Glen Abernethy

With respect to the dog team, like I indicated in my last response, the RCMP is going to do an analysis to figure out whether there is value to bring more dog teams into the Northwest Territories. If they do, they will submit their proposal to the GNWT and that will be shared with everybody.

With respect to additional RCMP, we are negotiating a contract now. Once the contract is negotiated, we can start talking to the RCMP about how many more we can bring in. If we can bring in any, we have to do a cost-benefit analysis on that.

But there are things that we are doing here in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent and employee of the Status of Women Council, Samantha Dechief.

I commit that in the research that the working group does that they will include those types of discussions and they will certainly include all of the research and analysis that my colleague Mr. Bromley had prepared as part of the motion in the 16th Assembly. We are looking to collect as much information as we can and to include all of that. I commit that that information will certainly be included.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the 16th Legislative Assembly I believe my colleague Mr. Bromley put forward a motion that was seconded by the Member from Frame Lake, which asked us to begin research and examine options for potential benefits of the introduction of a mental health court. Since we’ve come back as the 17th Assembly, I’ve had conversations with my colleague Mr. Bromley, but also my colleague Mr. Beaulieu about this particular opportunity.

The Minister of Health has indicated that they wish to be moving forward with more prevention and treatment options within the Department of Health...

I believe there are already plans in the works to put a new facility in Fort Smith. As far as a male facility, there are no plans at this time and we would be open to discussion. But North Slave Correctional Facility was designed to have a pod added on to it, so it may prove to be the most cost-effective place to add on to male facilities in the Northwest Territories.

We can do those things. We have to work with the communities, as the Member indicated. The communities have to take some initiative to help report these things when they are happening so we can get members in.

Last summer the RCMP also conducted enhanced patrols of lakes and the Mackenzie River, and extended highway patrols took place from July 23rd to August 5th involving several communities and partners in the “M” Division with the Yukon. We are working with our territorial partners. The objective of the patrol was to enhance public safety and police presence through high visibility and check...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for that question. Currently the “G” Division has two fully operational drug services in the Northwest Territories. One is located here in Yellowknife; the other one is in Hay River. These teams support the division, all the detachments throughout the Northwest Territories. The dogs and their handlers also visit communities throughout the Northwest Territories, both for showcasing what they do but also to conduct investigations. This is part of our promotional anti, sort of, prevention mechanism as well.

Recently the teams attended some community...

Mr. Speaker, for many years, we had a problem filling entry-level vacancies for corrections officers with northern people who had the basic skills that would qualify them to be hired.

In 2009 the corrections service looked at the problem and developed a six-week training program to ensure we have a representative northern workforce in our corrections facilities. The end result is the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program.

I am pleased to report that this program has been a success. On November 25th we added 12 more graduates to join the 52 who have gone before and are now trained to work...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that information at hand, but I’m happy to pull it together and provide it to the Member. Thank you.

As I indicated earlier, community safety and enforcement is a priority. It’s something that we’re certainly interested in. I, as the Minister of Justice, will absolutely be working with my colleagues to see if we can come up with some alternative solutions to these problems so that the people in the communities can feel a sense of security and whatnot. I look forward, once again, to meeting with the Member in the Sahtu.