R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we haven't even rolled out the first set of significant changes yet, and the Member's already asking for another set. So I can't commit to doing that. What I will say, as the Member has noted, you know, the SFA program was undersubscribed and so we looked at what new money we can find, what money is available internally, and what we could do with those funds. And so what we did is create a program that we could afford in that envelope. I do recognize what the Member is saying. There are still barriers that exist for some people to, you know, advance their education...

Mr. Speaker, with funding from the federal government, the Department of Justice is enhancing access to free legal advice and legal representation for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence through the establishment of the Independent Legal Advice and Representation Program.

In 2019, the Government of the Northwest Territories commissioned the Aurora Research Institute to conduct an evidencebased study to use as a guide to better support survivors of intimate partner, genderbased violence, and sexual assault in the NWT. Concurrently, researchers contracted by the YWCA NWT...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member said, yesterday this government announced the first ever Evacuee Financial Support Program, and so I think that's a big step forward. I get that the Member wants to build on that momentum and ask what's next. So I can say that in the Employment Standards Act, there are emergency leave provisions but that's emergency leave without pay, and so I think the Member is looking for something beyond that. But as of right now, there is no other emergency relief program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I will say I'm not the lead on this file but of course it takes a wholeofgovernment approach. So GNWT departments are working together to implement actions in goal 3 of the climate change action plan, which is focused on building resilience and adapting to a changing climate.

In preparation for the next climate change action plan, the GNWT is leading a territorial risk and opportunities assessment to help focus actions to address key risks like flooding. The GNWT is working to ensure the national adaptation strategy and its implementation provides resources to better...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a pretty wideranging review of the Employment Standards Act so I wouldn't say that anything is out of scope. The questions that have been put to residents and businesses haven't specifically spoken to paid emergency leave. But residents are free to give their opinion on anything related to the Employment Standards Act. The online engagement survey is available until, I believe, June 18th, so there's a few more weeks, and so we'd love to hear feedback on this very timely issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to make a recognition as the MLA for Hay River North. In the gallery today, I have a couple residents from Hay River. First of all, of course my mother Bette Lyons, I'm always happy to have her in the gallery. And as well, longtime resident Mr. Edwin Morin is joining us today, too. So I just want to welcome them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, absolutely we can, and we will report that publicly in the "what we heard" report that we develop based on this engagement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So corporate registries is responsible for extraterritorial registration, so companies from outside of the territory who want to do work in the territory, as well as corporations in the territory. So that information, like I said, it can be publicly found. The directors, you know, the location of the office, so things like that are publicly available. If a municipality, an Indigenous government, is having difficulties, the Department of Justice is more than happy to help. If the Member has a specific issue that she would like to raise, she can send me an email, with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does have funding. The community government applies to applies for that funding to initiate or support a search of an area that is available. And it's my understanding that has happened and those funds have flowed to the town of Fort Smith to help support those efforts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, of course, as everyone knows I can't direct the RCMP. But I certainly can relay what is being said in the House, and I will say that I did speak to the commanding officer about this prior to today actually, and I know that, you know, he is concerned, the RCMP are concerned. I feel for the mother. This is unimaginable. This is every parent's nightmare. And so I think that if I was in the same position, I would also feel that people weren't doing enough. I can't imagine, Mr. Speaker; so my heart goes out. And I appreciate the Member's statement as well, her call for...