to 27, 2018.

Statistics Canada reports that, in 2016, family violence accounted for one-quarter of all violent crimes. These are criminal acts perpetrated against the most vulnerable members of society: youth, seniors, women, and girls. In 2016, two-thirds of all victims of family violence were women and girls.

Mr. Speaker, this is not okay. The national violence rates are concerning enough, but the fact that the Northwest Territories has maintained...

There was a commitment that Ministers get to as many ridings as possible. I know I have been to that riding probably a couple of times already. I am not sure if it is on my agenda for December. I do know that I am booking up until February, but if I am available, then I would be more than honoured to visit the riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Customer service is a priority within all government departments, but we also have to be reasonable. We have more need or more desires than actually money. Within the community of Tsiigehtchic, currently we have 10 people who are on income support and we have five people that are accessing our home heating services. The five people on home heating only have to apply once a year. The 10 people on income support have to do monthly assessments, but I really have a hard time justifying that we would need a full-time worker for 10 people on income support in a community. If I had the money, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a school here. We have St. Joseph’s School, grade 4 and 5 immersion class, 51 students up there. I am impressed. Plus, we have teachers, Guylaine and Tamara. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. Glad to see you all here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to start by recognizing a constituent, David Wasylciw. I would also like to recognize our new mayor, Rebecca Alty, who went through the Women's Campaign School. I would also like to recognize Nicole Latour, who actually helped facilitate one of our campaign schools. Campaign schools for women work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are trying to do as much as we can. We are working with Health and Social Services. There was a brochure sent out to every resident in the Northwest Territories, I believe, with information on it. We have done quite a few things. On October 3rd, we had a Facebook Live on our ECE website that was talking with Dr. Matthew Hill, who was talking about the effects of marijuana. Again, we used him on October 4th at NACC, our Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. He was in person. There was an online webinar especially geared towards grades 7 to 12. October 9th, we did an online webinar in French...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The information does deal with health effects, as well, especially geared towards the student population.

Parents, of course, like I say, we are trying to keep them as informed as possible. We recognize there is a lot of fear out there, and there should be a lot of fear out there. They can contact their principals at any time for any of these instances, but we also have it on the Executive and Indigenous Affairs website. I am going to try to read this off. It's https://www.eia.gov.nt.ca/en/cannabis, and on that site you can get information, common questions, contact forms for specific questions. Again, we are trying to keep parents as informed as possible. We are giving literature for students...

Yes, we have given all the information to the district authorities. I am assuming they have done it at the beginning of September, or at least in October; they are getting that out to all of the principals within all of the schools, so by now all schools should have the information available.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know I'm supposed to stick to my constituency, but I need to recognize two people in the House, Kim McNearney, who worked with me professionally and is a personal friend, and also Leslie Goit, who was instrumental in my campaign team. So I apologize if I'm breaking the rules, but welcome to the Assembly.