Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. That would be part of the ongoing work that we’ll continue to have with the Interdepartmental Working Relations and ensuring that this consultation framework remains current and consistent with the evolving laws and best practices across the board. Also communicating changes and updates to the framework to GNWT departments on a timely basis. Those are just some of the areas that we’ll continue to work with departments.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. We’ll try to continue to spend more money in the Member’s riding as much as we can. Court circuit of course is at the discretion of the judge. At the same time, there’s got to be a cost effective of how they travel. Sometimes the court is done early so the plane waits on them and then a couple of hours later they fly back as opposed to the plane going back and coming back again. That would almost double or triple the cost. Those are just cost factors that the judges take into consideration.

The court workers, we’ve expanded their role. We’re trying to utilize their service...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Most of the discussion that the Member addressed I agree with. The 18 recommendations that are being brought forward, the implementation should be sooner than later. I agree with him. Those are the areas that we are pursuing and we will follow through with those recommendations.

The clinical psychologist, we’ve dealt with that in the House. As I stated in the House, we will have a trained individual within a month or so from now and we’re looking forward to that individual coming on board as a fully fledged clinical psychologist. That’s in the works.

The life sentence versus...

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I agree that this is an important matter that’s before us and we continue to press our entire department to focus on these areas. When we talk about protection against family violence it covers broad sections of different programming. We can touch on the program that we currently deliver and the new initiatives that would be undergoing. We presented to the standing committee this morning and various initiatives are undergoing. Yes, this is important for our department along with other programming that’s before us too. There are other pressing matters. Like with this...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This is an area that we have explored for quite some time now, on how we can get around the system, because there has been a few cases where they want to be reassessed and the only way to do that is through the court venue and, of course, it costs money to go through the process. So through our research in different areas, we are still doing some additional research, but I’m hoping that at the end of March we should have a program in place that we’re hoping deals with the child support payment recalculation services. This is an area that will very much, I guess, cover off or...

Mr. Speaker, although it has taken over two years, we want to have a program that is beneficial and that will resolve some issues or concerns are being brought to our attention through these 18 recommendations. We want to have the best product that is suitable to improve the offender supervision and also rehabilitation. The Member has alluded to rehabilitation on numerous occasions. We want to have the best product that we can deliver. That is probably why it is taking us some time, but we are coming to a conclusion in that respect. One of the goals, of course, either at the end of this...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that the clinic will have three lawyers and a support staff as well. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, it has always been part of the plan. When recommendations come up, whether it be these 18 recommendations focusing on improving offender supervision and rehabilitation, I can go make some changes to our programming. Then we need to inform the Members and work with the Members on identifying certain areas where they have concerns or issues. We need to hear from the Members, as well, or ideas being generated by the Members. That can be integrated into our changes or amendments that we are going to be making to our programming. By all means, we will be working with the Social...

Mr. Chairman, this particular area that the Member is addressing we are fully aware of it. We are planning for, as the Member alluded to, as we move forward, we want to identify what is required at the community level, especially those smaller communities that we represent. This is part of the plan. We have identified a lawyer for this new initiative. The following year we want to highlight what is required and push within our department part of the business planning process. Mahsi.