Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide an update on our new approach to recruit and training corrections officers and youth officers to work in our facilities.

In the past, we have had challenges with recruiting Northerners for these specialized jobs. Not just anyone can work as a corrections officer or in a correctional centre. These jobs take many skills and the right attitude. The skills required are not easy to come by in the North, and we need to make sure that people have the skills and training they need to qualify for these jobs. Situations can escalate within seconds and staff need to be...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 10, Exemption Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill repeals and replaces the existing Exemption Act. The categories of property that are exempt from seizure under the right of execution are described in contemporary language and are expanded to include types of property essential for subsistence of the debtor and his or her dependents. Transitional matters are provided for and Public Service Garnishee Act is consequentially amended. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one of our key priorities is, of course, public relations that we have in place. We do have a continuous training program that is highlighted for client service officers dealing with the public. Mr. Speaker, this area is of importance to income security. We do have in-house training. We do send client service officers outside to get trained as well. So there is continuous training that is happening. We can’t say that there is no training happening. I have to correct the Member that there is constant training that is taking place. We will continue to do so to improve our public...

Mr. Speaker, we can certainly provide the information that we do have on hand about our research that we have done and our consultation with various provincial jurisdictions and working with the Executive branch. We can certainly provide that information, Mr. Speaker. As we move forward, if this is an area that we need to look at, then we can certainly discuss with the Member and also the standing committee. If we need to move forward with costs, there will be a cost factor. So that needs to be taken into consideration as well. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we can certainly talk about the process that we have in place, whether it be the MLAs coming to the Minister and dealing with certain issues or the process. We try to rectify the problems or challenges that are before us. Sometimes it does take time to deal with those matters because of the documentation that’s required. Whatever we do, Mr. Speaker, we try to avoid the court proceedings. That should be the last resort as much as we can. We currently deal with a variety of, I guess you can say, options of how we can deal with matters at hand. Within the Department of Justice, I...

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly commit my regional staff to work with the community that the Member is referring to. Not only that, but working with the education councils as well, because we provide funding to education for facilities and operations of the schools and the daycare. It all varies in the different communities how we sponsor them, so certainly I’ll commit to that, to provide more information to the Member. Mahsi.

The money that we’ve identified in the past and going forward in early childhood consists of many aspects of facilities that we sponsor in the Northwest Territories. I can certainly provide the breakdown to the Member of the past sponsors that we’ve had and it does vary. If I’m going to speak to it, it’s a bit of a long list. Certainly that information can be shared with the Members whenever it is requested. I can do that.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, in this particular area, yes, our employees or client services officers under the management of the income support managers do assess them, do evaluate them based on the work criteria. Not only that, but we request for outside assessment as well. We ask certain individuals that may be as part of the clientele. We need to get input as much as we can because it is public relations. It is one of the priorities that we need to establish. We continue to improve on those areas. Yes, Mr. Speaker, we do have a mechanism to deal with that assessment of all client service officers. Mahsi...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As the Member indicated, this is a particular program for seniors to deal with their home heating subsidy. We do advertise in the newspaper. Also, not only that, but Internet and also local TV channels for information. We need to spread the news into the communities that we do have subsidy available. We do what we can to spread the news through our regional representatives as well as through client service officers and the regional officers. Mr. Speaker, we continue to improve our communication dialogue on through those individuals that require subsidies such as seniors...