Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be to the Minister of health. I highlighted an email the CEO of NTHSSA has received, amongst many other GNWT employees, regarding concern brought forward of what someone perceives as human rights issues, abuse, and neglect on youth at a particular facility.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to hear about by what way of process is going on at this current time to investigate or get to the bottom of these particular issues to ensure that there's a fulsome investigation and assessment of these concerns highlighted? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member is referring to a current investigation, I cannot, you know, discuss any investigations publicly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in the Child and Family Services Act, it relatively seems silent on the area of when it's duty to report to the RCMP. There's been serious concerns brought up with respect to human rights, abuse, and neglect of youth. What threshold does it take to engage the RCMP on these particular matters of urgency? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within investigations when child and family services is involved, if there are any legal implications within the investigation then they will, you know, report to RCMP or to whomever that needs to happen. And sometimes RCMP are part of investigations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister brought it up, so I'm going to ask, have the RCMP been engaged early to ensure that there's been a fulsome study of this particular issue so there's been -- there will be no delay, if any? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member from Yellowknife Centre, I think the Minister has made it very clear there's a criminal investigation going on and she can't talk specifically about this investigation. So if you could reword the question so it doesn't involve the investigation, if it's process and policies, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, or I should say Mr. Speaker Whitford on the side, the way to massage, give the Member another chance.
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is that I want to make sure that -- is there any -- are there any barriers, policy barriers, Mr. Speaker, stopping the department from engaging the RCMP to join any potential investigation that she foresees? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, any investigation that child and family services does, if there is found that there may be criminal findings during their investigation, they will report to the appropriate -- and if it's -- it would be RCMP in that case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister said if they find something. So in other words, what skills does this investigator bring to the table that they can properly assess if a crime has been done? So in other words, I'm asking, Mr. Speaker, what qualifications does this investigator carry to ensure that they are able to absolutely with great certainty make a decision one way or the other? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Are you talking hypothetical? I'm trying to -- like, if you're asking about the situation then it cannot be asked, so.
No, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister said there was an investigation, if I heard on there, because she can't comment, so I'm asking what skills do they bring to this -- the person doing the process. So do they have the skills -- sorry? So I'm asking about their qualifications to be able to identify the issues as pointed out that could be referred to the RCMP.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the team consists -- when investigations happen, they are done by social workers. Social workers' experience -- are experienced in conducting investigations of this nature and once the investigation steps are completed, you know, they will do the process that they have to do. If there's a criminal process that they have to report, they have a duty to report then they will do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
