Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the ways that I get my opinions into those types of policies, reviews, et cetera, is to bring them up here in the House. This one is a little bit more on the philosophical plane, but we often hear that increasing the population of the Northwest Territories is a great way for us to increase our revenues by upping the number of transfer payments that we get from the federal government. However, our priority is to increase our local employment and hiring and keeping with northern businesses, et cetera. My question is: does the Minister find that these two goals are...

Thank you, Madam Chair. That's one instance where being a small territory actually benefits us. I have no further questions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

All great news I am glad to hear. I just hope things go more quickly rather than dragging out. In our current Affirmative Action Policy, Indigenous Aboriginal men are not designated as a distinct priority group under that policy. Will the Minister commit to including this as part of the upcoming review of the Affirmative Action Policy, including the Indigenous retention and recruitment framework, and ensure that this should lead to ensuring that there is an increased representation within the GNWT itself for Indigenous Aboriginal men?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am good, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the priorities for the 19th Legislative Assembly is to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This declaration establishes a framework of standards for survival, dignity, and the well-being of Indigenous people around the world. In the colonial state of Canada, systems were put in place during the formation of the country that mainly benefit the European or white settler. When a process or organization has racism embedded in its very structure, this is known as systemic or institutional racism. Systemic racism is often found...

Thank you, Madam Chair. That gives me more confidence than other times in other departments where it was like, "Well, we have just put this number there," so I am glad to hear it's a good solid estimate. I am just looking at the legal aid clinics and the Legal Aid Commission, and I would assume that the legal aid clinics is the line item, the $3.2 million, that covers the actual provision of legal aid services to residents. What mechanism do people have to go back if they should have found that they were not given good legal aid services or advice? Is there a mechanism for them to then recoup...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at page 286, at the Office of the Children's Lawyer, just noting, that this is an item that would be very difficult to predict each year how much would be spent here. Having had friends who have used this service, I was told it was actually extremely helpful and very worthwhile and rewarding, so I am just wondering if there is a need or the potential to fund this area more. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just curious. I've heard a lot of stories from corrections officers who are Indigenous and maybe not feeling necessarily supported in their role, and I know that there's a difference between the North Slave Correctional Institute and the South Slave, as far as Indigenous representation of employees. I've also heard concerns around positions not going out for competition and being internally hired, people's friends, all of the similar stories we hear often when people come to us with complaints about the GNWT and the hiring practices. Can the Minister speak of it to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe the Minister can comment, then, on outreach to the YWCA to sort of feel this one out. I feel like this could potentially be an area where it won't be noticed until it's already being incurred by them. I'm not sure how far ahead they are at times in being able to come and say, "We see this as an uptick." They have a new ED; she's great. No comment there. Just curious to know what the department is doing to be proactive to reach out to all of their NGOs and the groups that they liaise with regarding the potential increase for domestic violence and intimate violence...

I think that's great. I am really glad to hear it's more of a prevention issue versus a reaction to things that are happening. Just through corrections, people have heard about that recruitment and the increase of southern gangs. Why I know is just that they are coming from the region in which I grew up. I just maybe have been more alive to it. I would just like to speak to the contribution to the YWCA of Yellowknife, the $105,000. Could the Minister confirm that that is the money that is used for the EPOs, or is that another line item? Thank you, Madam Chair.