Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue is complex and it does involve or require a cross-jurisdictional, or cross-departmental response. One of the ways in which we’re hoping to deal with that is that the social envelope is working together to try and improve on case management so that we have people in the communities who work in the different departments, whether it’s Justice, Health and Social Services, or corrections, to deal with people in a case management process. We are hoping that we are going to be able to improve the way in which we deal with people who have challenges that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last five years, the complement in the region has been increased in the Fort Liard detachment. I am not sure that in the region there has been a dramatic change. That may have something to do with the position the Member is asking about. I did commit already that I would check with the RCMP and see what I can find out in terms of any extra funding and allocations they may have made.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce the establishment of the Official Languages Board and Aboriginal Languages Board. The establishment of these boards is a major achievement for this government with respect to our commitment to the NWT official languages and the revitalization of aboriginal languages.

During the last Assembly, the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act set out 65 recommendations. Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly sent a strong message by accepting all 65 recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, this government has acted on those...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the best of my knowledge, the answer to the question is no. The expectation is, as I said, that students are made to understand very clearly. It's very, very clearly set out on the application form that any change may require them to pay back. So if they're not paying attention to that, yes, they could be in trouble. We're finding that for the most part students are having no trouble staying in compliance. In fact, since 2001, there haven't been that many appeals from people who feel that they have been treated incorrectly by the SFA program....

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The repeal of this act will not have any impact, but now under the new Cities, Towns and Villages Act, all municipalities have the same powers to pass bylaws with regard to utilities.

Mr. Chairman, the new Cities, Towns and Villages Act gives specific authorities to the Town of Norman Wells that would mean that they don’t need to have in place the Norman Wells Natural Gas Distribution System Act any longer. So they can pass this kind of bylaw under the CTV act.

Mr. Chairman, perhaps I could get Mr. Menicoche to restate the question and confirm that we are on clause 6.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. From the Department of Justice, I have Mr. Mark Aitken with me.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Bill 7 amends the Legal Profession Act to enable law firms to deal with trust monies that lie unclaimed in lawyers’ trust accounts. This bill was developed at the request of, and in close consultation with, the Law Society of the Northwest Territories.

The legal professional is subject to very stringent accounting rules and obligations relating to trust funds. Literally every penny must be accounted for. Occasionally money is left unclaimed in a trust account, having been forgotten by a client or left unclaimed for other reasons. Examples include...