This is page numbers 2299 - 2340 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 indigenous.

Topics

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

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I really appreciate that, and I look forward to good news down the road. My next question is in regard to the integrated case management program. I am a hundred percent a supporter of this program. I believe it does very good things here in Yellowknife. That being said, it is located here in Yellowknife, and the good work that they do and the way that they serve clients would be wonderful if that could work its way throughout the Northwest Territories. I have had multiple conversations on the floor of the House about the integrated service delivery model or just the way of working for public servants within the Northwest Territories, and I understand from the Minister that there is a working group working on implementing some changes to the government. I am wondering if that is going to cost money, and if so, will that also come out of this page of the budget? Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. This is where the integrated case management program is found, and what the Member is referring to, I believe, is the integrated service delivery approach, which is an approach to not just delivering services but delivering services, developing policies, developing legislation, and working together as a government as a whole for the benefit of the recipient of those services. Ideally, it should not take more money to do things in a different way if it's just a culture shift, so we do not anticipate increased costs. However, government finds a way sometimes, and so perhaps, there could be. The work that we are doing in the coming year on that does not necessitate an increase right now. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member.

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Another program that I am wondering about with my couple of minutes here is the men's A New Day program. The Minister and I recently had a conversation on the floor in regard to kind of the new look of the men's A New Day program. I am wondering if the men's A New Day program funding currently sits under community justice and, if possible, what the budget line item is for that program. 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 Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. Yes, that is correct. This is the section where it is. I believe it is community justice projects. Sorry. You know what? How about I hand it over for the budget particulars to Ms. Bolstad.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Ms. Bolstad.

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Bolstad

Thank you, Madam Chair. The line above, under program detail, that says "protection against family violence" has a budget of $543,000 for 2021-2022; $292,000 of that is for the men's healing program. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. One of the conversations that I had with the Minister on the floor was that the Department of Justice was looking at making this an application-based program where communities would be able to design a program that works for them. Given that this really is a prevention program and that Justice deals largely with corrections, kind of downstream, I am wondering if the Minister is having conversations with the Minister of Health and Social Services to move this program upstream to Health and Social Services. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member brings up a good point. This, the A New Day program, has been in Justice for, I believe, it's about seven years now, and we have had a couple of reviews of the two different iterations of the program, and neither of them showed that we are doing exceptionally well. I think that part of that is due to the fact that it's not really a program that Justice traditionally delivers. It is more of a community wellness program, and that is not necessarily Justice's forte. They do many things very well, but these types of programs, they require some sort of clinical oversight. There are counselling aspects to it, and so perhaps Justice is not the place for it to be. I have started to have those conversations to determine if there is a better location, perhaps with more expertise. I think the takeaway is that this government is committed to delivering men's healing, and we want to make sure we do it in the best way possible and the most effective way possible. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Are there any further comments or questions under community justice and policing? Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at the line item on 276, the gun and gang strategy, and noting that it is a new program that has started. I'm assuming that's why there are no actuals for 2019-2020. Given the conditions in our jail, we have been hearing over the last while that this is leading to increased gang activity in the Northwest Territories, as southerners are in our jails with northern people and are using that almost as a recruitment location. Could the Minister speak a bit to whether this is enough money? I notice we do have a $150,000 increase this year. Do we see this as needing to be increased over the coming years, or will we see results from allowing it to almost work itself out? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. This is federal money, and there really is a federal push for this. Perhaps it is not as relevant as it might be in some other jurisdictions, but the Member makes some good points about how, perhaps, it is becoming more relevant. My deputy minister can provide some more detail on this. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy Minister Doolittle.

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Doolittle

Thank you, Madam Chair. The University of Alberta has been contracted to research and develop this guns and gangs strategy with the support from this fund. The research completed to date has and will inform how we target community-based interventions for youth, so this is prevention activities. We have had over 14 school-based presentations completed. These include presentations from Michael Bull Roberts, a former gang member who shares his story of turning his life around. At the end of January 2021, a request was sent to all communities calling for proposals to fund projects prior to the end of this fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

I think that's great. I am really glad to hear it's more of a prevention issue versus a reaction to things that are happening. Just through corrections, people have heard about that recruitment and the increase of southern gangs. Why I know is just that they are coming from the region in which I grew up. I just maybe have been more alive to it. I would just like to speak to the contribution to the YWCA of Yellowknife, the $105,000. Could the Minister confirm that that is the money that is used for the EPOs, or is that another line item? Thank you, Madam 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 Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.

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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. The Member is correct.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I am listening to the national dialogue and the Status of Women, there seems to be an increase or we are expecting an increase in family violence, intimate partner violence, domestic violence as COVID continues. Knowing that the YWCA is the provider of the EPO function for the RCMP, do we anticipate that we are going to have to increase funding here to ensure that the YWCA can continue to provide that service? As well, how do we then ensure that the EPOs can be done in communities where the YWCA does not have staff? Thank you, Madam Chair.