Jay Macdonald

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the network originally was designed primarily around forest fire detection and formulated around that. Over the last number of years, it has expanded to include other departments. There's some detection units with infrastructure that monitors highway conditions. There's some with ITI. And as I said, it's more of an overall climate focus. So we've actually developed an algorithm that is used to pick the best location for the next site to enhance the coverage across the whole Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, obviously, that is not information that I would have with me here today but I'm certainly willing to -- I will commit to go back to the department and see what we keep in statistics, in data, around those specific items that the Member has raised and be happy to get back to the Member with a response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my left, I have deputy minister Robert Jenkins. And to my right, I have Jessica St. Arnaud, director of finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our staff from environment and climate change and the lands division have been visiting sites throughout the city over the last number of months, and also have responded to some requests from citizens and some of those that came through other Members of this House, you know, on garbage and different things like that that have been out and around the city and some of these areas and have engaged with local NGOs to do some work in cleaning different areas as well as our staff have also gone out and participated in some of that activity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Assistant deputy minister, attorney general, Brad Patzer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, we currently -- G-division and the commander currently has an Indigenous advisory committee that he meets with twice annually and part of that meeting and consultation process is to receive advice from those Indigenous leaders and participants from across the territory which are recommended and appointed by regional Indigenous governments and organizations across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm here today to present Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act, for consideration by Committee of the Whole.

The Protection Against Family Violence Act provides emergency and long-term protection for victims of family violence. Bill 27 proposes to broaden those who can apply for an order under the Act if they have experience or are in danger of experiencing family violence and in the situations in which someone can apply for an order by recognizing various forms of stalking as constituting family violence.

The bill also proposes to allow that...

Mr. Speaker, so the encampments within the boundaries of the city are also partially a responsibility of the city, and there are certain bylaws that happen within the city that are relevant to the city that would need to also be adhered to. Environment and Climate Change officers look specifically to the areas in which are under our purview. And certainly these periodic inspections are just that, they're periodic, and it's not the intent of the department to be doing daily inspections to a point where it's harassment type of activity. So, you know, we engage when required and try and ensure...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I appreciate the position of the Member, and I think it's a really good point to raise. Many of the recommendations, you know, the work that's done on a lot of these are ongoing over long periods of time and have other contributing factors that sort of, you know, impact our ability to sometimes complete within the window of the audit, so within that five-year window, and they may be continually ongoing through time. Certainly, I see a lot of value in, you know, as you say what we have total control over as the GNWT, you know, in providing a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the direct inspections and addressing of these things are done by the officers on the ground who have a mandate to do such work. As Minister of Justice, it's not my mandate. I certainly do have regular conversations with the folks at justice, you know, to ensure that we are considering these, but, once again, those things fall directly under the specific agency or department that have the mandate to enforce that, and I do not directly involve myself with the enforcement part of that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.