Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also join my colleagues today in talking about elder abuse. I’m sorry to say that elder abuse does go on in our country and does exist in the Northwest Territories.

Elders are the maturity and wisdom of our nation and it’s appalling for me to hear some of the stories of abuse that go on behind closed doors. We hear of stories of physical and emotional abuse and these things truly upset us. I was going to tell the same story that was just cited so recently in the news that Mr. Ramsay has cited. I’m not going to speak to that.

I’d like to look for tangible and practical...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 133-16(5), Main Estimates, 2011-12, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 133-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the forum of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We would like to continue considering the NWT Main Estimates, 2011-2012. We would like to start off with the Department of Health and Social Services and then go to Justice and the Legislative Assembly; following that, the supplementary appropriations. That would be TD 156 and 157.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister is this something that would have to be changed in legislation or is this something that might have already been contemplated in legislation in some form and it could be done by a regulation, which would be much less onerous. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I was talking about alcohol ignition interlock devices. The Motor Vehicles Act was amended in 2003. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation is there any provision in legislation or regulation for a judge to order that a person can have their driver’s licence reinstated once an alcohol ignition interlock device is installed in their vehicle. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 157-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 157-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I believe it’s the wish of the committee to continue with the supplementary appropriations. Carry on.

I’d like to carry on with the Department of Justice, please.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is this something that the Minister would consider pursuing? Thank you.

As I said in my Member’s statement, I don’t condone people drinking and driving, but these devices must have some merit, because it seems like it is possible for those to be ordered in other jurisdictions. Was it ever the intention of the Department of Transportation to create a regulation in concert with the Motor Vehicles Act that would have seen such a device as an alternate to a person’s licence being completely suspended? Thank you.