Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about training supports for shelter workers.
Mr. Speaker, finding ways to help de-escalate violence for shelter workers who work on the frontline is a goal of mine, and I'm sure it's supported by many of our colleagues here. We would like to see the de-escalation of violence long before it gets out of hand and the RCMP have to be called or anyone certainly gets hurt. And on that note, Mr. Speaker, from the RCMP they had mentioned that over 2,268 calls to shelters in Yellowknife over a period of two years, that's April 2022 to April 2024, of those calls, Mr. Speaker, only 3 percent resulted in charges. So what it really says, Mr. Speaker, in two years, there was only 68 incidents that actually warranted in charges. It sort of speaks to the outcome and the nature of the policing of what's actually happening is they're attending incidents that are getting out of hand but maybe there's a better path, such as supporting our frontline workers with de-escalation skills.
Mr. Speaker, the Saskatchewan First Nations shelter worker training program offers a program for prevention of types of violence. They give shelter workers supports. They have a curriculum that's adapted to the specific needs of shelter workers. Mr. Speaker, this is the type of training we could work with our fantastic Aurora College to help ensure it's spread and implemented and offered here in the Northwest Territories throughout our territories in every community that has learning centres or even regional centres.
Mr. Speaker, to highlight a couple of the course points it does, it teaches people communication skills, engagements with clients on therapeutic issues, talks about grief loss, helps with documentation, crisis management. It goes through a lot of wonderful things, Mr. Speaker. Again, Aurora College could be leading this initiative as well as supported by the departments of health and education and Justice. Look, it's a government initiative before you know it, Mr. Speaker.
That said, Mr. Speaker, in talking to many shelter workers, they're always stressed by the amount of challenges and the lack of training they get. They get limited funds to pay people which means they get a restriction of pool of the type of skills and opportunities that can show up there. And those who are armed with the skills and talents to do this type of work tend to look for better paying work with the territorial government. In short, Mr. Speaker, if we truly believe in valuing our relationship and partnership with these shelter organizations and we want to support the shelter workers, we should be setting them up with partnerships. So, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the government to ensure that we can include this type of training in future contribution agreements later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Nunakput.
