Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister for Executive, and it’s quite convenient because he also happens to be the Premier and my questions go across several departments.

I mentioned in my Member’s statement that I think that there still is a need for an ombudsman office. I also mentioned that I have heard from another Minister that apparently they are working in conjunction with the Executive to consider options for an ombudsman office. I’d like to know from the Minister for Executive what action has his department taken in the last year with regard to the...

Mr. Chairman, thanks to the Minister. That is all well and good, but there are people now in our communities that run into difficulties whether it be because they are the victim or they are the person that is creating the disturbance or they are the parent who is having a child apprehended. All of those things. They need access to a lawyer and to legal aid. They don’t have it. There is lots of opportunity for use of technology I would think. I didn’t hear anything in the Minister’s answer that they are looking beyond just hiring more lawyers. They generally happen to be in Yellowknife. If I...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask a few questions here with regards to legal aid services and the needs that we have with legal aid. When we travelled with the Child and Family Services Act review, one of the things that was made very evident to us as committee members was the difficulties that people have particularly in the small communities accessing legal aid services in terms of child apprehensions and so on. I think there is an increase. I think we are hiring another lawyer for legal aid services in this next year’s budget, but I would like confirmation on that. I would also like...

Thanks for the explanation. I believe that the GNWT has a consultation framework, so will Justice be working kind of across government either to amend or adjust or help people implement the consultation framework that the government has?

Thanks for that explanation. I did want to ask as well about the Aboriginal consultation unit. I can’t remember if that’s a new unit or not. If it is a new unit then my question is mute. Could I get a report on how that unit is going or, if it isn’t yet established, when it will be operational?

Oh, $45,000. Okay. That’s fine. So you’re suggesting that we might train one worker three times in a year. Is that correct?

How can I respond to that, Mr. Chair, except to say that I think the Minister’s blowing me off and I don’t like it much. Thank you.

I guess it’s an issue of how we interpret words. To me, establish child and family service committees means that you will work to establish those committees. The word “work” is in there. The verb is in there. To me there’s an action involved in that. The Minister states that they intended to do things as they have done it in the past. Well, that’s no action at all. One child and family service committee was organized in Fort McPherson. It fell apart. It’s maybe gotten back together again. I fail to see how this statement, an action to work with communities to establish committees, doesn’t...

Thanks to the Minister. I’m really glad to hear that, because I really don’t think for a jurisdiction our size that we could afford and/or we could manage a medical examiner system. So thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not too sure what I can ask at this point. I have no question, Mr. Speaker.