Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently yesterday during the mental health and addictions theme day and I heard the Member talking. I also heard all of the Members talking. What I will commit to right now is that I will sit down with committee. We will talk about these issues. The reviews and the research have been done; it’s time for action. I agree, and I will work with committee to move forward on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We’ve already committed to move forward with a wellness court here in the Northwest Territories. We hope to have the beginning aspects of it by April 1, 2014. Having said that, I’m not sure we actually need to incorporate it into legislation. It may be something that we may benefit from doing, but it would be impossible for me to say at this time without us finishing our analysis. So I will certainly have the departments, both Justice and Health and Social Services, look at it to see if it’s appropriate.

This is the first round of collecting information after the discussion items and discussion papers have gone out. After that, there will obviously be some initial work on some drafting and working on the legislative proposal. From that point, we will be seeking input from stakeholders from across the Northwest Territories and move forward to the point where we’re closer to being ready to go forward with an LP and discussion with committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, every community has their own individual community policing plan and some communities have put more attention on that exact topic than others. Regardless, it is something that’s important. I know that RCMP officers from across the Territories have been working with youth on many different levels. We have the DARE program, as the Member mentioned. I also know that in many communities, the communities themselves, the youth themselves have engaged with the RCMP on the Not Us! campaign and other campaigns, which is about education, awareness and working with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the individual communities, we have community policing plans where the community leadership and the RCMP get together and set their priorities. That helps them focus their particular area in areas the community wants. But it does take cooperation with community members to stop alcohol from coming into the community. We do have the Crime Stoppers number where individuals can phone in and not give their name but identify if they believe there is alcohol coming into the communities. That has been a valuable tool and the RCMP continue to promote that, that 1-800 number...

Mr. Speaker, I understand the Member’s point. Just for the record, the program is a program by the community for the community, designed for the youth to meet the needs that they’ve identified. I think it is really important to empower the youth to design their own program, but we are certainly willing to provide them with examples from other communities where it is actually hitting the exact topic that the Member is talking about. We would like to leave it up to the communities and to the youth in those communities to set their own priorities as to how they want to use these dollars to...

I know that Members are aware of the Mental Health Act. As far as their specific training, I can’t say, but I will confirm to get that information for the Member. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things I encourage all staff to do when they know they’re coming up to the end of their employment is obviously to have a discussion with the benefits officer. If they have a discussion with their benefits officer prior to their last day, they can usually streamline the process a little bit so that people know how urgent it is; this person isn’t going to be having a job, they’re going to be going on EI. I would encourage all employees of the GNWT, when they know that they’re coming up to their end date, to talk to their benefits officer so that we can get these dealt...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A record of employment is required after many situations. If an employee has interrupted earnings of over seven days, they are required to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee’s salary falls below 60 percent of their weekly earnings, they are supposed to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee declares bankruptcy, a record of employment is required, and there are a lot of other reasons why a record of employment is required.

The requirement is that a record of employment is provided within five calendar days of the last day of the...

Thank you. Certainly an intriguing idea and if it’s something committee wants us to look at I’m certainly willing to.

Having said that, the Regional Recruitment Program that we’re talking about here is actually a program designed to help people from the communities and the regions obtain employment with the GNWT and it will be a valuable tool as we devolve positions throughout the Northwest Territories because it will help those individuals who feel or may not qualify for jobs. They’ve developed the on-the-job training and skills they need to get jobs, but with respect to Mrs. Groenewegen’s...