Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to follow up with some questions to one of my Member’s statements earlier today on the coroner’s report. I have been reviewing some of the coroner’s reports since 2002, looking at some of the recommendations. I want to ask the Minister of Justice when the coroner’s reports come out of his department, who is responsible for addressing those recommendations out of the reports? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister of Justice, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member obviously has taken a look at a number of the coroner’s reports. When looking at the reports, he will recognize that many of the recommendations are to different organizations, sometimes different departments within the Government of the Northwest Territories. When it is to a specific department, that department is responsible for responding to those recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my next question in terms of the responses to these recommendations: Is there a regulated guideline or regulation or some type of guideline to develop a timely response or a timely action to address these recommendations so that incidences that result in death don’t happen again? Is there something regulated in place right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, no, there is nothing regulated indicating a timeline for turnaround on recommendations. The recommendations themselves are not legally binding, but the coroner does expect responses within three months after releasing her report. If she doesn’t receive the responses to the recommendations within three months, she usually follows up with the individual to whom the recommendation is made.
Just as a note, it’s important that we do get responses to these recommendations because the coroner does use these responses to inform future decisions, so it’s important that we do get responses. As a government, we are committed to responding to recommendations when they are made to us in individual departments or as the government as a whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, over the last week, since we came back in session, there have been discussions about medical detox and treatment and psychiatrists within the NWT. In the 2002 coroner’s report, the same recommendations came out that we need a detox facility and we need more resident psychiatrists.
I know the Minister can’t speak for all the government, but would the Minister look at seeing what recommendations are made for his department and commit to looking at doing an audit over the last 10 years in which recommendations his department would be able to address and get those addressed? The longer we don’t address these recommendations, it just means people are continuing to slip through the hole and that is not acceptable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If committee wants that information, I am happy to provide that information. Granted, over a 10-year period of time, it might take quite a bit of resources and time to pull that data together. A specific ask might be a little bit easier to accommodate, but regardless, if that’s what committee wants, I am happy to provide that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe 10 years is a little bit too long, but maybe I can ask the Minister to ensure his department, since the coroner’s office falls under his department, takes responsibility to ensure that other departments act on the recommendations in the reports, not for the last 10 years, but just try one year and try the last report, which was the 2011 report. Can I ask the Minister to at least attempt to do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am obviously happy to follow the request from committee, if that is what committee wants. We are happy to look at the last coroner’s report and provide a bit of an analysis from the Department of Justice perspective on actions taken. At the same time, the Member may want to have some discussions with some of the other Ministers where recommendations were made specifically to them as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
