This is page numbers 4901 - 4934 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 work. View the webstream of the day's session.

Motion to Receive and Adopt Committee Report 11-18(3), Carried
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

February 20th, 2019

Page 4912

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Committee Report 11-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Reports, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion to Receive and Adopt Committee Report 11-18(3), Carried
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 4912

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Motion to Receive and Adopt Committee Report 11-18(3), Carried
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 4912

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Motion to Receive and Adopt Committee Report 11-18(3), Carried
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 4912

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Masi. Reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Nahendeh.

Bill 32: Naturopathic Profession Statutes Amendment Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 4912

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Development has reviewed Bill 32, Naturopathic Profession Statutes Amendment Act, and wishes to report that Bill 32 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 32: Naturopathic Profession Statutes Amendment Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 4912

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Minister's Statement 131-18(3), Session Statement; Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4912

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020, and would like to start with the Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The committee will consider the document after a very brief recess. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I will call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates 2019-2020. The Minister of Finance, I understand, does not have opening remarks, so we will move right into the department that we have agreed to consider, the Department of Justice. Does the Minister of Justice have any opening remarks? Minister Sebert.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Yes, thank you, I do. I am pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Justice. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of just over $3 million, or 2.4 percent, over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

  • $1.389 million in forced-growth funding to provide the RCMP with increased capacity to cover the costs of officer participation in new and existing training initiatives and related administrative costs;
  • $179,000 in forced-growth funding to enable the Legal Aid Commission to add a new full-time criminal defence lawyer position in response to rising workloads in this area;
  • $171,000 to cover a 1 percent wage increase for non-unionized employees;
  • $308,000 in federal funding to support investments related to the legalization of cannabis in the Northwest Territories;
  • $269,000 to increase the department's capacity to support GNWT departments in responding to access and privacy matters in a more consistent and efficient manner; and
  • $124,000 to support the establishment of a manager position within the Legal Aid Commission to address operational pressures.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly by:

  • implementing improvements to corrections programming, including the development of enhanced culturally appropriate programming and working with our community partners to support inmates with their reintegration back into their communities;
  • supporting the RCMP and communities to strengthen partnerships;
  • implementing innovative ways to prevent and reduce crime; and
  • supporting initiatives and partnerships to prevent and reduce family violence.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Yes, please.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you please escort the Minister's witnesses into the Chamber.

Minister Sebert, please introduce your witnesses to the House.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my left is Mandi Bolstad, director of corporate services. To my right is Martin Goldney, the deputy minister of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Welcome to the witnesses. It has been a while since we have been Committee of the Whole, so I will just remind everyone to let us know when you are finished talking so that our tech team can change the mics. Just say "thank you," and the team will know to change the mics, and all exchange goes through myself as chair.

Committee, we earlier agreed to forego opening comments. If that is still the wish of committee, we can begin with the Department of Justice detail. The department itself begins on page 264 of the document, and the first item is community justice and policing, found on page 271. Does committee have questions on community justice and policing? Ms. Green.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have questions on page 268, the revenue summary. Is that a page that we are going to go back to? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. The plan was to go through each activity, and then, when we go back to the departmental total, we can consider the org charts, the revenue summaries, et cetera, in the opening portion of the document. Is that acceptable to committee?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Was there anything on community justice and policing, Ms. Green?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. This seems like a good time to ask the Minister again about community approaches to sexual assault reporting and sexual assault charges that can be reviewed. Last week he didn't have any answers to these questions about when or how this would happen, and I am wondering if he has been able to obtain more information that he would like to share with us now. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Minister Sebert.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you. I don't know if I have anything really new than the information that I provided in the House last week. We are, of course, aware about how important this issue is, and we are continuing to work with the RCMP with respect to this matter. Of course, this arose out of a report in 2017 in the Globe and Mail and led to questions about this whole issue, not only in this House, but across Canada, and the police have made efforts. In December 2017 the police released the results of their national review in a document called "The Way Forward," and this included actions to make the police more sensitive and aware, if I can put it that way, through training, to sexual assaults. So work is continuing in this important area. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Ms. Green.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my concern in this area is that the unfounded series that kicked off the debate about third-party review of sexual assault complaints that are considered unfounded, this started two years ago, and the third-party reporting of sexual assaults has been requested since before that. My question for the Minister is: at what point are we going to see a justification for increasing the grants and contributions in this portion of the budget indicating that action is actually being taken on these two issues? Thank you.