Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 4, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2011, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill corrects inconsistencies and errors in the statutes of the Northwest Territories. The bill deals with other matters of a minor, non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the statutes, and repeals provisions that have ceased to have effect. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we can list a variety of areas where there are additional costs. There are not only phones; there are cell phones, TVs and others that are not really a necessity. I am glad the Member agrees that income security is an overall necessity that we provide services to.

Mr. Speaker, we have those clientele that have clientele service officers working closely with them. We know who the clientele are and we contact them through the clientele service officers and if there are issues or questions and concerns that are brought to their attention, there is a discussion. Communication is...

Again, we provide services and funding through shelter, food and clothing. Those are required necessities. So we continue to enhance those programs specifically to those areas. With the surplus that individuals may have, they can purchase phone services if they wish to do so. Mr. Speaker, we provide the basic necessities. That’s the very reason why we have income security, to provide those services in the Northwest Territories, the 33 communities that we service, to provide those basic necessities and we’ll continue to do that. Mahsi.

This is an area of concern if the number is correct. We have to work with those inmates. Those corrections officers, again, they work closely with the inmates. We have to keep in mind the health hazard they may impose on those inmates, not only inmates but other staff members that do not smoke. Mr. Speaker, that’s the very reason why we don’t allow smoking on the premises due to health hazards. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we have to look at all areas of the planning process. We are talking about 16 students in the community of Trout Lake; we have the capacity in the facility for 33 students. Those are the discussions that we need to have with the superintendents, the DECs. Mr. Speaker, capital planning will be up and coming before us and those are the discussions that we will definitely have. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Every year we go through this capital planning process and this year, again, we will be planning for next year’s capital project. Those types of discussion will be considered in due time. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 4, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2011, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we do deliver programs where we have contractors coming into corrections. We have elders dealing with those inmates working closely with the counsellors as well. We are trying to reach the people, the inmates within our correction facility to try to reach their root cause of why they are there and deal with those issues at hand. Once they leave the facility, they have the option of attending addiction treatment centre as well, Mr. Speaker, but we do within the corrections, we deliver, again, a vast area of treatment training program workshops that will continue to deliver and...

Mr. Speaker, we do have a treatment centre in Hay River. I think we need to continue what we have within our corrections. We, as the Member indicated, have 90 percent population whether it be Aboriginal from the communities. Those are the individuals that we can work with. Rehabilitation back to the community, reintegration back into the community, that we have somewhat control over within the establishment to deliver those specific programs that can help those inmates so they can go back to their community and start a life all over again. Those are the main focus and our priority as the...

My department can definitely meet with the Coalition Against Family Violence, the group, and report back on what’s happening, how they can be involved. We have various partners involved as well. It’s not only the Coalition Against Family Violence, the groups are out there. There are other NGOs that we need to work with, like, again, the 33 communities that we need to reach out to those victims and also the communities.