Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to present Committee Report 3-18(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report of the Review of the 2014-2015 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations (the committee) has completed its review of the 2014-2015 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission (the commission) Annual Report. The standing committee would like to thank Mr. Charles Dent, Chair of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission (the commission), and Ms. Deborah McLeod, director of Human Rights, for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps I'll clarify. Instead of using the local detachment resources, which would be the Yellowknife detachment, the territorial level resources for this function, so pulling officers who are not involved in patrol duty in our downtown core. That's really the crux of the issue, and that's what I'd like the Minister to consider. Thank you.

When was the last time the Minister reviewed that legislation? Because my understanding of it is that sheriffs are able to do this function; it is allowed by legislation; it's just not being done.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I do agree with the Minister's response. This is important for so many reasons, but when we are trying to draw more attention to the North, having a place to showcase our heritage, our culture, and the unique contributions our people have made, in some cases since time immemorial, is exactly why we need to prioritize this. This action plan that's rolling out, will the government also be consulting with the Mine Heritage Society and other cultural heritage societies like that across the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister's commitment to do that. Is the Minister aware of how we prioritize heritage? His department has a number of very high priorities, especially in lines with this mandate and creating employment and supporting education. Where does heritage fit into this, and is the department adequately supporting the preservation of culture and history in all of our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I left my house today, I looked up and for the first time in my life I saw a new horizon in the skies of Yellowknife. The Robertson headframe, the longstanding and iconic landmark of this community is no more. Now, like the 11 former headframes at one time surrounded the city is merely history. This is a bittersweet moment in the history of the NWT, a sentiment I have seen shared by many Northerners over the last few days. Though it is no longer standing, the legacy of the headframe and the strong community the mining industry built here in Yellowknife...

Thank you to the Minister for agreeing to look into it. If not the sheriffs, then can G Division officers be used for court duty rather than Yellowknife RCMP officers?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, public safety in our downtown core is always of great concern to the people of Yellowknife. I'm wondering if the Minister of Justice can answer some questions today. Recently, Nunavut has made a decision to allow their sheriff's officers to provide for escorts from the courthouse to the correctional facility. Here, in Yellowknife, the RCMP are responsible for that function, and it keeps the RCMP off patrol duty at peak times in the downtown, which puts additional pressure on the RCMP to provide public safety.

Can the Minister make a commitment to review the...

I'm looking forward to that report and I thank the Minister for his answer. Does the Minister agree that preserving our heritage is a boost to our tourist system and creates more opportunities to show off the North to visitors and that that is an important economic aspect of heritage promotion?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, what heritage funding exists to preserve unique heritage sites in our communities?