Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Justice tell us what Indigenous programming is currently being offered in the NWT corrections facilities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The correctional service did develop what's called "Northern Sessions." It was developed specifically in the Northwest Territories and was meant to bring northern Indigenous perspective into the correctional programming that's available. There are also other programs that are built upon from Correctional Services Canada and then adapted and delivered by local facility staff members.
Mr. Speaker, can the justice Minister tell us how many of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action have been implemented within the NWT corrections?
I want to start by acknowledging that that is going to be ongoing work and that it has to be ongoing work, and there are still quite a number of the calls to action that, quite frankly, are still outstanding. Number one that comes to mind with me is the over-representation of Indigenous people in the correctional system. That continues to be a challenge, and it's one that I've certainly spoken about many times, both in my past life as well as in this House.
There is progress happening, though, Mr. Speaker. For instance, in terms of that particular call to action, number 30, of eliminating over-representation, there is work underway. We are taking efforts to again change the way that people are brought into the system and change the way that they go out and are reintegrated, with the hope that that will impact those numbers. With respect to addressing the needs of offenders with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, another call to action, Mr. Speaker, that is one where there has been a lot of effort made within the correctional service here around better diagnosis and treatment options and simply more awareness. Again, Mr. Speaker, there are others with respect to providing culturally relevant services, and, as I mentioned, there has been some effort to design local programming to better reflect the local culture and not just a sense of some sort of "pan" culture which really has and, perhaps, continues to be a problem, that we need to be more adaptive to the unique need of individual cultures across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, there are also calls around ensuring that there is better training about cultural sensitivity. Again, with the development of the Northern Recruitment Program in the North, it is our intention and effort that we are responding to that call by providing that localized cultural training. I'm conscious of the time. I'll stop there. That is an important one and I'll commit to providing the Member with going through those calls and providing some more detailed responses, again being conscious of time, but that is certainly an overview of the work that is happening, and I am conscious that there is more work to be done.
It is very important to have rehabilitation programming being led by properly qualified people, especially people who understand historic trauma and Indigenous healing, not just people trained in corrections or regular counselling. My question is: can the Minister list all the corrections programming that is being led or overseen by Indigenous personnel with proper qualifications?
Mr. Speaker, again, I'm going to commit to firstly put that into writing for the Member. I think there are quite a lot of programs that are happening, and I don't want to be seen as missing one or simply reading out a list and not getting to the root of what is being requested. I will just briefly say, Mr. Speaker, that there has been trauma-informed care being provided as training for correctional staff now for, I believe, two years. There are Indigenous liaison officers meant to be stationed at all of the facilities, although I acknowledge that sometimes those positions have not always been filled. I believe they are at present, although I will confirm. There is an effort at the facilities, often coordinated by the liaison officer, to bring elders into the facilities to provide spiritual guidance and cultural supports for offenders or inmates who may be there. I'll also note, as I think I've spoken about in this House more than once now, the South Mackenzie Correctional Facility in Hay River, although the work has been a bit delayed, there is still an effort to make that into a therapeutic community in line with Indigenous culture in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Indigenous healing work with elders and knowledge holders is an important component. My question is: can the Minister explain what collaboration is taking place in the NWT corrections regarding Indigenous elders in terms of healing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
At the risk of repeating it a bit, there is a liaison officer position at every institution. It is a major part of their role to provide exactly that: the liaison between the community and elders in particular, and to have elder visits coordinated and available for anyone at the facility. That includes not only, for instance, here in Yellowknife, elders who might be part of the local Indigenous community but also Inuit elders. We certainly have a number of individuals coming from across the territory from different Indigenous cultures. There is a conscious effort made to be inclusive as much as possible. I know that, when I went to the Fort Smith Women's Facility, too, they again have focused on having that space available to be able to bring the elders in from the community. Fort Smith was one that has a long history of doing that and one that we are hoping that we will certainly want to put up as a shining star of what to do in the future, hopefully. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
