Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

This is page numbers 1951 – 2010 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 going.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Update On Early Childhood Development Plan: Education, Culture And Employment Milestone Statement

Enbridge Pipeline Erosion Control Measures

Support For Terrax Minerals Inc.

Improving Consumer Protection

Hay River Rental Accommodation Challenges

Benefits Of Public Service Growth In The Sahtu Region

Yellowknife Rental Accommodation Costs

Resident Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Modern Treaty Implementation

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Emergency Situation Communication Protocols

Yellowknife And Peripheral Area Land Use Management Plan

GNWT Land Use Monitoring Capacity

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Improving Consumer Protection

Rental Office Workload Challenges

Rental Accommodation Subsidies

Land Lease Assessments

Residential Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Social Housing Policy Adjustments

Written Question 21-18(2): Complaints Of Sexual Assault Classified By RCMP As Unfounded

Tabled Document 302-18(2): Workers’ Safety And Compensation Commission 2015-2017 Strategic Plan

Extended Adjournment Of The House To February 28, 2017

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Operations Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Lands

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Community Justice And Policing Activity

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 65-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Community Justice And Policing Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

February 23rd, 2017

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So if someone needs Legal Aid service and they're in Inuvik or Tuktoyaktuk, how do they actually get it, then? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Well, with respect to the criminal law cases, the courts, of course, go on circuit and at least in some of the communities I believe the lawyers go in a day or so early. Obviously, it's not ideal, but it is the system we've been using for many, many years. The courts do visit virtually every community, so certainly there couldn't have been community clinics in every community. At least when I was involved, we used to go up to Inuvik a day or so before court started so we could interview people. As I say, not the ideal circumstance, but we simply could not staff the clinic in Inuvik properly. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that response. So how do we actually improve access to justice for these people? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

I'd like to point out that we do now have an outreach program, which has been developed over the last month or years so that this is somebody who is often going out to the community not at the same time as the court. She tends to deal with many non-criminal matters but that is a way in which we are bringing justice to the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Nothing further from Mr. O'Reilly. Further to this section, this activity? Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the department maintain court workers in every region? Sorry, let me clarify. In every regional centre where court circuits are held? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

I'm just trying to remember now. There is a resident court worker in Fort Smith. There is a resident court worker in Hay River. There is a resident court worker in Fort Simpson. I think the position has just recently been filled. There are resident court workers in Yellowknife; a resident court worker in Inuvik. There may be one other that I've overlooked. So there are not court workers in every community, but there's certainly at least one court worker, I believe, in every region. Sorry, I was thinking there was one in Norman Wells, but I believe actually there's a court worker in Fort McPherson. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Does the Minister believe that there is a sufficient number of court workers to handle the Legal Aid client caseloads that are currently facing the Commission? Thank you

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Yes, I can mainly somewhat speak from my own experience, that when I travelled around the communities the court workers were invaluable to me, and their caseload was heavy but not incredibly heavy. I imagine the greatest pressure might be in Yellowknife, where there is weekly court going on and there would be a heavy load for local court workers to carry. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Nothing further, thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. I see nothing further, but I'll give committee a moment. Legal Aid Services. Seeing none, I'll call the page. Justice. To page 268: Justice, Legal Aid Services, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $5,941,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. Moving on. Next activity: Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations. It can be found on pages 270 to 272. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm just wondering if the Minister might like to have a conversation with himself about switching this over to the Lands department.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

It would be a conversation with myself. I can't really see any particular advantage to that. I mean, it would still be reporting to a Minister of Cabinet. Of course it was previously in ITI, and I think there were some concerns about that because of the promotional aspect of ITI; now it's in Justice. That would seem to me reasonable. I wouldn't see much difference in it being in Lands. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

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