Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Locking up men for family violence offences can give victims a temporary reprieve from abuse but does nothing to address long-term crisis of family violence in the territory. We need programs focused on rehabilitating offenders. “A New Day” is a program funded by this government that helps men who want to stop committing acts of violence. Its funding runs out December 31st of this year. Anecdotal evidence suggests the program was successful, but it’s undergoing review by the Department of Justice. My first question is: how much is this review going to cost? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, the Member is quite correct, the funding does run out at the end of the year and there is currently an evaluation taking place. An external evaluation is being conducted by a company by Proactive; their services were obtained to a standing offer agreement. The cost of the evaluation is $43,700 and the evaluation is to be completed by November 1, 2016. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe I heard by November is when this review is going to be completed. The NWT Coalition against Family Violence stated that making this program permanent is one of their top three priorities. If this review is not going to be completed until November and the government deems it unworthy or ineffective is there going to be something to replace this program so there’s not a gap in service? Is that going to give the government enough time?
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, the evaluation is to be completed by November 1, 2016, and hopefully we’ll actually receive it slightly before that time and we do believe that that will give us sufficient time; that there will be no gaps in treatment and that this important type of program will continue.
Is there a contingency plan if the review finds that the program isn’t effective?
I’m not aware of a contingency plan at this time, but I will certainly undertake to provide the Member opposite with any information I do have or I can obtain, rather, as to a contingency plan that might exist.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is that family violence is often the result of intergenerational trauma, and this crosses departments. Is the Department of Justice working with other departments like the Department of Health to try and create programs for children so that we can stop the violence before it occurs when they’re adults? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, there are many different programs that we are working on which we work with other departments on. I also know that there are many programs within the corrections service, and hopefully what we hope to have is an overlap between programs that are afforded to inmates in the corrections when they return to the public so that it will help their reintegration. We are working with other departments.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
