Mr. Speaker, the issue of systemic racism existing within government institutions and agencies is not something new. This has been a known fact for decades. However, it's something that has not always been taken seriously by most people in positions of power.
Mr. Speaker, I think the tide is starting to turn because more and more people are getting to speak more openly against systemic racism. Not only have we seen several months of global protests against police brutality and racial inequality, but we are also seeing key politicians begin to acknowledge and address systemic racism.
For example, in June 2020, Prime Minister Trudeau said, "Systemic racism is an issue right across the country in all our institutions including in our police forces, including in the RCMP." That's what systemic racism is. Moreover, the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Belleguard just said this past weekend, "There is systemic racism. There is systemic discrimination. Let's deal with it. Let's put an action plan in place so that it no longer puts us in 2020 and beyond because we're all in it together."
Mr. Speaker despite the public appetite and near unanimous calls by First Nation leaders of governments to address this issue, we here in the NWT do not seem to be getting the message. Our government is not immune to the realities of systemic racism. For example, over the last year since becoming MLA, I have been dealing with several constituency issues pertaining to the systemic racism specifically within the Fort Smith Correctional Complex of the Department of Justice of the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, the problem I am referring to is to do with Indigenous employees with corrections not having sufficient protections in place to air certain grievances about management. The current system in place is simply inadequate, so substantive changes must be made by this government on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I would seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted