Mahsi, Mr. Chair. It would be a rumour, but it’s not happening. Mahsi.
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.
Next I have Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple of questions for the Minister to see if he could maybe provide me some advice in this area. In the maintenance enforcement we have the situation of their maintenance enforcement change. So like individuals that used to pay maintenance enforcement and then end up with the children, but the requirement is still there for them to continue to make maintenance enforcement payments until they go back to court or file something with the courts to indicate that they now have custody of the children. I’m wondering if there’s another way that they can just work through the maintenance enforcement office instead of going back to court, because these people end up falling so far behind that their money is being garnisheed and they can’t afford a lawyer so they get caught in a catch-22 essentially. So they’re getting their money taken away, they’re keeping the kids at the same time, they can’t afford to go back to court. So can the Minister offer some solution for that? Thank you.
Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This is an area that we have explored for quite some time now, on how we can get around the system, because there has been a few cases where they want to be reassessed and the only way to do that is through the court venue and, of course, it costs money to go through the process. So through our research in different areas, we are still doing some additional research, but I’m hoping that at the end of March we should have a program in place that we’re hoping deals with the child support payment recalculation services. This is an area that will very much, I guess, cover off or offset what the Member is referring to. We are exploring that option and we will be before the standing committee once the program is ready to roll.
Page 9-31, Justice, activity summary, services to public, operations expenditure summary, $4.723 million.
Agreed.
Page 9-32. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just note that the contribution to the YWCA for their role as designate under the Protection Against Family Violence Act seems stuck in a rut there and I’m wondering how many years it’s been pegged at $105,000.
Minister of Justice.
As far as I know, and we need to get confirmation, this number has been the same for quite some time now. But we will confirm the length of time it’s been like that. We’ll get back to Members on that.
I’d appreciate learning that. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Let’s just stick with what we’ve got in front of our noses here. How much has the Department of Justice budget increased since 2009-2010 proposed for 2011-2012?
Ms. Schofield.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The actuals for the Protection Against Family Violence Act in 2009-2010 was $202,000. The budget for 2011-2012 is $424,000.
I think my colleague captured it there. It’s shocking. I heard another Minister say you can’t get blood from a stone. That’s exactly what’s being asked here, only this is just one example of this. We’ve tried to raise this with Cabinet, with the Premier, with the Ministers individually. Does the Minister agree that this is a travesty of justice?
Minister of Justice.
Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I agree that this is an important matter that’s before us and we continue to press our entire department to focus on these areas. When we talk about protection against family violence it covers broad sections of different programming. We can touch on the program that we currently deliver and the new initiatives that would be undergoing. We presented to the standing committee this morning and various initiatives are undergoing. Yes, this is important for our department along with other programming that’s before us too. There are other pressing matters. Like with this Protection Against Family Violence Act is also a pressing matter along with others. We’ll continue to push within our department that focus on this specific area as well.
I appreciate the Minister’s comments. I know the Minister would agree that these organizations have forced growth too. The price of gas doesn’t choose to go up just for the Minister and not for the executive director of this organization. I’m asking the Minister to commit to, during the course of this year, increase the funding to the YWCA of Yellowknife for the duty that they’re expected to perform. Find the money and get it done sometime this year. I appreciate that’s the Minister’s interest in doing that. I’m asking for his commitment. Forced growth.
The funding that we provide, the $105,000 to YWCA, to my understanding there hasn’t been a request for an increase, but we can definitely look at this area. If there’s forced growth within the organization, then that’s an area we can look at as the Member is referring to. I can commit to looking at this area and how we can move forward. What we have now is the $105,000 that’s before us with the budget time frame. We’re moving ahead with this but I can commit to the Members that this is an area that we need to look at as we move forward.
That’s fair. I appreciate that commitment from the Minister. I will commit to checking with this organization and see if they’d like to communicate with you on their perspectives on that.
Page 9-32, Justice, activity summary, services to public, grants and contributions, contributions, $105,000.
Agreed.
Page 9-33, Justice, activity summary, information item, services to public, active positions.
Agreed.
Page 9-34, Justice, information item, lease commitments – infrastructure.
Agreed.
Page 9-35, Justice, information item, work performed on behalf of others.
Agreed.
Page 9-36, Justice, information item, work performed on behalf of others.
Agreed.
Page 9-37, Justice, information item, work performed on behalf of others.
Agreed.
Page 9-38, Justice, information item, work performed on behalf of others.
Agreed.
We can turn back to the department summary on page 9-7. Page 9-7, Justice, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $106.206 million.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that we’ve concluded the Department of Justice?
Agreed.
Thank you. With that, Mr. Lafferty, witnesses, Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses out?
As agreed, the next department we’re dealing with is the Legislative Assembly.
Agreed.
Bill as a whole? Mr. Speaker, would you like to make some opening comments regarding the Legislative Assembly?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the 2011-2012 main estimates for the Legislative Assembly.
The upcoming fiscal year is perhaps the most unique in the four-year cycle of the Legislative Assembly. It will be marked by the last five months of the 16th Assembly and the first six months of the 17th Assembly.
This year the Assembly is requesting operational funding to the tune of $18.9 million. This constitutes an increase of just over 9.7 percent compared to last year’s budget of $17.22 million. This year’s increases are the result of several important initiatives.
By far the most substantial reason for the increase is the requirement to fund a general election in the fall of this year. The cost of conducting a general election in the Northwest Territories is approximately $1 million. I am pleased to advise Members that the positions of both Chief Electoral Officer and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer have been filled and that preparations for the vote are well underway. Returning officers have been appointed in all ridings and pre-election training has been scheduled. All we need now is the approval of the federal Cabinet to dissolve the 16th Legislative Assembly on September 4, 2011, to allow for an October 3rd election.
Costs related to the transition from the 16th to the 17th Legislative Assembly are also included in next year’s budget.
Although Members have yet to debate the recommendations of the 16th Legislative Assembly’s Independent Commission to Review Members’ Compensation and Benefits, the Assembly has budgeted additional funds to ensure that Members who represent ridings with multiple small communities are able to hold at least three constituency meetings in each community annually. This additional funding reflects the unique costs that Members representing small communities must incur, most notably translation and interpretation services.
The 2011-2012 draft main estimates include an increase to the budget for the office of the Commissioner of Official Languages in the amount of $100,000. The Languages Commissioner has outlined a set of exciting initiatives she wishes to undertake in future years. This funding will assist her in fulfilling her critical mandate.
This year’s budget also reflects the completion of the terms of reference for the Standing Committee on Social Programs’ review of the Child and Family Services Act. Other sunsets include funding for the work of the Independent Commission to Review Members’ Compensation and Benefits, and interest payments on the capital lease of the Legislative Assembly building. Members will recall that in approximately two years the capital lease for this building will be paid in full.
Last year witnessed the successful implementation of a number of important initiatives at the Legislative Assembly. Outreach efforts were continued with a highly successful Mace tour to the communities of Fort Simpson, Nahanni Butte and Trout Lake. The first Elders’ Parliament was hosted by the Assembly and was, by all accounts, a resounding success. As stated, the terms of reference for a major review of the Child and Family Services Act were fulfilled by the Social Programs committee. Finally, the Assembly successfully installed a biomass heating system last fall. This initiative is, as we speak, handling more than 50 percent of our peak heating needs and, in so doing, saving money on fuel costs and reducing the Assembly’s environmental footprint.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide opening comments and I welcome any questions Members may have.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to know if you will be bringing in witnesses.
Yes, I will.
Does committee agree he can bring in his witnesses?
Agreed.
Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses in?
For the record, Mr. Speaker, could you introduce your witnesses?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have on my left Mr. Olin Lovely, director of corporate services, and to my right is Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Welcome witnesses. General comments for the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Hawkins.
