Louis Sebert

Mr. Speaker, having a clear, consistent, and predictable approach to how the Government of the Northwest Territories manages the land it is responsible for is important to all land users and stakeholders in the territory. It is also important that the people we serve understand how land in the NWT is administered and that we continually evaluate opportunities and issues associated with various types of land tenure.

Mr. Speaker, to help address one of these issues, that of equity leases, the Department of Lands revised the Land Pricing Policy, which had not seen substantial amendments since it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Members. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to this motion this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I would be the first to admit that I could do a better job as Minister. As a new Minister and a new MLA like many of us, with no previous experience in this government, I have faced a steep learning curve, and there is still plenty of room for further learning and improvement.

I also want to make it clear that I have no interest in evading responsibility for my actions and my performance as a Minister. Democracy and accountability are inseparable, Mr. Speaker. I...

No, I wasn't contemplating meeting personally with the inmates, although I have met with many of them before in my previous life. I think what's important is that the inmates and the Members of this House know that we are treating this matter very, very seriously. I have directed the department to respond to each of these letters without delay, and, in fact, the warden has already started to have direct conversations with the inmates who have raised the concerns set out in their letters.

There may not be a dedicated ERT team out at NSCC. There may be ERT-specific teams in larger institutions. I am not certain. I do know, however, that all correctional staff are given training on how to cool down difficult situations so that they can be safe as can be the inmates at the institutions.

Mr. Speaker, I can advise that since 2016 the SAM, the Substance Abuse Management program, has been delivered in the various correctional facilities. Six deliveries of the SAM program have been delivered at the North Slave Correctional Complex and a seventh delivery was scheduled to begin in September 2017. There is also a similar program or identical program being offered at South Mackenzie, and two full deliveries have been completed in Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that does seem like a very heavy caseload. What I can do is undertake to look into this matter. I have not been aware that there are any problems. It is possible that one person could provide all these functions, but I acknowledge that would certainly be an exceptional person. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I understand it, corrections officers are providing this service, and they have gone through the necessary training.

I understand that there are several different devices that might meet the standards. Public Safety Canada did announce in early September that they would be providing funding up to $161 million over five years for training front-line officers. It appears that there are several different devices that might or may be used, and the federal government clearly is prepared to foot the bill for pretty extensive training.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Further research on this issue has revealed that the department continues to offer the GED to any NWT resident who wishes to take the program, wishes to study and take the examination. It is a set of standardized tests that, when passed, provides certification that the test taker has Canadian-level academic skills at the grade 9 to 10 level. It continues to be an academic option that is available to inmates at NSCC. Thank you.

We are at the steering committee stage, but I have directed that this study, this examination of the program, must be a priority for the department. Certainly, we were all impressed, very much impressed, by both the staff and the high motivation of the residents in the institution. If it leads, as it seems to do, to lessening recidivism, we should look at it very seriously. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.