Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, the universal skills required to lead people, champion innovation and manage change are becoming even more important, given the GNWT’s complex and ever-changing work context. These skills combine with our staff’s technical skills and knowledge to make them strong, capable leaders. I am pleased to announce that our new Senior Management Competency Model will guide the development of management expertise within the public service as we work to achieve the 17th Assembly’s vision and goals.

The Senior Management Competency Model provides a description of the patterns of behaviours that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, corrections has psychologists at the North Slave Correctional Centre as well as the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre who provide mental health services to our inmates. The North Slave Correctional Centre psychologist is currently on maternity leave and is being covered by a contracted psychologist. We don’t have any psychiatrists within our facilities, but psychiatrists are available at Stanton Regional Hospital and corrections has links to those services through referrals, just like any other NWT resident.

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP are professionals. They have professionals who took care and control of the scene. As I have indicated, they are doing an investigation and the aspects of that investigation that can be shared will be shared. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP is investigating the accident and will determine a cause. If necessary, charges may or may not be laid. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

RCMP are familiar with their role under the Mental Health Act. It’s actually part of their training. On specifics, the types of training that they go through and how we ensure that they have that, I’ll get more information for the Member and committee on that. I did fail to indicate one psychologist position that we have at the North Slave Young Offenders Facility. We have a staff counsellor position or individual there who is in the process of obtaining her licence as a psychologist, under supervision of a licenced psychiatrist at Stanton. So we’re working on one more.

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, the RCMP is doing a thorough investigation into this incident. Once they have completed that investigation, after they have gathered all of the evidence and they’ve done all the analysis that needs to be done, what can be shared will be shared. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP will conduct their investigation and what can be made public will be made public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We do know that a significant portion of the inmates within our facilities are suffering from either addictions or mental health issues. As we’ve talked about already, the camps are an opportunity to help people deal with some of their personal issues and, obviously, in the long-term, reintegrate back into society.

Within our facilities here in the Northwest Territories, we do have specific programming, traditional programming, as well as some alcohol and drug programs in the facilities to help those individuals when they’re ready to start dealing with some of those challenges so that we can...

I don’t have the exact numbers for housing inmates in our facilities, but the number the Member quoted sounds right. I will confirm that actual number for the cost over a year.

As far as the exact numbers for inmates who are taking advantage of this -- and we must remember that inmates aren’t required to go to wilderness camps, they have to express desire and an interest to go to the wilderness camps -- but I will confirm to the Member what the costs are per day, but also the whole program costs as well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize three people in the gallery. First, my father, Dick Abernethy; my mother, Loretta Abernethy; and my wife, Carolyn Smith, who is awesome by the way.