Louis Sebert

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member opposite for his questions. At this time, we're not aware of any plans for another attitudinal survey. The survey of 2007, some 11 years ago, was helpful in confirming the prevalence of this problem in the Northwest Territories, and we know that the problem has continued through the use of shelters, the rates of emergency protection orders, EPOs, crime statistics, and other measures. Now, I can advise that the GNWT is developing a comprehensive approach to addressing family violence. The goal of this work is to identify best practices, align...

I mentioned that we do not want to intervene between the Aboriginal groups, Aboriginal governments, and their members. It is important that the leadership hears from us as to what our plans are, consults with us, and then deals directly with their members. I think that we do not want to intervene between those two groups of leadership and members. The Member asked about how many stages. There are several stages. We are just at the first stage. Our ultimate goal is to resolve this very complex issue, but we are only at stage one.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned yesterday, we did send a series of letters out to IGOs, and we are commencing engagement with them. We want to build a good relationship with them, and to that end, I don't think there would be much benefit in making the document or our plans public at this stage.

I know that some information has been provided to committee as to our plans with respect to this complex matter. We are just at stage one, which involves consulting with and hearing from Aboriginal groups, and we don't want to do anything that might adversely affect that important relationship...

If I might mention some of the programs that we are offering to inmates at NSCC and FSCC: adult literacy and basic education; general education development, GED, I think it is known as; high school exam preparation; trades exam preparation; and life skills. So far, in fiscal 2018-2019, enrollments in education programs are: 38 inmates attending at the NSCC adult unit and 26 inmates attending at FSCC. I should mention also that the programs I mentioned earlier, such as SAM, are also offered in probation offices.

I can advise that, in addition to the programs and training that I mentioned earlier, that, starting this year, we are able also to start providing mental health supports above what the employers might provide.

The Member opposite mentioned the 2014 report. I haven't actually read the report. However, five years will have gone by early next year, and we are currently looking at conducting a follow-up next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In addition to community-based funding, the NWT Victim Services program administers the Victims of Crime Emergency Fund. This fund is intended to assist victims of serious violent crime. It can fund emergency expenses resulting from experiencing serious crime, as well as up to six sessions of emergency counselling with private counsellors to help victims. Secondary victims also deal with the consequences of victimization.

Victim services are provided on a 24-7 basis, but it is not always possible to provide emergency funding at all hours of the day. However, the practice is to provide emergency...

I thank the Member opposite for his question. I meet regularly with the RCMP and will certainly bring up this specific issue. There are many issues that we do discuss, but, clearly, crime reduction is very important amongst them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can appreciate the question, and I know that the Member appreciates that I wasn't here in 2007. However, I can point to certain improvements that have been made since that time. As Members will know, the DVTO Court is very active, and we have such programs as A New Day, so there have been improvements in the system which are being utilized. DVTO, I'm not sure when it started, but it has been in existence for some time, and the A New Day program is newer, I believe, but also has been a success. We believe that these types of programs will reduce the amount of family violence. I mentioned that...

We naturally want to move fairly cautiously in this area. As I said, there is an application that municipalities can make. It may not be that we have finalized all of our needs for the future. There has to be some sense in this, in that we realize that towns, municipalities, and cities do have a need for land.

On application, we have been turning over land to them. We will continue to do so, but there must be a reason for it, and we are not going to turn over all lands within the municipal boundaries to the municipalities for a variety of reasons, including that we don't know our needs for the...

This whole issue of unauthorized and potential rights-based occupancy of land in the Northwest Territories is an important issue for this government. Our initial contact, our initial engagement, is with Indigenous governments, and that is where we are at this stage. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.