Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, like other departments across the GNWT, the Department of Justice saw its operations, administration programs, and service delivery impacted by COVID-19. Some functions or activities were delayed as more urgent tasks took over and staff were redeployed. Yet, as we begin to take stock of the last few months, there are challenges and opportunities that have appeared. I want to speak today on the response and emerging opportunities within Court Services and Corrections.

Our correctional facilities have implemented numerous measures, including modifying intake assessment procedures and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. By way of some example, the Business Licence Act required business licences to be renewed by March 31st. So that deadline has, indeed, passed. Similarly, collection agency licences expired on March 31st, so that deadline has passed; and there are a number of government agencies that were required to file reports, often, also by March 31st, and some of those deadlines have passed. I'm not sure to what extent the Members may want me to run through a complete list, or if that gives a good sample. I'm happy to go through a few more examples, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, there are no plans for a new courthouse. The cost of a new courthouse would still far and exceed the ability right now to undertake that kind of a project. I can say I believe the lease is 2026. I will correct myself later if I am wrong about that. At this point, it does have a lot of money invested in it, so hopefully, it is more than up to the task over the next short-term coming future. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I understand it, this is an opportunity that might well provide the opportunity for there to be development of that industry by developing the regulations themselves. This is the opportunity to, as a starting point, create those regulations, create the policies and the processes associated, and then once those are in place, have available a training program so that there could potentially be, then, an industry that would support more locally produced, harvested foods. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, the terms of reference will be shared with committee, and perhaps that will be an opportunity at that time for the Member to address the more detailed questions to the department when they are before committee at that stage. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. "Throwing money at," that's totally the wrong term, but putting money in towards communities isn't just a matter of putting it into a bank account. Those communities are using that money to provide services: water and sewer services, for instance; waste services, for instance; other infrastructure. There's no doubt that needs always continue to grow, but every time that there's an investment made in the communities, it supports the fact that there's a gap in terms of the program services and infrastructure available in those communities. I suspect, Madam Chair, that it...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of the negotiation processes that went on were with the Indigenous governments along the highway. For instance, an MOU was signed between SSI chairperson and the Minister of Infrastructure back on April 10, 2019, so that was a fairly significant step that took some time to get to. With that underway, now those organizations need to undertake the work there contained therein. With that, at this point, that then allowed them to move forward and take the next steps required to continue the environmental assessment process. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That involves workforce planning, so this is initiatives that are recruitment- and retention-related. There are quite a number of projects in terms of, for example, Aurora College is involved in proposing to deliver personal support worker and practical nurse programs. There is risk messaging there, modification of that, and provision of that program. As well, Madam Chair, there would be additional staff training, in terms of being able to staff the new long-term care facilities that are being delivered across various communities in the Northwest Territories, and again...

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I don't think that those steps necessarily have been taken yet, but I'm fairly confident that the Minister of ENR will want to work with getting those forward and keeping committee informed as the steps progress. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, I'll pass that onto the Minister of Justice. Thank you.