Louis Sebert

Certainly, I would be very happy to work with the Minister of Health and Social Services with respect to this issue, and I understand from some information provided to me by him that his department fully realizes this is an important issue. I note that, in 2018-2019, to enhance services for autism and FASD, they invested $848,000, or we as a government did, so both in Corrections and in Health and Social Services we do realize this is an important issue.

When I first thought about the decision, I perhaps wasn't as aware as the Member opposite of the ramifications that it may have. I thought of it mostly in relation to the oil and gas industry, but it may have ramifications beyond that, possibly, although it is an oil and gas case. I'm not certain of the ambit or the effect of the case, and I'll have to look into that. That's why we're analyzing the case at this time. If it does point to the necessity of legislative change, we would certainly have to seriously consider that, as it is a Supreme Court of Canada case. Thank you.

Frankly, I don't know whether our definitions would include trustee or whether there has been any case law that might assist. However, it is an important issue, and I will get back to the Member opposite on this important issue. I understand what he is asking, I think.

Yes, certainly that might make a major change in the law if they were included in the definition of operator. I think that is the question. I don't know whether the Member opposite is suggesting that the trustee would be personally liable for environmental obligations. All I can say is that I, myself, will read the case and...

I am not certain about the question, whether the question had to do with financial resources that were going to be provided. I will again talk to the parties, involve the RCMP and, of course, the Department of Justice, and get as much information as I can as to timelines, certainly. As to financial commitments, I will have to look into that. Thank you.

I do know, obviously, that there are many partners in this important work. I am not certain as to when the last meetings took place or what level of engagement has been made, but I will look into that and get back to the Member opposite.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a hypothetical question, of course. I am sure they wouldn't be sitting around, twiddling their thumbs. I think they would be working very hard because there are a lot of clients out there who really do need the assistance of lawyers, legal aid or otherwise. The amount of work, I don't think, is likely to decrease. In fact, it is likely to increase. I think if we added more lawyers or clinics, it would be sufficiently busy to justify their salaries. Thank you.

In the last number of years, the outreach lawyer has been to most of the communities, and I can advise as follows to the upcoming plans. There are community visits planned to Deline, March 4th; Tulita, March 5th; Fort Good Hope, March 6th; and Norman Wells, March 7th and 8th, with monthly community visits to Ndilo, Detah, and Behchoko to continue. The outreach clinic is proposing visits to Fort Smith, August 5th to 8th; the Inuvik region, August 27th to 13th; Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk by road; Aklavik by air; and potentially, Fort Simpson and Fort Liard. There has been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member opposite is quite correct. The outreach program has been a success. They have been visiting many of the communities, and a proposed policy for the outreach clinic has been drafted and will be going to the Legal Aid Commission in the coming months.

I can advise, however, that we are looking at the amount of use that the outreach clinic has, knowing that it needs to fill that gap between the legal aid programs that we have that provide assistance to those in criminal court and family matters and the private bar. We realize that there is a gap that does need to...

As I have mentioned, a prerequisite to the transfers which have been spoken of by the Member opposite was the community plan. That was required before we moved to this next step. We are now moving to that next step, and there will be a staged approach so that the land that we are planning to turn over will be turned over to the Hamlet of Enterprise.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been meetings, of course, between Lands staff, and I know at least one of our senior people has been over there many times to meet with the community. They have been attempting to arrange some other meetings, and I understand that it has been somewhat difficult to arrange a firm date, but hopefully dates can be arranged in the future.

The Member will know that one of the prerequisites to turning over the land was the community plan that was worked on and has now been approved by MACA, so hopefully we're going to be moving ahead in a staged process to...