Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and before I get started with my questions, I just want the Minister to know that I have read the "Doing Our Part" initial response to the final report of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Can the Minister advise us if she has read the calls for justice? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for the Status of Women.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like the Member to know that it has been printed, it is on my desk, and I will start reading it. Thank you.
I thank the Minister for being honest. Can the Minister tell us what steps the GNWT is taking to fully implement the calls for justice outlined in this Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report?
An interdepartmental Missing and Murdered Indigenous working group was set up to coordinate the GNWT's response to calls for justice. This working group is chaired by the special advisor to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and it includes appointed representatives from departments such as Justice, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment, as well as the Housing Corporation. Other departments are invited to attend to the meetings as required. This working group will be doing an in-depth review and analyze the calls for justice. A time frame has not been established for the completion of this review, but it is anticipated that it will require detailed discussions.
Has the Minister had a chance to directly speak to those who are responsible for the national action plan since being elected to ensure appropriate, sustainable, long-term funding is available to the GNWT to fully implement these calls for justice, and if not, will the Minister commit to this government and all Ministers to lobby Canada for their federal counterparts to ensure long-term sustainable funding is provided to ensure full implementation for calls to justice?
I have attended the provincial-federal-territorial status of women, and in the meetings, we talked about having commitment to look forward, going through the review.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In light of this new issue, with the government being a minority government, I am afraid that if we don't get moving on this issue sooner than later, that if there is a chance that the next government, if our minority federal government changes, we may not have good strength and movement on this. I would like the Minister to commit that she would push harder and get more familiar with this so that we can get commitments from our federal partners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Absolutely. That is my intent, and the Member has brought it up in the House several times, and also made it her commitment, and that is something that I will commit to looking into. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
