Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2020-2021." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At this point, between now and April, we will be waiting on the review to determine whether or not there needs to be an expansion. In the meantime, Victim Services workers do provide assistance by phone, though certainly I have no illusions; that is not the same as being in person. Again, Mr. Speaker, I will be waiting on that review to determine whether or not some further action needs to be taken to expand or how else we might better support victims of crime across the territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The evaluation is currently underway. It is not complete yet. Right now, I am anticipating it will be received by the end of April to myself, and I will then endeavour to have it to the Members of this House as quickly as possible thereafter. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2019-2020, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote, please. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2019-2020, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am alive to the fact that, in fact, there has been some increase to the budget of the Victim Services provision here in the Northwest Territories. In the most recently tabled main estimates, there has been an increase of $240,000 to Victim Services. That is the first increase to victim-services based funding in many, many years and will help better support the provision of those services. One other note is that we are also improving the supports that we give to our Victim Services workers, that there is a small pool of funding provided through federal funding. That helps provide enhanced...

I apologize to the Member. I had missed that part. The review is being done by FWCO Management Consultants. Now, with respect, Mr. Speaker, to the work being done by Victim Services providers in the communities, I have had the opportunity of working directly, prior to being in this role, with some of the individuals who provide Victim Services. They do tremendous work. They do often go above and beyond.

As for cleaning up crime scenes, that is the very first time I have ever heard that, and I would certainly hope I can speak to the Member further if that is, in fact, the case. That said, with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The laws in the Northwest Territories aren't one above another. They are meant to work as a whole. They are meant to work as a unit. They are meant to be read together, Mr. Speaker, and they are meant to work together, which is not to say that they don't necessarily sometimes come into conflict one with another and that we are asked to interpret them in order to then back away to read them in concert one with another. Laws about jurisdiction, any jurisdiction in Canada, are meant to be interpreted in a way that they are consistent one with another. Rules of statutory...

Madam Speaker, the Northwest Territories is a land of opportunity. We have a vast geography, a wealth of resources, and a population strengthened by incredible diversity.

The 19th Legislative Assembly wants to see the Northwest Territories make the best possible use of all of our opportunities and resources, including the strength of our people, to achieve the 22 priorities that were set by all 19 members of this Assembly. These priorities stretch across all of our communities and are our shared vision for economic growth, environmental stewardship, and a healthy and better educated population...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Any initiatives at this point that would be coming through from ITI would either have to be internally funded or would have to come through a supplementary appropriation.