Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Justice. I’ll give him a little bit of a break from the education venue. Workplace harassment and workplace bullying are something which I think we are becoming more and more aware of. I think it’s existed for a very long time and is all too common. I think we are becoming more aware that employers do not necessarily treat their employees fairly.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice what legislation or regulations currently exist in the NWT to deal with workplace harassment or workplace bullying.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Within our Justice department we do have a Human Resource Policy that deals with the specifics of if there’s harassment in the work environment or if there’s verbal abuse and so forth. We do have those policies in place and work closely with the Human Resources department as well. Those policies do go through some changes, as well, that reflect up-to-date information we receive from the general public. We’ll continue to make those changes as necessary.
The Minister referenced a policy within the Department of Justice. My concern, I guess, is for employees outside of the GNWT. If someone in a private firm feels they are being harassed or bullied, what recourse do they have to try and make their workplace situation more tolerable?
Those are the areas that we continue to get complaints from various parties and we deal with them either through the employers or through our Justice department. The avenue they may have with respect to certain types of complaints that may be brought forward, it all depends on the case-by-case basis. We need to work with those individuals as the need arises. Again it can be an interdepartmental initiative as well. Our Justice department is available to the general public if there are any issues pertaining to that and also with Human Resources.
Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that information that the general public does have the opportunity to go to the Department of Justice for assistance. Several other provinces in Canada and the Canadian government itself have implemented, over the last five to six years, legislation which deals with workplace harassment and bullying. I’d like to ask the Minister whether that is something that this government might consider to either change an existing act or to bring in a new act that would deal with harassment and bullying in the workplace.
This particular area is not just our jurisdiction; it’s a national issue. Workplace and bullying harassment that’s happening within our work environment or outside our work environment. So there is a strategy in place at the national stages and we’re part of the discussion through the Justice department, whether it be the public safety, Education department as well. I will keep the Members posted on if there are going to be any changes or acts that are coming into play. We are looking at various options from other jurisdictions as well.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I guess I’m just not quite clear. I’d like to ask again, he mentions a national initiative. Is the Minister saying that nationally across the board all provinces and territories are working on something and that we are part of that? Because there are Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec who currently have their own legislation.
Each jurisdiction provides their own issues or challenges before two federal Ministers along with provincial and territorial Ministers. Saskatchewan and other jurisdictions have their own. We want to take advantage of that so we don't reinvent the wheel and see if they can fit into our judicial system as well, our justice system. Those are areas we are exploring. That’s what I was referring to, was that we bring our acts and legislation into play at the national stage and bring that information back so we can establish that type of system here in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
