Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, those types of discussion need to take place from the community, the DEC we need to work with, and highlighting which are the priorities for the region and also the priorities for the Government of the Northwest Territories. We are providing capital project funding to include in the 2010-2011 capital plan that was initiated and that will cover the technical upgrades as identified so it can provide more teaching spaces. Those are just some of the programs, the funding that we’ve identified, but definitely this is a discussion that we need to have at the school board level.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 3, Electronic Transactions Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is an area that I think we need to focus on those individuals starting in the centre right now. What the Member is alluding to is outside the centre. Outside the centre, of course, there is an establishment in Hay River that those individuals can utilize once they leave the facility. Once they leave the facility, Mr. Speaker, actually before they leave the facility, we want them to be integrated back into the community. The program that we deliver consists of on-the-land program, as well, which we do in the Sahtu region. It has been very successful. We will continue delivery...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We are fully aware of the statement that was made by Judge Vertes. It is the root cause of issues that we are dealing with. It is very challenging on a day-to-day basis. As Vertes indicated, it has to come from the grassroots people, the politicians and also the public. It is not just us sitting here making decisions; it has to be the general public as well that we need to work together.

We have to come up with solutions. We have already developed plans on our initiative through the Justice department. We deliver various aspects of program delivery at the corrections. We...

I think we’re at a point where there have been identified partnerships in the communities. We need to involve those partners, the potential partners that are out there. We need to work together. We need to have this as an effective tool so we can reach out to those victims as well. So those are the initiatives through the Justice department that we’ll continue to pursue to reach out to the 33 communities.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Within our Justice department we’ve developed some communication tools so that we can reach out to the communities. We’ve also, of course, highlighted here in the Legislative Assembly and want to broadcast throughout the Northwest Territories as well. People are aware that this Victim Notification Program is out there. As the Member indicated and I stated in the House, there have been three applicants to date. I’m sure we’ll see more once we roll out the program as well as the communication plan.

Mr. Speaker, we have to look at all areas of the planning process. We are talking about 16 students in the community of Trout Lake; we have the capacity in the facility for 33 students. Those are the discussions that we need to have with the superintendents, the DECs. Mr. Speaker, capital planning will be up and coming before us and those are the discussions that we will definitely have. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Every year we go through this capital planning process and this year, again, we will be planning for next year’s capital project. Those types of discussion will be considered in due time. Mahsi.

Mahsi. I can assure the Member that every opportunity I get to meet with the chief commanding officer, those communities without the RCMP detachments, it’s always addressed, improvement into a visit to the communities by RCMP officers and we have done that. But there’s always room for improvement, especially with winter road operation. With Tsiigehtchic, since April of last year until December there’s been visits almost every month, with the exception of November because of freeze-up, and there’s been a DARE program that started at the school in October and it was supposed to be rolled out in...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Those communities without RCMP detachments, we provide services through nearby detachments such as Fort McPherson. We’ve allocated a position there specifically for Tsiigehtchic and the Member is referring to equipment and mobile units such as radios. That equipment is outdated. We work with the RCMP “G” Division to upgrade that equipment and through the federal expenditures they have the capital expenditure programming and we have our own investment into those communities, as well, to upgrade such equipment that officers need to use. There’s been a visit from the RCMP...