Debates of October 28, 2004 (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for Minister Dent. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has produced a response to the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence, and I believe that Minister Dent is responsible for this. It indicates that this response was put together and prepared by the Coalition Against Family Violence and yet today, Mr. Speaker, I hear that representatives of the NWT Status of Women Council are displeased and not supportive of this response. I would like to ask the Minister who were the NGOs or agencies or departments that comprise the Coalition Against Family Violence? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister responsible, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The response to the report, which we just released last week, was largely done within government. It was done with representatives from Justice, Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services with the special advisors to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Outside agencies were brought in. For instance, the executive director of the NWT Status of Women was offered on many occasions an opportunity to be briefed and comment on the public education plan, but, unfortunately, that did not get responded to, so that briefing never took place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know that there are many NGOs across the territory in our communities that are involved with family violence. So I would like to know which NGOs in the Northwest Territories were invited to sit with these government departments that you’ve listed to form the Coalition Against Family Violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Mr. Speaker, I apologize; I don’t have a copy of the report in front of me and I can’t name off the outside organizations that were invited. So I don’t have that information in front of me right now. Sorry, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister please confirm for me then that the Coalition Against Family Violence did constitute more than the government departments that he just listed as full participants? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Coalition Against Family Violence was a large number of groups that included federal agencies as well as territorial and non-government agencies. The response that I brought forward last week was our response to their report. So the response did not have everybody from the coalition at the table. It was developed as a government response, so it wasn’t exactly the same group that was involved in developing that response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so could the Minister then just confirm for me that the NWT Status of Women’s Council was invited in the preparation of the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence? Were they invited to be full participants in developing that action plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 331-15(3): Response To The Action Plan On Family Violence

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was a government response to the coalition’s recommendations, so outside agencies weren’t necessarily invited to be full partners. However, an invitation was extended on numerous occasions to the executive director of the NWT Status of Women to attend and be briefed on the status of the development of the response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.