Statements in Debates
Mr. Speaker, did the results of the 2007 family-violence survey have an impact on policies of the Department of Justice? If so, what specific measures or policies to date are a direct result of this survey?
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in the House we are bringing attention to the issue of family violence. First off, I would like to begin by reading the definition of "family violence" as per Canada's Department of Justice website. It reads that "family violence is when someone uses abusive behaviour to control or harm a member of their family or someone with whom they have an intimate relationship [...] It may include a single act of violence or a number of acts that form a pattern of abuse [...] There are many forms of violence, which include physical, emotional, financial, sexual...
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm looking at the estimates for Infrastructure, Department of Infrastructure, $4.8 million split between Bear River Bridge, Gaudet Mountain, and an environmental assessment for the MVH. I'm wondering if there is an appropriation in all of these three areas since this is the supplementary for this current year. What is the budget for this current year for, so much the environmental planning, but for the Gaudet Mountain and Bear River Bridge? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Speaker, since the completion of that previously mentioned 2007 family violence survey, has the perception of the Department of Justice changed regarding the way it handles cases relating to family violence?
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Justice on my Member's statement on family violence. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister a question on the 2007 needs survey which was conducted by the GNWT and the Coalition Against Family Violence, entitled "NWT Family Violence Attitudinal Survey." I'm wondering if the Department of Justice, in conjunction with other departments, is planning to conduct another family violence survey like the one that was done in 2007? Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair rise and report progress.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, when I was talking about not being affected, I was talking about what happened up there, I realized that stuff was delivered in Lutselk'e like it was every other year for years and years.
My other question is: the Minister referred to the cost of trucking fuel into Inuvik, for example, and I would advocate trucking fuel to Tuktoyaktuk, but Inuvik would be another situation. Has the MTS looked at the possibility of making or building something like a Synchro Lift that could pull the barges and ships up on shore in Inuvik to see if that is something that is...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the answer, either, and I don't think anyone does. It is next to impossible to get somebody to buy alcohol off a bootlegger then see the whole thing through to court. Therefore, people just don't engage in that. Like the Minister said, small town, no one wants to be seen as the person that is blowing the whistle on bootleggers, even though no one likes them.
Is there a possibility, then, that, not in communities, where you would restrict alcohol? I recognize that some of those things in the past have failed, but where the liquor stores...
One of the key issues in the communities is bootlegging. I know that the government put some money into general revenues, and then, this rolled out. I know that the social envelope gets their fair share, but I'm not sure that there is anything that is in there at all in all of government that directly combats bootlegging.
I'd like to ask the Minister if there is any possibility that there could just be a pot of money that comes from the sale of alcohol hearing what he just said, but if they could reconsider this and put something directly into combatting bootlegging?
Mr. Speaker, I will be proposing the idea of putting restrictions on the amount of alcohol that a person can purchase, along with huge fines for liquor stores that sell to known or suspected bootleggers. I think that most people with common sense can determine who is bootlegging in our communities. I mean, who drinks 10 to 20 mickeys of alcohol every day and continues to function.
Today, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance on liquor sales. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.