The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to providing culturally appropriate, responsive and efficient corrections services in partnership with our communities. Today, the Minister of Justice, Louis Sebert, and the Minister of Infrastructure, Wally Schumann, celebrated the opening of the new corrections unit for women with the people of Fort Smith.

This new unit was designed with the current and future needs of female offenders in mind and will support culturally appropriate programs and activities.

M. le Président, le Bureau des titres de biens-fonds du GTNO s’occupe d’enregistrer et de protéger tous les renseignements sur les titres de biens-fonds aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest. Dans le passé, ces dossiers publics étaient seulement disponibles pendant les heures de bureau; de plus, s’il était nécessaire de consulter le fichier réel, il était seulement possible de le faire au registraire.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice, under the Community Justice and Policing Division, has been leading an innovative ‘whole of government’ pilot program in Yellowknife called Integrated Case Management or ICM. This program has been designed to understand and fundamentally reform the way social envelope services are accessed and delivered in the NWT by identifying the barriers and challenges residents face when obtaining services.

Mr. Speaker, few services have as direct an impact on our citizens as the policing services provided by the RCMP. This modern relationship continues to develop, providing effective and collaborative policing services in our communities.

Over the past few years, the RCMP in the NWT have placed a deliberate focus on increasing public trust in policing services, working with partners to improve responses for vulnerable populations, and adapting their work to reflect changing legislation and best practices.

Mr. Speaker, during my time as Minister of Justice, I have often spoken about the Corrections Service and the important work they are doing to improve the programming and supports available in our facilities to help address the needs of individuals in our corrections system.

Mr. Speaker, our government committed in its mandate to pursue innovative ways to prevent and reduce crime. Today, I want to share with you progress on this work, as well as offer clarity about the way programming is provided to both sentenced and remanded inmates here in the Northwest Territories.

The Governor General of Canada’s Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, Canada’s highest honour for the Corrections Services, has been awarded to six northern professionals.

The Corrections Exemplary Service Medals recognize distinguished service and are intended as a tangible expression of national gratitude. 

The medals were presented by the Honourable Margaret Thom, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, during an evening reception on May 7, 2019.

Mr. Speaker, today is national Pink Shirt Day. I applaud all Members for wearing pink in the House today to symbolize that we will not tolerate bullying of any kind.

The internet has opened an invaluable connection to the world by allowing residents of all ages in even our smallest communities’ access to information and opportunities easily.  Sadly, it has also allowed bullying to move online.

Minister of Justice Louis Sebert announced today the appointment of Donovan Frederick Molloy, Q.C., as the new judge of the Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories. This appointment will be effective February 20, 2019.

Mr. Molloy graduated with distinction from the Law program at University of New Brunswick in 1992, and was called to the Bar in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1993.