Caroline Cochrane

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation recognizes that it is important to have accessible workers in every community, and so we do strive to do that. We do have in every community that has a local housing organization, a position for a housing maintainer, a maintenance worker, so if that position is vacant, then we do our best to fill that position as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Annemieke Mulders, who is with the Northwest Territories Status of Women. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following 11 documents entitled "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 347-18(2): 911 Emergency Telephone Services;" "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 359-18(2): Updating the Fire Prevention Act;" "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 385-18(2): Changes to the Cities, Towns and Villages Act;" "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 410-18(2): Auditor General’s Report on Municipal Services;" "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 411-18(2): Ground Ambulance and Highway Rescue Services;" "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 462-18(2): Sport...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The conversation of an attitudinal survey is actually interesting, and I would like to kind of address that. I would like to start with stating that I am quite offended by the Member's statement, when she stated that it is clear that Members do not agree that family violence is insulting. Because Members do not have a desire to continue to punish individuals who have served their time after committing domestic violence but rather focus on healing, because we want to preserve rights in place, does not mean that Members do not understand or care about family violence in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not my responsibility alone as a Minister, as a human being, to address the issue of family violence and the root causes. We are working across departments. We are working with our colleagues, Regular MLAs. We are working with Aboriginal governments. We are working with non-profit organizations. This is a societal issue, not one person's issue. I will commit to working in partnership with as many people, as many organizations I can, to address the issue of family violence.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to state that family violence is an issue within the Northwest Territories. It is something that we have to donate time and energy to. Again, I would like to say that I believe that we need to focus on prevention and healing at this point. I also want to state, since it was in the question, that not only is the issue of family violence an issue within the Northwest Territories, we have to take care of all the residents, and that means we have to provide support and money to our mineral industry, to our infrastructure, to housing, to transportation, to...

I am definitely committed to addressing the root causes of family violence, and the root causes of family violence is not an attitudinal survey. It is a lot of other things. It can be a host of ideas, and that is why I will commit to supporting prevention and healing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Member for calling me wise and having wisdom. Sometimes, I wonder, as I age.

Other resources that are available to youth is not an answer I can give at this point. It would take some thought, but I will commit to actually sitting with the Member if he wishes and actually looking at other ways that the community can see this vision actualize.

Again, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has a variety of programs there, too, with the goal of supporting youth because we recognize that providing supports to youth is important for not only physical activity but also for mental wellness. So we have other initiatives such as the Children and Youth Resiliency Program that can provide supports, too. I am just speaking from what we have as a department, but I can commit to actually having the department work further with the Member if he would like to see if there are other external sources of support to support a youth centre...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize Jonathan Beland, who is our page from Range Lake in the House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.