Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are any number of projects that are constantly being evaluated across the Northwest Territories, and it's not that one takes precedence over another. There are a number of factors that go into evaluating these projects and a number of factors that go into evaluating which projects are supported. Ultimately, this particular project, I understand that money was sought from the National Trade Corridors Fund, and that kind of funding would support and assist in moving this project forward. As far as any specific reason why that project might have been denied or put...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Business Incentive Program is, I expect, going to be part of much larger reviews that are taking place between multiple departments being involved in terms of doing that. I'll take the Member's question forward to the relevant lead on those reviews. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the Member is now stuck with me. Absolutely. As I said in my first response, it is an evolving situation. I think a lot of people are saying that across the territories, across the country, but it's an evolving situation about which all leaders and all politicians and all governments are being very actively engaged. There have been calls between first ministers, calls between other departmental ministers. I know I've had two separate calls with first ministers and ministers across the country, dealing with all varieties of issues, impacted industries, dealing with the health, dealing...

I had the opportunity to meet with my colleagues from the Yukon at the First Ministers' Meeting that was held not long ago, and we had a very good conversation about a lot of initiatives that are happening in the Yukon right now. Indeed, some of our alternative courts were modelled after systems back in the Yukon. I can certainly assure the Member that those exact conversations with that jurisdiction will continue and that we will both continue to share best practices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Justice will be doing some strategic planning when session is over. During the course of that, one of the priorities that we have that has been a personal priority for me is to achieve some movement in terms of the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in prisons. There are ways of doing that by increasing our community engagement; by increasing community justice programming; by looking to diversion programs; by truly avoiding people going into the jail system in the first place; by, for example, reducing the amount of people who are in remand. There are a number of levers...

I am not in a position to say what the police priority action plans will be that are developed between the RCMP and a specific community, but again, I can certainly look at the policing priorities that are developed on the Ministerial level. Then we'll certainly have engagement again with our RCMP and to speak to them about the concerns that are being raised. I am confident that, when they go through their own process with the community, it is a direct engagement. I have asked them in the past about that process and sought assurance that they are developing their community policing action...

I can certainly add the concerns raised here and, indeed, perhaps provide a copy of the Hansard of this Member's statement to the detachment commander to ensure that they are aware of those concerns that are being raised and encourage them to do what they can to engage directly. I can also ensure that, when we have meetings and engagements with communities, including with the community of Fort Smith, that I, too, am also being made aware of exactly the concerns by the community members directly from them so that we can continue to address them throughout the course of the next few years by the...

I will personally look into this and see what the status of any applications are. I don't know offhand. Certainly, it's not a new project, and it is an important project. I will look into it, and see that I respond directly to the Member, and that any information that can be tabled in this House, that we do so this session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member raises quite an exhaustive list of items that are being requested, some of which, to the extent that they are involving other governments, may not be items that I can directly disclose. What I would suggest is that I certainly will arrange for a technical briefing in conference with the appropriate standing committee and ensure that I work with the Member so that as much information meets with the requests that are being made here in order to prepare for that briefing.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Justice one of my responsibilities is to set the objectives, priorities, and goals of the Territorial Police Service. While the GNWT respects the operational independence of the RCMP, the intention of setting these objectives is to establish a broad strategic direction for the delivery of policing services in the Northwest Territories that incorporates the unique needs of our communities. Through past priority-setting exercises, the RCMP have been asked to place a focus on increasing public trust in policing services, working with partners to improve responses to...