Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, it has always been part of the plan. When recommendations come up, whether it be these 18 recommendations focusing on improving offender supervision and rehabilitation, I can go make some changes to our programming. Then we need to inform the Members and work with the Members on identifying certain areas where they have concerns or issues. We need to hear from the Members, as well, or ideas being generated by the Members. That can be integrated into our changes or amendments that we are going to be making to our programming. By all means, we will be working with the Social...

Mr. Chairman, this particular area that the Member is addressing we are fully aware of it. We are planning for, as the Member alluded to, as we move forward, we want to identify what is required at the community level, especially those smaller communities that we represent. This is part of the plan. We have identified a lawyer for this new initiative. The following year we want to highlight what is required and push within our department part of the business planning process. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Language is about identity, who we are and how we understand and interact with each other. Promoting Aboriginal languages encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles and family and cultural values.

In 1993, the Assembly of First Nations declared the Month of March Aboriginal Languages Month. Since then, the Northwest Territories honours Aboriginal languages and cultures in March. This year, Mr. Speaker, we not only celebrate Aboriginal languages through initiatives in place for 2011 but also recognize the achievements of 2010.

Mr. Speaker, 2010 was a very active year for...

I’m not sure what else to add but it’s a government-wide initiative and it’s a unit that deals with Aboriginal organizations on projects and initiatives that will affect various spectrums of issues that may be brought forward. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This is, again, across the board consulting with various departments. It’s a GNWT consultation unit so this is before us and we need to work with this initiative. We feel that it’s a valuable tool that we need to move forward with, so that’s where we’ve engaged the GNWT departments’ engagement in this area. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. This is a new unit. My understanding is it should be up and running around September, this fall.

Mr. Chairman, there is Wrigley and also, of course, Gameti. They are still priorities for GNWT and the Justice department. We have invested resources to make that happen. Now we are just waiting for the federal government to do their part as infrastructure.

I can assure the Member and also the Members, that at every provincial/territorial/federal Ministers meeting this has been addressed at every table, Wrigley and Gameti. They are fully aware of it. Our understanding is that federal infrastructure is still part of the plan, but it has been backdated from what we have heard. We are looking at...

The funding that we provide, the $105,000 to YWCA, to my understanding there hasn’t been a request for an increase, but we can definitely look at this area. If there’s forced growth within the organization, then that’s an area we can look at as the Member is referring to. I can commit to looking at this area and how we can move forward. What we have now is the $105,000 that’s before us with the budget time frame. We’re moving ahead with this but I can commit to the Members that this is an area that we need to look at as we move forward.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I have with me to my left Bronwyn Watters, deputy minister of Justice. To my right is Kim Schofield, director of finance for the Justice department.

As far as I know, and we need to get confirmation, this number has been the same for quite some time now. But we will confirm the length of time it’s been like that. We’ll get back to Members on that.