Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to announce new services from the Department of Justice to help families in transition. These services are the first steps in longer-term project design to create an effective and accessible family law framework for more choices for families.

For many people, the court system works well, but it’s only one option. It can be expensive and time consuming. As Members know, mediation offers parents an alternative. They talk to each other, work out their issues, like where the kid will live, visitation, financial support and how they will continue to be good parents in what is now a different kind of relationship.

Many parents come away from mediation with their issues resolved in a way that works for them. They feel that they have been heard and they can move forward. It’s usually much faster than going through courts. Agreements can often be reached within a few hours.

Mr. Speaker, the department has offered a mediation service over the past number of years on a pilot basis. It was done using the services of a single mediator. That pilot confirmed that there is a need for mediation services in the Northwest Territories and resulted in a resolution of many family law cases.

Mr. Speaker, we are now setting up a new mediation project with a roster of five mediations and the program will be up and running this week. It will be free of charge, Mr. Speaker. Depending on demand, we may increase the number of mediators on the roster. We will be able to offer family remediation services in communities throughout the Northwest Territories.

We recognize the need for other services and support for parents who are separating or divorcing. We are working out the last few details of a course that will start early in the new fiscal year for parents who are separating. It will help parents make a new transition to a new type of relationship in a way that is positive. We’ve offered similar courses for a few years, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

We also know that similar programs in other jurisdictions have been really helpful to parents who are separating or divorcing, but these programs are mandatory. Judges order parents to take these type of courses before seeking a court order for custody or access. This seems to be a key to its success because it is seen as a court requirement. Mr. Speaker, we will be studying the program closely to ensure that it will meet the needs of families in the Northwest Territories.

I would also like to highlight work we are doing in the Court Worker Program. Members indicated to us that community-based positions could play a greater role in our justice system. We are finishing a study on the feasibility of having our community court workers play a greater role in helping family law clients. We are looking at how often court workers deal with individuals facing family law issues. We need to know which legal issues or situations our residents are most likely to bring to court workers and the best way for court workers to answer those questions.

From this research, we will identify family law services that will be performed by court workers both in and out of court. We know they are in a great position to help people in their communities with information about court processes and their legal rights and responsibilities.

We know every family is different. We know that what works for one family won’t work for all. We also know that families in transition may face

serious challenges and need help to overcome these. We want to provide options that can help families resolve their issues in the way that works best for them. We will continue to work closely with the judiciary and the family law bar to make real improvements in family law for Northerners. We will look to the continued advice and support of this Assembly to advance this work.