Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. In the fall, I questioned the Minister and the Premier on an action plan for the NWT. Yesterday, it was confirmed that they are waiting for a national action plan. Last night, Crown Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett was questioned in the House of Commons about the inaction of a national action plan. I quote her, "All the provinces and territories are working on their plans that will be lifted up into a national action plan." My question is: I ask again, will the government begin work on an MMIWG NWT action plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for the Status of Women.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have read the report and saw the article. We have a special advisor who reports under the EIA, the Office of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. We are working closely to ensure that we get on the calls for justice. We have a plan that is called doing our part. This is something that our government needs to take seriously. This is something that, as Minister responsible for the Status of Women, is something that I will bring to Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
With the Northwest Territories being a leader in a lot of areas, will the Northwest Territories lead this, and will the GNWT prioritize the calls for justice by finding staff, even within, to accomplish this work?
This is something that I will bring to Cabinet. It's something that, if the Member would like to have a discussion on how we, as a government, can go about supporting this, there is a working group. The Department of Justice, Department of Health and Social Services, housing, EIA, we have a working group that continues to acknowledge the action plan. It is something that we will look at.
Yesterday, the question was asked, and there was commitment on an annual report. We're going to need staff. We're going to need someone to put this report together. Will you be able to have these staff in place to present an annual report of progress on this file for at least our October sitting?
This is something that we can work with the department of EIA. I agree that we do need supports. It will take a lot of work to pull together the report. This is something that, if we need to go back to EIA and request additional support, that is something I will do.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question will be: as a working group, who is going to lead this working group, and will you, as a Minister, lead this working group so that we can commit to ensure that we have an NWT action plan before we are done our four years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have a special advisor, and I will work closely with her. I am also the Minister of Health and Social Services going through a pandemic. That's no excuse. I will put a lot more effort into the status of women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
