Debates of October 16, 2025 (day 63)

October
16
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
63
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 21: An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act
Bill 22: Legislation Act
Bill 23: An Act to Amend the Children’s Law Act
Bill 24: An Act to Amend the Family law Act
Bill 27: An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act
Bill 28: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, No. 2
Bill 29: First Responders Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act
Bill 32: An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, No. 2
Follow-up to Oral Question 439-20(1): Respite Care and Home Care in Dehcho Communities
Follow-up to Oral Question 502-20(1): Public-Private Partnership Project Leases
Follow-up to Oral Question 503-20(1): Public-Private Partnership Project Records Management
Follow-up to Oral Question 582-20(1): Reducing Primary Care Wait Times in Yellowknife
Follow-up to Oral Question 628-20(1): Junction Lights on Highways No. 4 and No. 5
Follow-up to Oral Question 656-20(1): Construction of New Housing Units
Follow-up to Oral Question 693-20(1): Elders in Schools Program
Follow-up to Oral Question 694-20(1): Targeted Amendments to Waters Act Regulations
Follow-up to Oral Question 706-20(1): Community Counselling Program
Follow-up to Oral Question 712-20(1): Nurse Practitioners
Follow-up to Oral Question 742-20(1): Shelter Encampments in Yellowknife
Follow-up to Oral Question 746-20(1): Mandate Implementation Update
Follow-up to Oral Question 747-20(1): 911 Service Disruption Update
Follow-up to Oral Question 749-20(1): Guidelines for Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Government of the Northwest Territories
Follow-up to Oral Question 758-20(1): Implementation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Call to Action
Follow-up to Oral Question 762-20(1): Functional Communications Review
Member’s Statement 698-20(1): Community Ambulances
Member’s Statement 699-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 700-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 701-20(1): Condition of the Dempster Highway
Member’s Statement 702-20(1): Housing Access for Elders
Member’s Statement 703-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 704-20(1): Standing Committees’ Recent Activities
Member’s Statement 705-20(1): Wildfire Evacuation of Fort Providence
Member’s Statement 706-20(1): Missing Person Frank Gruben
Member’s Statement 707-20(1): Nation-Building Projects
Member’s Statement 708-20(1): Celebration of Life of Hilary norwegian
Member’s Statement 709-20(1): Eulogy for Moses Larel Luwalira
Minister’s Statement 144-20(1): Sessional Statement
Minister’s Statement 145-20(1): Ministers Absent from the House
Question 763-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 764-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 765-20(1): Funding of the NWT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Question 766-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 767-20(1): Community Ambulance Services
Question 768-20(1): Financial Supports for Emergency Evacuees
Question 769-20(1): Language Barriers in Accessing Housing Supports
Question 770-20(1): Dempster Highway Conditions
Question 771-20(1): Funding of the NWT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Question 772-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 773-20(1): Additional Housing Units to Tlicho Communities
Question 774-20(1): Electronic Emergency Signage on Highways
Question 775-20(1): Highway Construction in the Sahtu
Question 776-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Return to Oral Question 666-20(1): Northwest Territories Legal Aid Commission Capacities
Tabled Document 371-20(1): Additional Information for Return to Written Question 18-20(1), Surgical Wait Times and Backlogs
Tabled Document 375-20(1): Northwest Territories Power Corporation Amended Capital Budget
Tabled Document 376-20(1): Report of the Northwest Territories Integrity Commissioner on the Complaint by Mr. Benjamin Adams about Mr. Shane Thompson, MLA
Written Question 17-20(1): Staff Turnover and Vacancy Rates
Written Question 18-20(1): Surgical Wait Times and Backlogs
Statements

Return to Oral Question 666-20(1): Northwest Territories Legal Aid Commission Capacities

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Justice, I have a return to oral questions asked by the Member for Monfwi on May 21st, 2025, regarding the Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories.

The Member asked about the current capacities of the Legal Aid Commission, noting a vacancy for the North Slave region on the Justice website. This vacancy was filled by the appointment of Jennifer Frankie-Smith commencing July 25, 2024, but the department did not update the Justice website to reflect this. The website is now current and correct, and the department thanks the Member for bringing this oversight to the department's attention. The Legal Aid Commission is currently full and operating with no vacant positions.

The Legal Aid Commission provides Legal Aid and Legal Aid Outreach Clinics to the Northwest Territories under the terms of the Legal Aid Act. Legal aid is jointly funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada.

The Legal Aid Commission operates at arm’s length from the Department of Justice. The Northwest Territories Legal Aid program covers among the broadest range of matters and provides among the most generous financial eligibility criteria in Canada. Financial guidelines are being reviewed and Legal Aid is working with the Bureau of Statistics to ensure they properly reflect the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories Legal Aid operates clinics with criminal and family lawyers in Yellowknife. These clinics are client-focused, and all staff are diligently engaged in serving the citizens of the Northwest Territories. Court Workers are also available with offices in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, and Behchoko. A hybrid model of staff and panel lawyers has been effective to ensure that the people of the Northwest Territories have access to Legal Aid services.

Legal Aid is always striving for improvement. Since January 2025, the court schedule has changed to allow lawyers to spend more time in communities. Legal Aid is currently working to ensure that there is continuity of council, meaning that clients, where possible, are assisted by the same lawyer for all their court appearances.

The Legal Aid Commission also operates an "Outreach" program providing legal information services to the public without requiring a legal aid application. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 1,094 clients received help from the Outreach Legal Aid Clinic. Demand for Outreach services is consistently higher than what is possible to provide. Recruitment is a recurring issue, and a designated Outreach Lawyer was recently appointed.

The Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2023-2024 will be tabled this session and provides further information on the work of the Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories. The Legal Aid Commission is always open to receive feedback on how it can best serve residents of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.