Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a second set of questions on my statement I made today about intimate partner violence. This set of questions is for the Minister of Justice. As I mentioned, I am referencing the same report about how to improve service to women who experience intimate partner violence. One recourse that women have is to apply for an emergency protection order. Research has shown that there is no correlation between the number of EPOs issued and either the prevalence of intimate partner violence or the community population. Does the Minister have any ideas about why this...

Thanks to the Minister for that answer. As the Minister is aware, there are no family violence shelters in the Deh Cho and Sahtu regions. What plans does the Minister have to address this gap in service for women who are fleeing violence in those areas?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. As I said in my statement, it is time to provide secure funding tied to standards of service for the five family violence shelters that now exist in the NWT. Work has been under way for years on these standards, so my question is: when will the draft standards be finalized, and what is the delay? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, along with my colleague, Mr. Nadli, I am drawing attention today to the fact that this is Family Violence Awareness Week, and I am going to take this opportunity to raise awareness of a recent report on this issue.

Two Aurora College researchers interviewed 56 frontline service providers across the NWT to document the needs and service gaps of women experiencing violence from their intimate partners. What they discovered is that there are three social processes that contribute to our shocking rate of violence against women. First, women put up with violence...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Thursday, October 19, 2017, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on October 20, 2017, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 7, 2018; and further, that at any time prior to February 7, 2018, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What the report does is plot uses of EPO with incidents of intimate partner violence on a map. The research is not what I would call a thorough review. Obviously, in my view, there needs to be a thorough review. Can the Minister commit to doing a review of the emergency protection orders in order to improve their use and efficiency? Thank you.

That's good news, that the Minister is open to looking again at this program. I will be tabling this report at the appropriate time. He will have a copy ready to hand. The researchers indicate that men may be using the EPO process to get back at women who want to keep them away by filing for their own EPOs. What kind of oversight is in place to ensure that this retaliatory type of action doesn't happen?

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, fast forward to January of this year. The standing committee on social development held a public briefing on child and family services. The Minister told us that the audit results were unavailable because of technology issues. He also said that trying to reproduce the audit would require him to go back and do a significant amount of work which he was unwilling and unprepared to do. What he did do was compile recommendations, and presented them as a letter to the committee. I am assuming that the audits for the 2016-2017 are now...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our final amendment is on page 27 in the section Community Wellness and Safety. I move that Tabled Document 419-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised), be amended on page 27 by deleting the words "we will continue to work collaboratively to reduce poverty in the NWT by funding community-based partners, convening meetings of stakeholders, finalizing indicators that allow performance to be assessed, and developing additional options for action" and inserting the words "we will continue to work collaboratively to reduce...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we are still in the cost of living section. I move that Tabled Document 419-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised) be amended on page 23 by inserting the words "creating an action plan for a phased-in approach to making childcare more accessible and affordable." Thank you, Mr. Chair.