Louis Sebert

Yes, thank you. The Member has brought this matter to my attention, and I do have a copy of the report from 2014 on my desk.

The department is currently preparing the scope for a program review of Victim Services. The intent is to have a contractor in place early in 2019-2020 and a final report later in the year. This is important. This is an important area, and this report will be a key document to guide us in any future decisions regarding the program and how it is delivered in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

My understanding, Mr. Chair, is that that was the RCMP's commitment, and I certainly will keep committee and Members apprised as to progress, but, again, it's the commitment of the RCMP. There may be operational reasons why they could not get that done sooner rather than later. Clearly, it's an important issue, and most members have completed the course, most regular members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not certain whether there is any limitation on the number of pilots you can have, but the program, in our view, has been successful. I cannot commit to this, but I think it's time that we take a very careful look at this. It has been a success, and perhaps it's time to move ahead to a program that is not a pilot. In fact, that's the goal of the work that we're doing at this time, or the department is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Of course, that is the objective, as I mentioned previously, to have all regular members complete this course. I don't have a date, but hopefully, as I say, all will be able to complete the course. I will check on that to see and inform committee, should they wish, as to progress. As I say, 139 members, I'm told, or 71.2 percent have completed the course. Clearly there is another 28.8 who need to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't want to change my response because there is a different questioner, but my understanding is that it ends on March 31, 2020. We're sure of that, and we are confident that it started three years ago. It's a three-year program, I'm told. Heads are nodding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes. As I have mentioned numerous times, this is an important issue, and we do continue to work with our partners in the RCMP. Clearly the RCMP internally have made what I would suggest are significant advances arising out of the report that I referenced earlier called "The Way Forward: The RCMP's sexual assault review and victim support action plan." Now, we are working with the RCMP with respect to third-party reporting. That is an important issue, so progress has been made. Further progress is clearly needed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that nothing has been finalized to this point, but that the discussions have been encouraging. Thank you.

Thank you. I don't know if I have anything really new than the information that I provided in the House last week. We are, of course, aware about how important this issue is, and we are continuing to work with the RCMP with respect to this matter. Of course, this arose out of a report in 2017 in the Globe and Mail and led to questions about this whole issue, not only in this House, but across Canada, and the police have made efforts. In December 2017 the police released the results of their national review in a document called "The Way Forward," and this included actions to make the police...

I understand the question or the comment very well because, as I stated before, there is not much point having a program if it is not successful. We will look into it. I don't think there would be privacy issues involved in this, but I will look into it. Thank you.

Yes, thank you. The Family Information Liaison Units, or FILUs, help missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls' families find information about what has happened to their loved ones. About 50 family members, I'm told, have asked NWT FILU staff for help with their research. Cases span the years, according to this note, from the 1953 to 2018 time frame, and every provincial and territorial government has received federal funding to establish a Family Information Liaison Unit. I see that the federal government provided $285,000 in 2017-2018 and $351,000 in 2018-2019 to support the GNWT's...