Wally Schumann, ministre de l’Industrie, du Tourisme et de l’Investissement, tient à féliciter les lauréats des prix de la Chambre de commerce de Yellowknife.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Family Violence Awareness Week.  This week is recognized across the country, and takes place from October 21 to 27, 2018.

Statistics Canada reports that, in 2016, family violence accounted for one-quarter of all violent crimes.  These are criminal acts perpetrated against the most vulnerable members of society: youth, seniors, women and girls.  In 2016, two thirds of all victims of family violence were women and girls.

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Mr. Speaker, this government has committed to working in partnership with other governments to address affordable housing requirements in support of their service delivery to Northwest Territories residents. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has made progress in meeting this mandate commitment in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

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Mr. Speaker, with over 90 percent of the NWT’s business defined as small businesses, this sector is essential to economic health in our communities and a primary driver of economic diversification across our territory.  Support from our government is more important than ever before.

This is Small Business Week in Canada. It offers us an opportunity to celebrate the successes of small businesses in the NWT and our support for the people whose life’s work is the backbone of our NWT economy.

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Mr. Speaker, one of the key priority areas in our government’s mandate was to address the needs of individuals affected by mental health and addictions.  That is why we released Mind and Spirit: Promoting Mental Health and Addictions Recovery in the Northwest Territories, which is our strategic framework that helps guide our work in this area.

I’d like to provide an update on some important initiatives we are taking to enhance and improve services in the mental health and addictions area.

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Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Marine Transportation Services delivers essential goods by tug and barge to all marine-accessible communities in the NWT. Residents rely on the service to receive such items as fuel, food, and household goods, while commercial customers also require fuel, mobile equipment, and building supplies to support their businesses and provide economic growth for the territory.

Le ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux a déposé hier à l’Assemblée législative le rapport annuel 2017-2018 du directeur des services à l’enfance et à la famille.

Durant la première semaine d’octobre, Caroline Cochrane, ministre de l’Éducation, de la Culture et de la Formation, a rencontré des responsables d’organismes scolaires des TNO pour discuter des progrès réalisés.

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Mr. Speaker, protecting children from abuse and neglect, and providing services aimed at keeping families healthy, safe and intact, are fundamental priorities for this government.  This is a priority for me personally as well. Since joining the Legislative Assembly in 2007 as both a regular MLA and Minister, I have worked to ensure our child and family services system is built around the philosophy that the best supports for children are strong and resilient families.

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