Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions today for the Minister of Justice. I want to follow up on my Member’s statement, and I’d like to talk a little bit about what this government is doing to address the issue of violence against women and family violence. When Minister Miltenberger gave his budget address, as I mentioned in my statement, I heard very little about violence against women and the Coalition Against Family Violence, so I’d like to know from the Minister of Justice if he could please advise what kind of funding is in this budget, this ’14-15 budget, for the Coalition Against Family Violence priorities?
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have moved forward with working with the Healing Drum Society piloting a new program called Wek’eahkaa. We hope to see funding flow for that program in the amount of $292,000 in ’14-15. In addition to that, we also have $105,000 that goes to the YWCA here in Yellowknife.
Thanks to the Minister. I am well aware of those programs, and I don’t believe that they come from the 19 recommendations that came from the last Coalition Against Family Violence Action Plan. There were 19 recommendations in that plan. I’d like to know from the Minister if there is any intent on the part of this government to address any of those 19 recommendations in this upcoming budget?
We have also hired and filled a position at the “G” Division with the RCMP. It’s a family violence coordinator position. That position is up and running. It will help strengthen the RCMP’s front-line response to family violence, providing training and support to members responding to family violence situations. We also have the Domestic Violence Treatment Option court, which is an option for low risk offenders. We also have an eight-week treatment program called Partner, and again, I mentioned the Healing Drum Society and the work with Wek’eahkaa as well. Those are some of the things the government is doing to address the issue of family violence here in the Northwest Territories.
Thanks to the Minister for telling me things that I already know. Thanks very much. My question, I don’t believe, was answered. I’d like to ask the Minister again, what is this government doing to address the 19 recommendations that came from the Coalition Against Family Violence in the last year or two?
I will go back to the department and we’ll get a detailed response for the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I’d like to ask the Minister, when he does go back to the department, will he please consider the supports that are required in our small communities without an RCMP detachment? I think he’s well aware that without RCMP, things are a little less safe than they are in communities where there is RCMP. Will he look specifically at the safety of women in our small communities without RCMP presence?
Yes, and I think one good news item, if I could, the number of EPOs that have issued have dropped significantly. It was 116 back in 2005-2006 and it stayed around that number. Last year we had 50, so that number of EPOs is trending in a good way.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
