R.J. Simpson

Mr. Speaker, February is Indigenous Languages Month in the Northwest. Territories. [Translation unavailable].

This month let us celebrate the territory’s nine Indigenous languages and learn about the important role language revitalization plays in advancing reconciliation in a real and meaningful way.

Mr. Speaker, for generations Indigenous people have lived under systems designed to erode their cultures, strip their identities, and erase their languages. Here in the NWT and across Canada, we have seen a profound loss of language among Indigenous residents and communities. I am one of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And those are the same questions that I am asking. Sometimes drug houses might be fortified and so perhaps there is a way through existing legislation to enter those premises. The Residential Tenancies Act does have provisions which allows for evictions to occur when residents are carrying on illegal activities but that's initiated by the landlord, not by the RCMP. So there are some options available but not what the Member is looking for, but we are exploring those. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the RCMP has seized money or other property under the Criminal Code or Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or other applicable federal legislation, there's a number of options available to the court with respect to that seized property. If there's been a conviction for any offences for which the accused has been charged, the Crown may make an application to have the court consider whether or not the seized property is related to the offence for which the conviction arose. If the court finds that the seized property is related to the offence, the court may order the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is the regular work of the department. There's ongoing conversations, sometimes specific to this, this exact issue, sometimes peripheral to it that will inform the issue, so this is just what happens on a regular basis. And I will also say that school boards do have a surplus that they're allowed to maintain. It can't be greater than 7 percent but that is only to ensure that money is actually being spent on students. But school boards do have surpluses for instances where they are finding themselves short on funds. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So attendance for the month of September is taken based on 60 percent of the sessional days in that month. Excused absences are included as an attending student. So if there's a legitimate reason why a student is not there, those are included as the student being in attendance.

There is always tweaks to the funding framework that happen, basically, yearly. An ongoing discussion that we have with the education bodies, and I'm happy to have that conversation about this particular item as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have my ear to the ground and my nose to the grindstone. I was not familiar with the name of the apartment building. I am familiar with the situation that the Member is speaking about. As I stated, any work on this is going to have to happen after we complete the initiatives that are currently underway. So either later in this government or early in the next government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, all of the resources of the department are tied up right now, and so there won't be any work on this. But it will inform the work that will be done in the next government. In 2014, prior to those 2015 amendments I mentioned, there was a significant amount of work done looking into capping rent; however, it was ultimately decided not to proceed down that road.

We really do need to take a look at the housing market in the territory and ensure that whatever we do does not hinder any future development because although a rent cap would, I'm sure, help a number of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point in the Assembly, all of the department's resources are committed to other projects. So I can't commit the department to do that work right now. However, as we wrap up the work that is ongoing in this government and move closer to the beginning of the next government, there should be an opportunity for the department to begin putting their mind towards this and start looking into these pieces of legislation.

I know that the civil forfeiture legislation, I believe it's in eight provinces and in Nunavut, it's been tried in Yukon, and it is somewhat of a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the Member's correct, my last answer was complicated. That's why I read it verbatim so I wouldn't get it wrong. But basically if there is a conviction, then property can be seized. If there is not a conviction, it's a different story altogether.

So I don't have the numbers that the Member is asking. As part of the efforts of the Department of Justice to start turning its mind towards this area, that is one area that we are looking into and I hope to be able to get those numbers at some point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge and recognize the new chair of the YK1 School Board, Mr. David Wasylciw. Thank you.