Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The North Slave Correctional Facility offers, through Corrections Canada services, an ex-offender relapse program, a family violence program, the national substance abuse program and also the anger emotion program, which the program delivery officers provided for a number of years. We certainly will continue with the program. There’s no such impact to the program itself. We will continue to deliver a program, so there is no impact. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I can’t speak specifically to the position. It is a confidential matter. If we do highlight their credentials and qualifications, we are specifically targeting those individuals, and I certainly cannot speak to that. But I can speak to the criteria that we follow: again, it’s the Correctional Service of Canada. My staff will be meeting with Corrections next week.

Just to move forward on this, we want to train more individuals at Corrections as well. We want the program to be successful. It has been very successful to date. We want to continue the progress. So we are moving in the...

Mr. Speaker, we do follow the Corrections Canada services guidelines and criteria when it comes to program delivery. The three individuals we are talking about — the program delivery officer and two case managers and also the psychologists that deliver this program — were mentored and trained to deliver the offender program and accredited by the Correctional Service of Canada. So it is certified through the Correctional Service of Canada to deliver the program. It is a highly recognized program and a highly recognized accreditation that these individuals receive. Mahsi.

As the Members are aware, this legislation was brought forward in the 15th Assembly. There was some consultation that took place. Our plan as a department is to continue with the process of dialoguing with our colleagues, the Regular Members. We were hoping to sit down this fall and start talking on this particular proposal. That’s our initial discussion.

Mahsi, Mr.  Speaker. The quality of life and the safety of the Northwest Territories as a whole is a top priority not only for the Department of Justice but also for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Yes, I will be introducing the legislation to this Assembly during the life of this Assembly. Mahsi.

I think that is one of the recommendations brought forward by the Committee of the Whole, and certainly we will consider looking at those recommendations. Also, we do have a three-year time span as part of our business planning. We have highlighted where we can enhance and improve our program delivery into the communities. Those will be taken into consideration.

Mr. Speaker, that certainly is not the case. We’re not encouraging students to drop out. We’re encouraging them to stay in school and be successful in their particular program.

This particular constituent is grandfathered as well, along with other students who are in the current system. So we do continue to support them during this transition period.

Mr. Speaker, it’s important to highlight that we are here to support them as the Government of the Northwest Territories, and our SFA program is one of the best in Canada. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, currently, for the past seven or eight years we’ve sponsored these students to return to the Northwest Territories.... Out of the 19 we’ve sponsored, five returned to article here in the North. Two are in practice: one is in the legal division and one is in Behchoko. One is currently articling.

Mr. Speaker, we hoped that we had more applicants in this area. At the same time, when we talk about the summer employment, the students would have to notify our department by February 28 for summer employment, as with any other students, to be employed here in the North. Also, if they have...

I think it’s clear that the Chair of the Social Programs Committee will be sharing that with the Members. Our office and our department are willing to do that as well with the Members who are not on the committee.

I would like to propose this legislation to this Assembly during the life of this Assembly, taking into account that there needs to be consultation with the Members. It also has to be a made-in-the-North model, not just something that came from the south and changed to our name. I want to meet the needs of the 33 communities we serve. As long as it meets their standards and our standards, we’ll be satisfied.