Louis Sebert

Mr. Speaker, as the corporation's needs dictate, we hire apprentices with the objective to fill as many permanent positions with Northerners. Prior to incumbents retiring or leaving, we set employment competitions for apprentices in their specific trade and in the specific community in which the need arises. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Community safety and enforcement is a priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories. In an effort to provide the best policing that we can, all the communities in the NWT have had an opportunity this year to develop policing priorities and action plans with the RCMP. The policing and action plans are developed in partnership with the RCMP and community residents, and are based on the specific needs of each community. The RCMP has developed a policing priorities and action plan with Fort Providence that dealt with or covered three issues that the community...

I can advise that policing priorities and action plans are living documents, so that if priorities or concerns change, they can certainly be changed. Also, I know that in Fort Providence there is an active Community Justice Committee Coordinator who runs weekly crime prevention initiatives at the youth centre. They also accept referrals from the RCMP and the Crown to divert youth from the formal justice systems. There is a series of responses to this issue that the police are undertaking, and I understand that there are always problems in moving forward with these, but I understand that the...

The RCMP have gone out to all of the communities in the Northwest Territories and in developing the action plans, they look at the specific needs of the communities. I understand they have done this in every community, including Fort Providence.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize April Davies, manager of Sutherland House in Fort Smith.

I understand that all of the 33 communities that do have detachments do have action plans. I believe the RCMP is working on those communities that they do not have a detachment in to also have a form of action plan. But I certainly say that every community in which there is a detachment has entered into an action plan with the RCMP, including Fort Providence.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The wording change proposed by the committee is more concise and improves on the original text of the draft. The only issue of concern to the GNWT is the use of the word “expand” in reference to access to energy conservation and efficiency programs. The GNWT currently funds very generous energy efficiency and conservation programs, including the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program, the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program and the Alternative Energy Technologies Program. The Energy Efficiency Incentive Program provides incentives for products we use every day, including...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled “Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 2015-2017 Strategic Plan.” I note also that it's in four languages.

Yes, of course, we will make a commitment. We are looking very much for the involvement in the public in this new area. This government has embarked on this program, which, I think is fairly unique in government in Canada, so we are looking not only for the Members' input, but also input from the general public to guide us.

Certainly, this is a new department and I'm a new Minister in it; however, I am consulting with my colleagues and we are looking at options for a more open and transparent government. In fact, the very discussions that we've had over the last week or two involving the mandate and other matters are an example of how we are moving forward with more open and transparent government. Once I receive my mandate letter from the Premier, I'll be able to give more detail about how we will be proceeding in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.