Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am happy to provide some comments on the work that the Social Programs committee did with regard to reviewing the Child and Family Services Act. The most significant for me was that they came over to the community of Fort Liard as well as Fort Simpson. The residents were really pleased to see committee in their communities and they did share many of their concerns. Once we got the debate and the discussion going and the reason why committee was there, people began to understand and identify some of the core issues that they had every time they experienced apprehensions and the authority that the act provides over children in our smaller communities, and a lot of them are certainly aboriginal, Mr. Chairman.

What a lot of people were saying was that aboriginal culture and language has to be taken into consideration if and when we’re going to make changes to the act. The act certainly recognizes custom adoption, but when it comes to the opposite end like apprehensions or grandparents wanting to get involved, they can, they’re able to take care of their grandchildren, but legally that’s like an apprehension and there’s no authority for them to do it. But all they want to do is to take the child away from a violent situation. Well, it doesn’t even have to be violent, just basically drinking in the house, and they want to care for that child for the weekend, but the law just doesn’t provide for that. I think some of the people in Fort Simpson and Fort Liard raised that issue and I certainly support that.

As well, the review, and I’m sure committee heard, it’s actually in the report too just talking about the residential school system. Recently it opened up that whole debate about the residential school system and the act kind of brings back the direct experiences that ourselves had experienced at our age and our parents and the parents before them, because the residential school system has been in the North almost two or three generations, Mr. Chairman.

I think the key thing is that we are very happy that the act is being reviewed and very happy that committee came out to communities and wanted input. And they got input, especially in my riding to say, okay, you know we actually have a chance here to make some positive changes that reflect our cultural identity, that reflect some of the realities of our needs.

I think a few Members already commended the front-line workers and I would certainly like to do the same, because they are there day in and day out. I think the recommendations speak about providing more support and more training, and I certainly support that as well. Having knowledgeable front-line workers in the organization certainly helps with smooth transitions, especially because there are cases where constituents have come to me and they’re saying the law is overbearing, you know, I really feel that my rights have been violated.

However, the literal translation of the act does say that apprehensions have to happen and it’s kind of like a judgment call. At the same time there are alternatives out there in working with the community, knowing that we’ve got caring grandparents out there that you can call and mediate, and having people in our justice system because of the act when something could have been mitigated or else finding alternative solutions I think would help our system. But we’ve just got to work with the act and try and write these into the act at the time we’re going to make changes, Mr. Chair. So just a few comments.

Once again, seeing the amount of work that committee put into it, pleased to see the healthy communities. Once again, a pat on the back to our front-line workers who are out there doing this every day. I certainly, as an MLA and along with the other committee members, commend them for the work that they’re doing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.