David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure met on August 16, 2011, to review Bill 19, Cost of Credit Disclosure Act. Following the public hearing and clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 19 to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 19. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure held public hearings on Bill 7, Community Planning and Development Act, during the months of April and May of 2011 in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Ulukhaktok, Inuvik, and Aklavik. The clause-by-clause review with the Minister began on May 10, 2011, and concluded on August 15, 2011.

During the May 10, 2011, review of the bill with the Minister, the committee passed a motion to amend the bill by adding a provision stating that nothing in the act shall be construed as to abrogate or derogate from Aboriginal or...

What the government is currently offering and currently doing is not working. I’d like to get some type of commitment from the Minister that the government in its transition document going forward into the next government will identify the area of addictions and how we deal with addictions as a government as a key priority for the next government. I’d like to get a commitment from the Minister that that will be there and that they will examine all the programs and services related to addictions here in the territory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to pick up on my Member’s statement from earlier today where I was talking about the root causes of crime in our community. It also has a direct impact on the level of homelessness that we see, especially here in Yellowknife.

I’ve been a Member of the Legislature now for eight years. The topic of a dedicated, stand-alone drug and alcohol treatment centre located in the city of Yellowknife has been a topic of discussion for that eight years, and even before that. I’d like to ask the Minister where exactly is a drug and alcohol treatment facility on the government’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to speak about an issue that I’ve brought up before in this House, and that is of the many youth who find themselves getting into serious trouble with drugs, alcohol, and crime, often resulting in addictions and an interaction with our justice system, which results in untold heartbreak for their parents, grandparents, and the family members who love them.

In the May session I talked about how a blind eye is turned to illegal behaviour of youth. The example I used was of two 15-year-old girls who were caught drinking in downtown Yellowknife. The RCMP...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. I’d like to ask the Minister if the department will look into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of EPOs, specifically the case cited earlier today by Mr. Hawkins.

Since the YCJA was brought in to replace the Young Offenders Act in 2003, I’m just wondering if the Minister also has any statistical information on whether or not repeat young offenders is becoming an issue, and on an annual basis whether or not we’re seeing an increased level of repeat young offenders in our territory. I’d like, maybe, the Minister to commit to getting that information for the House too.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice. During my Member’s statement I talked about the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Obviously, it’s in place across this country. The question that I have for the Minister of Justice is whether the application of that legislation is the same here in the Northwest Territories as it would be in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or even Ontario, and whether or not there is any evidence that sentences for young offenders here in the Northwest Territories are any lighter than they are in those other jurisdictions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Deh Cho Bridge Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act; Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act; and Bill 19, Cost of Credit Disclosure Act. The committee wishes to report that Bills 15, 17, 18 and 19 are now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know our time is short here. We have six sitting days left in the life of this government. Maybe if I could, the last question, at the federal/provincial/territorial Justice Ministers table, any new proposed federal legislation dealing with crime, I’m just wondering, the Minister alluded to it a little bit in response to another question I had, but where is the federal government at in the area of getting tough on crime. Maybe the Minister could give us a bit of an update on where that legislation initiative by the federal government is at.