Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It sounds like the Member is the only one that’s declared it to be a unanimous failure. I think this public review of devolution legislation is something that’s been ongoing for some time. Perhaps if I reviewed the objectives of the review, the Member might have a clearer understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish.
We’re trying to encourage the general public to better understand the legislative process associated with devolution, including mirroring and delegation, to have an opportunity to review devolution legislation and to ask questions of clarification, to communicate the devolved and then evolved process, to gather initial public responses, questions and suggestions about current and future devolution legislation, to provide the general public with an understanding of the legislative processes for amendment of existing bills and development of new legislation.
There have been 2,100 legislation reviews website views. Not one of them has complained about an inability to access the website and it appears the Member wants a Cadillac review version. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would just like to mention that I have probably accessed it a dozen times from my chair here, so that doesn’t tell us anything, Mr. Speaker. What we need is a meaningful consultation, a meaningful interaction, a discussion back and forth.
Who is going to interact meaningfully between a screen and themselves on sweeping devolution legislation like this that is complex and so on? Will the Premier get real and get a real process in place that starts providing opportunity for interactions with our public and making this northern legislation?
We are getting real. We are real. The Member talks about a glacial response to questions that are posted on the website. There were two questions posted on the website. The first one related to directors’ liabilities. The second one related to legal obligations for those wishing to bring pet monkeys to the Northwest Territories. The first question was answered and the response posted on the devolution website and the second question was handled by ENR. I don’t see where the glacial response comes in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Two questions. So we’ve gone from 2,100 now down to two. That’s an interesting leap. What the public is demanding and has demanded…and the Premier’s strategy of giving them a website to look at will work. Over time, people will lose interest, be disconnected from government and there will be no transparency as the Premier would like. Clearly, what’s needed is some real interaction.
Again, when will the Premier put out a plain language version of all these acts to people and put out word when the meetings will be, where they will be and give them a real opportunity to have some input and make this our own? Mahsi.
The Member is suggesting that there’s a groundswell of public who can’t wait to respond and review all this legislation. I see no evidence of that. We have committed to a final summary report that will be shared with the standing committee before the end of session. If committee is unhappy with the report, they can respond to it and we will take action. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a hard time being interested myself with the sort of response I get from the Premier. So, again, his strategy is working. The lack of interest is not real lack of interest; it’s a lack of opportunity to engage. So I’m saying to the Premier, what opportunities will he provide to engage with real people on real issues and make this legislation our own?
What changes to this legislation, what evolving is this Premier going to propose on the input he’s received to make it our own based on his earlier commitments, devolve and then evolve? What has he heard? What are the changes we are looking for from all those comments and where are they? Mahsi.
We will be producing a summary report, providing it to committee. Committee can respond to it. My expectation is that the responsible departments for the respective devolution legislation will review the legislation and, over time, they’ll go out to the public, seek input to the specific legislation, and that will be accomplished through transition, and also, we will fulfill all of the commitments that we made to devolve and evolve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today we’re talking about bullying. Bullying is most prevalent in the young people population, but it’s all over. My question is to the Minister of Justice. It’s essential that we have peace officers, like one of the symbols that we have here in the North and across Canada are RCMP officers.
To the Minister’s knowledge, have any young people from the NWT participated in the RCMP’s Aboriginal Pre-Cadet Training Program? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have had folks participate in what was the Aboriginal Community Constable Program. That was a pilot project and that’s since evolved into the Community Constable Program. There’s another intake this coming June in Regina. We’ve had four applicants. Two are active and we’re looking across the territory for other interested candidates to take part in that Community Constable Program in Regina. Thank you.
It’s essential that relationship building happens between RCMP and the community. So as such, has the Department of Justice considered its own version of the RCMP program? I have in mind a community-based policing program where young people are mentored not only by experienced police officers but also by caring and strong community elders. Mahsi.
It is very important that the RCMP continue to foster a strong working relationship with communities across the Northwest Territories. We’ve done a great deal of work in that regard helping communities establish policing plans, working with communities, the leadership of communities. We’re also moving into community safety plans now across the Northwest Territories, and again working with leaders and community members. We’re going to arrive at that. Through the Community Constable Program we will get constables into communities in the Northwest Territories that are going to provide the RCMP with cultural awareness and community awareness and help the RCMP in achieving their goals and objectives in keeping our community safe. Thank you.
I’d like to thank the Minister for his reply. He indicated at the outset that there have been two applicants, and I think the Department of Justice could try to assist communities to increase those numbers.
Will the Minister consider introducing a community-based mentoring project beginning with a handful of small communities? Will the Minister work with the RCMP, other policing officers and community elders to make this happen? Mahsi.
The RCMP has recently filled its Aboriginal proactive recruiter position. The recruiter will be travelling throughout the Northwest Territories to actively recruit persons for all categories of jobs and positions with the RCMP. If the Member is aware of any people in his communities that are interested in the Community Constable Program, I’d encourage him to have them contact the RCMP or our new Aboriginal proactive recruiter so that they can hopefully get into the program this coming June. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the time for innovation is here, especially when this department has undertaken along with this government the on-the-land program, and we’re kind of making it up as we go. So, there’s an opportunity to perhaps reach out into the community.
Once again, will the Minister consider doing a community-based mentoring project with the RCMP so that experienced police officers and, at the same time, community elders are involved with trying to mentor young Aboriginal people to become RCMP officers? Mahsi.
The Member brings up a good point in trying to get the elders involved in the communities and the RCMP. This is something I’d like to take back to the RCMP. Of course, they are our partner in this, the Department of Justice, the RCMP and the communities, and we will get a response for the Member. I like his idea. Any way that we can encourage young people to get involved in the RCMP and protecting our communities and making them safe, that’s a good step in the right direction. I thank the Member for his suggestion.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently, there was a convicted sex offender – that’s a predator, the way I view it – on the loose in Yellowknife, and they were on the loose in Yellowknife without the public’s knowledge. That means women, children and even some men were at risk while this predator stalked their next prey. It was my understanding that the police knew that this person was on the prowl and that this predator was looking for their next victim, but the public was not informed.
My question for the Minister of Justice is: When does the public’s interest start to matter enough that they are informed that their personal safety may be at risk and the fact that we should finally be taking a stand that personal safety of the potential victims should matter more than the predator’s confidentiality?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is a line that, of course, the RCMP makes the decision on. They have to weigh a number of factors before they consider notifying the public. Perhaps we could engage the RCMP if Members want a briefing on how this works. I’d be happy to have the RCMP sit down with the Standing Committee on Social Programs and we can go over the hows and whys of public notification.
I certainly recognize the answer, which was, really, let’s find someone else to take responsibility and let’s pass the buck.
My question for the Minister is: What is he going to do to ensure that this policy is updated so the public’s interest, the public’s safety is protected over these types of predators who are let loose and prey upon the women, the children and even some men in our community?
Of course, I take the safety of our community very seriously. I will continue to work with the RCMP to ensure that communities across the Northwest Territories are as safe as they possibly can be.
I appreciate the Minister’s quick reply of saying nothing. It hasn’t said anything to the fact of what is the Minister going to do. That is the issue.
What is the Minister going to do to update the policy to ensure the public’s safety matters enough that we’re going to protect them with the right information so they know and can be vigilant knowing a predator is out there stalking them? I want to hear what the Minister is going to do, not pass it on to somebody else.
Whether the Member likes it or not, it is the responsibility of the RCMP. We will continue to work with the RCMP to ensure our communities are safe.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, what’s the point of having a Minister if the Minister just says we’ll leave it up to the RCMP? Maybe the Minister can describe his accountability line with the RCMP when we work to ensure that our public safety is put first.
We have a contract with the RCMP. That is their job. That is their role. We respect the role that the RCMP plays for us.
Again, I will reiterate, we will continue to work with them to ensure that the best practices are in place to ensure that our communities are safe.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll follow up with my questions on elder abuse to the Minister of Health and Social Services. According to Stats Canada, seven out of 10 crimes against elders are never reported. There are many reasons, and we’ve had those discussions previously. One suggestion that I’ve brought up in the past is a duty to report and possibly create legislation for duty to report. When you look at the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, they make a recommendation that they can have a duty to report legislation or policy but it must be coupled with a whistleblower protection act. That’s something we have.
I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what steps he has taken to move forward in this duty to report, either policy or legislation.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was actually recently invited to a meeting of the NWT Network to Prevent Abuse of Older Adults held here in Yellowknife on February 10, 2015, where the NWT Seniors’ Society was providing that workshop. At that time I was again asked about possible legislation, and I have already directed the department to do some research into the duty to report but also other opportunities that may exist that will make it necessary for individuals to report abuse.
I will say that, I mean, all of us as citizens have an obligation, in my mind, to report violence when we see it, whether it’s family violence or whether it’s abuse against adults. So if you do see abuse of our seniors or elders, please report it to the RCMP so that they can get involved and help protect our citizens and our senior citizens all throughout the Northwest Territories.
I’m talking specifically about professionals. I’m glad the Minister also agrees that all residents of the North should speak up, but under a duty to report it would protect professionals who interact with the elderly and dependent adults, and with this duty to report it would have clear guidelines for action, intervention and protection, along with adding a professional capacity to investigate such reports.
In my research, I’ve noticed that both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have an Adult Protection Act. Nova Scotia’s came into effect June 2014.
Can I ask the Minister when he directed his department to look into this? Are they reviewing these two jurisdictions who are leading right now in Canada?
The department will be looking at a number of different jurisdictions. I can’t say off the top of my head whether they’re going to look at that one, but given that they are one of the leading jurisdictions, I can say for sure that certainly after today they will be.
Part of the process here is to make sure that people are aware of elder abuse, and I think our amazing partners like the NWT Seniors’ Society is doing amazing work to create awareness. But I do have to acknowledge that there is no consistent policy currently directing staff regarding the prevention, detection and response to elder abuse here in the Northwest Territories.
In 2012-2013 the department worked really closely with the NWT Seniors’ Society to conduct a significant amount of research into national best practices, guidelines and policies for front-line workers in response to this exact topic, adult or senior abuse. As a part of the work to support this implementation of a new continuing care standard, which is going to go a long way to addressing some of this, the department and the NWT Seniors’ Society are looking to develop territorial policies and guidelines for health and social services providers and employees to respond when they suspect or witness elder abuse. Work is happening in this and we are continuing to look at other jurisdictions for additional best practices to make sure that what we put in place is effective here in the Northwest Territories. But at the same time, if you see it, report it.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons, also known as CARP, has a comprehensive strategy to eradicate elder abuse, and one of the recommendations that they do give – and this one I thought was quite interesting – is to create an elder abuse hotline. Because we don’t have all the services and resources in the small communities especially, and I always like to refer that we have eight communities that don’t even have nurses, who are they going to speak to report this elder abuse? If we had a 1-800 hotline that could be widely known across the North with the capacity to redirect to local service agencies and sensitive to cultural and linguistic needs of some of our elders in the communities, would the Minister look at creating something along those lines, or in the current hotline that we do have, have some type of portion of it dedicated to a senior support system where they can get the help that they need?
Resolving this particular challenge here in the Northwest Territories is going to take partnership and awareness, and one of the main organizations that do incredible work in this area is the NWT Seniors’ Society. We do currently provide funding to the NWT Seniors’ Society to offer a toll-free line to seniors with a significant amount of information, including who they might be able to call if they are witnessing things like senior or elder abuse. We can certainly have a conversation with them to see if and how that can be expanded. But at the same time, if you see or happen to witness abuse of seniors, I would still strongly encourage you and all residents of the Northwest Territories to call the RCMP. We will continue to do this work. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know we do have a lot of individuals and professionals who do work with the senior population.
Has the Minister put any new financial resources or personnel resources in terms of providing support for our professionals to continue to work with our seniors’ society, with training or any kind of other clinical support, which was also a recommendation in the strategic plan put out by the Canadian Association of Retired Persons? Has the Minister put any further support into the senior division within his department? Thank you.
We had the same conversation during Committee of the Whole. There are no new dollars or additional dollars at this time. But as we can finish the continuing care standards and other documents that we’re working on, we will likely be in a position where we will have to identify areas that need funding. For ’15-16 there are no new or additional funds targeted to this particular topic. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I had questions to the Minister of Transportation. I’d like to continue my questions. Bassett Petroleum will be doing 120 loads of delivering fuel to the community of Deline. In the assessment by Bassett Petroleum, operators of those vehicles, they’re asking to see if the department is going to put kilometre markers along the road to Deline, even to have a few pullouts on that road to Deline.
Does the Minister think that’s something that can be done this year in regard to these two items?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe those can be done. The Member and I talked about that when we were on the winter road and the department also noted that the kilometre markers were non-existent and they felt that it was important that those be put in. We have the two guys up there now working on the winter road, plus the supervisor. So, I’ll have the department look into placing them, maybe not one at every kilometre, but in strategic locations throughout the winter road.
In the Department of Transportation, one of their objectives is safety on our highways. Certainly that applies more so with the winter roads in our communities.
As part of the Safety Program in the Department of Transportation, are there any requests or consideration for additional maintenance on our winter roads? We have about a month and six days left if the weather holds out to have our winter roads still in operation.
