Julie Green

Thank you to the Minister for that response. I'm now going to test what that might mean in dollars and cents. If indeed this is the crisis that we all agree it is, then what information is informing the work of dealing with this crisis? What is the information that the Minister is using to change hearts and minds and combat attitudes which perpetuate family violence?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Housing is at the root of difficulties we face in addressing the cost of living. Without housing security, many Northerners face severe challenges in seeking and securing education or employment, in maintaining and fostering their health, and in raising happy, healthy families. We cannot expect prospective new residents to make their homes in communities where homes are not both available or affordable. Together we have made significant strides, and the NWT Housing Corporation has fulfilled its mandate commitments to date. Nevertheless, our territory's housing crisis has...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, under community justice and policing, this is a pilot project, as I understand, with funding to expire at the end of this fiscal year. Can the Minister explain why there was a lapse, and does he anticipate a lapse at the end of this fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is a lot of money for a simple update. I am wondering if the Minister could allocate $100,000 of that amount to a family violence survey. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Counsel Act, I wish to advise the House that I have a conflict of interest in Bill 30, Health Statutes Law Amendment Act. This bill amends the Public Health Act to clarify that the Commissioner may make regulations respecting cremation and crematoria.

Mr. Speaker, my spouse is a funeral planner and, as such, has a private interest in this bill. I will excuse myself from the Chamber during consideration of this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Could the standing committee write to the Minister to ask for a commitment for this funding? Would that make any difference? Thank you.

That was a less robust answer than I was hoping for. I believe we are agreed that combatting the brutal and unending murder of women is a priority, and redoing the family violence survey would give us the data to ensure our crisis response is an informed and intelligent response. Will the Minister commit to updating the cost of redoing the survey and including this funding in the upcoming business plan for his department?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Justice. In my Member's statement today, I noted that the mandate for this Assembly defines family violence as a crisis. Presumably, our efforts to combat a crisis should be extraordinary and urgent. Does the Minister accept the mandate definition of family violence as a crisis, and does this mean combatting that crisis is among the top priorities of his ministry? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in her most recent report, the chief coroner noted that four out of five murders in the NWT in 2015 involved domestic violence. This is a repeat of 2012, where four of out five murders also involved domestic violence. That's 80 per cent, Mr. Speaker. The rate for Canada as a whole is less than half that, at 36 per cent in 2015. In discussing her findings with the media, the chief coroner said the territory needs a massive shift in attitudes so people realize that this is not normal and not acceptable. To make this shift, there needs to be education for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I made an effort to improve Bill 16 to benefit both students and teachers by aligning the mandatory minimum instructional hours with Alberta while reducing the current instructional hours at the high school level by 45 hours. I was unsuccessful in that effort, and I can't support Bill 16 in its current form, so I will be abstaining in this vote. Mahsi.