Jackson Lafferty

Yes, I would, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Those are streamlined in front of the rental officer.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. To my left is Karan Shaner, assistant deputy minister of Justice. To my right is Mark Aitken, part of the legislative counsel.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to be here today to speak about Bill 22, An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act. This bill will amend the Territorial Court Act to increase the monetary limit in civil cases from $10,000 to $35,000.

The Territorial Court provides an effective process for civil claims but the limit of $10,000 means that many lower-level civil claims must be heard in Supreme Court, which is much more complicated. Increasing the monetary limits will permit residents to bring forward claims in an affordable practical way and improve access to justice.

I would be pleased to...

Definitely, that’s one of the priorities that we have with the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. That’s a first priority as early childhood development and also child care development. Definitely, this is an area that has been the prime focus in the childhood discussion among the forums in the Northwest Territories among the regions. We’ll keep the Members posted as we move forward. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I can definitely find out the actual detail of who they’ve talked with across the Northwest Territories. My understanding is that they’ve initiated discussion with educators in the Northwest Territories and those communities with or without the daycare or the preschool, because we needed to hear their perspective as well. But I can provide more detailed information to the Members. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my leadership: Tlicho Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus is here with us; also Chief Alphonse Nitsiza of Whati; Chief Charlie Football of Wekweeti; and also an elder from Gameti, Louie Zoe is here with us. Also staff members along with the leadership: John B. Zoe, Bertha Rabesca-Zoe and Henry Zoe.

Also, I’d like to recognize another lady that came from outside the territory: Bonnie George. She’s a...(inaudible)...chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation of British Columbia. She’s visiting Yellowknife as part of a practicum towards her master’s...

Mr. Speaker, the tough on crime has been in the works, again, for some time now, and we are doing an overall assessment of the Northwest Territories, the corrections, the program delivery, and we can provide that information to the Members for their review as well.

This is an area of interest for us. Whatever happens at the federal/provincial/territorial jurisdictions, it does have implications in our jurisdiction, as well, when it comes to tough on crime and more program delivery for those inmates and the minimum jail time, whether they serve it in the Northwest Territories or outside the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This federal legislation, tough on crime, has been in the works for quite some time now. First it was the Youth Criminal Justice Act and then this tough on crime. One of our main goals and objectives as we come to the table at the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers meeting is to push for more programming into the regions and into the communities. More specifically, for the three territorial jurisdictions, because we’re quite unique compared to other provincial jurisdictions, and they’re fully aware of that too. We’ve been pushing with the federal, especially with the...

Clearly, we are not giving up on the students. We are supporting all students of the Northwest Territories. We represent 33 communities. Through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, the tabling of the document in this House, clearly highlights the strategy that’s in place to identify those students who are struggling, those students from isolated communities, and those students who may be challenged. Those are the people that we need to continue to work with. It’s a new document. It’s going to strengthen the communities, it’s going to strengthen the education system of the Northwest...