Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce the appointments of Thelma Tees, Rebecca Williams, and Julia Putulik to the Victims Assistance committee for three year terms effective March 1.
The Victims Assistance Committee is established under the Victims of Crimes Act. It is mandated to make recommendations to the Minister of Justice on policies and programs respecting services to victims. Its main role has been to make recommendations on financial contributions from a victims assistance fund for victim related activities in training, direct service delivery, public information and awareness, and research.
Thelma Tees of Yellowknife, the new chairperson, has been until recently, the executive director of Northern Addictions Services. She served for 18 years in the addictions field.
Rebecca Williams is a homemaker in Arctic Bay who was a community social services worker for the past ten years and before that worked for ten years as a nursing assistant.
Julia Putulik is the community school counsellor for the Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet. She is a member of the Canadian Guidance and Counselling Association and a councillor for the hamlet council.
The combined knowledge and experience of these appointees will be a great help in improving the level of assistance given to victims who must deal with the criminal justice system. At this time, I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the original members of the victims assistance committee for their support.
Previous members of the committee included Ms. Jan Stirling, Mr. Joanasie Salomonie and Ms. Nora Sanders. During their terms, the committee recommended 128 proposals to the Minister of Justice, for total contributions of over $336,000 from the victims assistance fund.
The new committee held its first meeting on March 11, by teleconference, and made recommendations to me for funding for eight organizations. In this time of fiscal restraint, the victims assistance fund is proving to be a vital source for supporting victim-related services. Thank you.
---Applause