YELLOWKNIFE (March 29, 2012) -- The Northwest Territories has reached a final agreement with the federal government for the renewal of the Territorial Police Services Agreement.

The current agreement expires on March 31. The new agreement has a 20-year term and features historic changes to management and financial transparency provisions. The agreement also continues to support local detachments working with communities to ensure an effective police force reflecting the diversity and needs of the people they serve.

YELLOWKNIFE (January 30, 2012) -- The federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety recently wrapped up their annual meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

December 15, 2011 - Mr. Speaker, I wish to update Members about a new office within the Department of Justice; the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.

Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Canada ratified in 1991, children have a right to be heard in proceedings affecting them. Canada has a legal obligation to ensure the provisions of the Convention are met, yet very few jurisdictions in Canada have a system to offer independent counsel to children in legal proceedings affecting them to ensure their voices are heard.

December 14, 2011 - Mr. Speaker, for many years, we had a problem filling entry-level vacancies for Corrections Officers with Northern people who had the basic skills that would qualify them to be hired.

In 2009, the Corrections Service looked at the problem and developed a six-week training program to ensure we have a representative, Northern workforce in our corrections facilities.  The end result is the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program.

December 13, 2011 - Mr. Speaker I rise today to update the House on discussions I had with the Federal Minister of Justice, the Honourable Rob Nicholson yesterday. The purpose of this meeting was to bring the concerns of my colleagues regarding Bill C-10 to the Minister and to discuss how best to mitigate the impacts of this bill on the Northwest Territories.

November 25, 2011 - Today, twelve northerners are ready to take their places in the workforce as they graduate from the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program.

This six-week program gives NWT residents the technical and theoretical skills required to be successful in the Corrections Service.

October 24, 2011 - Ms. Karan Shaner has been appointed to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Until her appointment Thursday, by Canada’s Minister of Justice, the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Ms. Shaner was serving as the Assistant Deputy Minister (Attorney General Branch) of the GNWT’s Department of Justice.

August 26, 2011 - Minister of Justice Jackson Lafferty introduces a draft for the new Legal Aid Act.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will table a draft Legal Aid Act and consultation paper. The Department of Justice is developing a new Legal Aid Act and is seeking comments from the public. The proposed new Legal Aid Act will provide greater clarity on governance and processes, and a more client-focused, service-oriented approach to our legal aid system.

June 3, 2011 - Ecole St. Patrick High School student Trey Talbot is the NWT winner of the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) Financial Fitness Challenge.

The Canada-wide online contest provided videos, Facebook and Twitter tips to help youth increase their financial literacy. It used interactive tools and scenarios to demonstrate important financial principals such as balancing needs versus wants, budgeting, saving and investing.

April 12, 2011 - Fort Smith is the latest NWT community to join together and say “Not Us” to drugs and alcohol.

Not Us! is a program of the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Department of Justice. It provides funding and support for individual communities who envision drug-free, healthy communities. It is designed to empower and support communities to fight local substance addictions issues.