This is page numbers 55 - 89 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was violence.

Topics

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the record, earlier I put a scenario before the committee about my apartment being empty, but I may have given the wrong impression to the Members here and to the witnesses. I am temporarily separated from my wife because I'm here for the session. She has other things to do at home, so there's a happy ending to this.

What is zero tolerance? To me it means that no one has the right to abuse, physically or sexually, a weaker member of the family. I am very lucky to be able to defend myself against my daughters and my wife. Therefore I've never been abused at home because I have that physical ability to fight back. On the other hand, my daughters and my wife are not able to defend themselves against me if I should become violent, but I never have. I hope I never will. Some Members stated it is not enough to try and eradicate the problem. Of course, Mr. Chairman, if the journey started with one first step I think we are moving in the right direction. It may be a first step in a place that is long overdue.

We've talked about this every year that I've been a Member of the House. We've talked about it at home, in our community, we hear about it on the radio, television and read about it in the papers. We haven't done enough to try to solve the problem. We are not going to solve the problem tonight or tomorrow, but it's a first step that the honourable Minister and the Premier are taking so I feel like the other Members, and I commend you, Mr. Minister, and the Premier.

Every one of us is a winner, each and every one of the Members of this Legislature. A real winner is someone who shares his or her winnings with those who are especially on the losing side: elders, disabled, women and children. It is our mandate, according to my understanding -- of course everyone should understand this -- as a Legislature to make life better for all people that we represent. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. I would like to call upon Mr. Kakfwi now to conclude this very interesting and informative debate. Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you. Just a few brief comments before we conclude the day. One of the Members had suggested earlier that we look at taking over prosecution from the federal government. There is a context that's very well articulated by Members to argue for that. As the Minister of Justice I think we'll be reviewing that particular item and how it fits into this overall strategy of zero tolerance, and why we need to have some capability and influence in that area in order to make it round out our approach. If it's going to be holistic in that regard, then we definitely need to be able to have prosecutions as part of the responsibilities of this government.

There is a comment I want to make. I appreciate Mr. Gargan's comments about how we might require good luck to try to enforce some of the legislation we make and propose in the future. It's my view that aboriginal people, for instance, in northern societies have, for a long time, exercised non-legislative laws. They have made decrees about the things that are acceptable and not acceptable in families and in the communities. I think that's an area where we're going to lend a lot of credence to. I know communities and people have decided certain things are acceptable and not acceptable. They work very well and those are self-enforcing. The move that we're making today, I hope, will slowly let us see less need for police, courts, lawyers, jails and perhaps even a decrease in the need for treatment programs, and that these will lend themselves to other areas that need more resources.

First and foremost, from here we need -- and I've already made a commitment publicly that once these commitments are made by this Legislature and Members of this House, that we're going to have a basis of understanding -- to commit to developing a process, cooperatively with the groups, like the group we have in front of us today. I think the Minister of Social Services, and other Ministers, will be joining me in trying to find ways in which we can try to develop a strategy on how we're going to go about doing our work. They're involved in it, they define where they think the priorities should be, the way we should target the work and how it should be resourced so we're not targeting things that are not priorities of these groups. We give them a voice and we commit to hearing them, and to letting them -- as a group that's been ignored too long -- have a say at the highest political level, from the beginning of this process, that being today. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Kakfwi. The matter we have been discussing has certainly been interesting and thought-provoking. On behalf of the Members of the Legislative Assembly who participated and who are here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the witnesses for their presentations earlier in the day, and for their patience in hearing the debate. I know that the words that were spoken here are taken seriously and they will be taken back to the respective groups and action taken on them.

We have covered an awful lot of ground in the few short hours we've been meeting. It's obvious there is a big job ahead of us and I believe the comments made by the Members and presenters were sincere and often came from deep within the heart. That is the type of cement that is going to be needed to bind the words to actions that we're going to be undertaking. As Mr. Ningark said in his concluding remarks, the longest journey starts with a few small steps and I believe we have taken those first few steps towards these objectives today.

With that, I would thank the witnesses and Members once again.

---Applause

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you very much witnesses and Members.

---Applause

Sergeant-at-Arms, would you assist the witnesses to their respective door? Does this committee agree that we have concluded Tabled Documents 4-12(5), 5-12(5) and 6-12(5)?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

There is a motion on the floor that is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I shall rise and report to the Speaker.

The Speaker

I will call the House back to order. Item 19, report of committee of the whole. Mr. Whitford.

Item 19: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 19: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 88

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, your committee has been considering the appearance of witnesses on family violence in the Northwest Territories and Tabled Documents 4-12(5), 5-12(5) and 6-12(5) and would like to report progress. And that the appearance of witnesses on family violence in the NWT, Tabled Documents 4-12(5), 5-12(5) and 6-12(5) are concluded. Madam Speaker, I move that the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with.

Item 19: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 19: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 88

The Speaker

Thank you. Is there a seconder for that motion? Seconded by Mr. Todd. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 19, third reading of bills. Item 20, orders of the day. Mr. Clerk.

Item 20: Orders Of The Day
Item 20: Orders Of The Day

February 9th, 1994

Page 88

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Madam Speaker, there will be a meeting of the Caucus immediately after adjournment this evening. At 9:00 am tomorrow morning of the Ordinary Members' Caucus. Orders of the day for Friday, February 11, 1994.

1. Prayer

2. Ministers' Statements

3. Members' Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Oral Questions

6. Written Questions

7. Returns to Written Questions

8. Replies to Opening Address

9. Petitions

10. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

11. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

12. Tabling of Documents

13. Notices of Motion

14. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills

15. Motions

16. First Reading of Bills

17. Second Reading of Bills

18. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Tabled Document 1-12(4), Towards an NWT Mineral Strategy

- Tabled Document 2-12(5), Building and Learning Strategy

- Tabled Document 3-12(4), Towards a Strategy to 2010: A Discussion Paper

- Tabled Document 11-12(5), First Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner of the NWT for the Year 1992-93

19. Report of Committee of the Whole

20. Third Reading of Bills

21. Orders of the Day

Item 20: Orders Of The Day
Item 20: Orders Of The Day

Page 89

The Speaker

Thank you. This House stands adjourned until Friday, February 11 at 10:00 am.

---ADJOURNMENT