EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I’m looking at page 43. It talks about the “V” Division in the middle paragraph. It talks about suicide prevention training and education, and there is the “V” Division working with the Department of Health.
It says here, “Through support of the GN Department of Health, trigger locks for firearms are available to the public. Members in communities deliver trigger locks and firearms safety information to residents.” How well has that program been running at the community level?
Is there a set number of trigger locks or information that gets delivered or picked up at the local detachments?
I thank Mr. Joanasie for the question. I don’t have all the firm details, but I understand that it has been fairly successful.
I think I read in another briefing note that 10 communities have been involved. Raising awareness of firearms safety is very important to Health and to the RCMP. I do know they have said that they will even work with the Rangers and other organizations if they want to store their rifles at their detachment.
Mr. Joanasie: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Moving on, under the same bullet farther on down below towards the end it says that the “‘V’ Division participated in the development of the Inuit Mental Health First Aid Canada
Course.” RCMP members “…were asked to complete and provide feedback to help shape this program which is in its final phase of curriculum development.”
My question here is: who is developing this Mental Health First Aid Canada Course?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t have any specific details on it, but I believe the GN Department of Health is involved and the RCMP is involved through them on the development of this curriculum.
Mr. Joanasie: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am particularly interested in this because right at the bottom it says, “This Mental Health Program for Inuit is the only program to focus on the needs of modern Inuit, using Inuit history and Inuit culture as the path to understanding and healing.”
I’m really looking forward to what this program will have to offer and how it will be delivered in partnership with the Department of Health. I’ll look forward to that information.
I was also going to ask, priorities for 2017-18 on the next page, 44, the last bullet under this for the next fiscal year is to “Support and endorse restorative justice initiatives throughout Nunavut.”
Can the minister maybe give us a description of what sort of restorative justice initiatives are currently undertaken by the department and also maybe if there are new approaches to restorative justice that we will be seeing in the future?
In fact I just had a meeting yesterday with the attendant of the Baffin CJOWs and community justice specialists.
Again, we work through the local justice committees, support their initiatives, and provide training and other materials to them.
Yesterday I personally got some feedback from justice committees and CJOWs on how we can better communicate and respect restorative justice in Nunavut.
Again, at the FTP meeting in Halifax in October I was surprised to learn that most, if not all, jurisdictions in Canada, all provinces and territories are heavily into restorative justice.
Some of them were keenly interested in how we work in Nunavut through our justice committees and restorative justice, and involve elders and other local community members.
I look forward to hearing more about some of the restorative justice initiatives going on in Nunavut.
(interpretation) I made a mistake earlier. (interpretation ends) I have some questions too on the shared directional statement.
Under page 2 it talks about communities at risk and first of all it says on youth, “In an effort support young people at risk, the GN and RCMP will collaborate to find ways to prevent youth crime and address the challenges of young offenders.”
With that, further on page 3 it goes on to say, “The GN and RCMP agree that they must work…with partners and stakeholders…” hamlets, “…community justice committees, the courts, the public prosecution service, health services, defence representatives, and others to develop proactive solutions to the root causes of youth criminal activity…” When we were talking about Inuit Mental Health First Aid training, going back on the traumas and history of our territory, I think if we can start piecing together how all this came about.
How will these stakeholders… ? Is it like an annual meeting that they will have? How are they trying to address the root causes of youth criminal activity?
We’re working on the indicators.
I and my officials are not experts in this area, but I do understand intergenerational trauma to some degree and how it can pass down through four, five, or six generations or more.
It manifests itself in young people today.
The RCMP will have to obviously work very closely with local committees, elders, and others to understand the issues.
Of course I’m sure we will have the experts from the Department of Health, mental health experts who can also participate, and there are other community members.
I don’t believe it will be something that will just happen once a year.
Depending on the community they could meet… .
I know from my own experience in Cambridge Bay, I have participated in committees where we meet as often as we have to, monthly or every few months, to exchange information and help people understand their issues.
The group could be as large as 15 or 20 people involved in this process at the community level.
After all that’s where it all starts and we have to work at the community level.
That’s why we want the RCMP to be more involved through this shared directional statement and involved in the community.
Instead of just being police officers responding to calls, they can be involved in understanding, sharing information, and understanding the root causes, what’s really causing the pain and suffering in some of the people today.
It might not have happened last week, but it might be something from 20, 30, or 40 years earlier.
I feel like it’s the right path that the RCMP and the Department of Justice is going to in finding a solution.
I’m just going to make reference to… . This is what we learned in the Nunavut Sivuniksavut training program. That’s called the NS curve and it talks about Inuit control over time.
It’s a curve that shows how Inuit way back, our forefathers were independent, self-reliant, and strong people.
Then over time things happened; whalers, missionaries, the RCMP, government.
There have been so many effects that it has had on our communities as a society, not only just individuals.
The NS curve, that’s how much of an impact that Nunavut Sivuniksavut has on the students.
When we learn about this stuff, it kind of starts clicking in about what’s really happening in our communities, why are the people the way they are.
When we’re trying to address issues, there are so many things behind it too.
The minister talked about intergenerational things at play and that’s definitely true, but also at the same time there are things that are good from our past that we need to bring forward.
Mr. Shooyook talks a lot about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, trying to incorporate that into our modern lifestyle and how we’re trying to address these issues.
They’re still relevant and we can employ some of these teachings in our principles in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. I just wanted to point that out.
Hopefully the Department of Justice, in working with their partners, the RCMP, and on the local level, can really start addressing youth crime and not just youth crime but crime as a whole.
There is stuff that really has a grasp on today’s indicators that were talked about.
I think I’m rambling on, but maybe if the minister can commit that the department and the government can take a look at some of this course in more depth and also with the prospect of what Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit has to offer.
Hopefully that can lead to restorative and crime prevention and justice for Nunavummiut.
Mr. Joanasie has made a lot of good points and I believe we understand where he’s coming from.
I can direct my officials to contact Nunavut Sivuniksavut.
I don’t know what they are.
The dean?
I know the guy who’s down there.
I think one is retired and one might still be there.
We sent, over many years, kids down to take that program from the Kitikmeot and it was very well received.
If they can share some of their best practices with us, I do know we’re working on community crime prevention plans at the community level.
We could use some of that information.
I did extend, again, to CJOWs and justice specialists when I was in a meeting yesterday and talking to the ones at the conference in Cambridge Bay a few weeks ago, I encouraged them to also put forward ideas to us that we could consider.
I did reassure those folks that at headquarters we are here to serve them.
If we can get information from the community level up that we can use that people think would be helpful to the RCMP and other agency members, then we should look at that.
I’ll have my officials follow up with the Nunavut Sivuniksavut folks.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on Justice.
Law Enforcement. (interpretation) E-5.
Are we on the English page E-5?
While we’re here, I would like to make a brief comment on the business plan.
The draft 2017-2020 business plan states that Inuktitut language programs will be established for unilingual English-speaking people.
Does that mean these programs will provide a strong introduction to the Inuktitut language and ensure that English-speaking unilingual people will actually learn the Inuit language, or is this just a pilot project since it seems to say that is what it is?
If Mr. Shooyook could clarify what page he’s on, it would help us.
I think he’s in the business plan.
Chairman (interpretation): Mr. Shooyook, please clarify that.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): I’m referring to page10 in Inuktitut and page 44 in English.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) In Inuktitut it’s page 10.
In the English document it’s page 44.
I thank Mr. Shooyook for clarifying. Under that priority the “V” division has recently promoted an Inuktitut-speaking regular member to the rank of corporal into a position called a detachment watch commander here in Iqaluit.
Then the RCMP would commit to mentoring Inuit officers that want to broaden their skill sets and progress through the ranks.
Again, it’s a shared directional statement commitment to improve communications.
They have promoted another Inuktitut-speaking Inuit regular member to the rank of sergeant in the community policing and media relations position, again here in Iqaluit.
They have hired a full-time Inuit public service employee to provide assistance to the “V” division relief unit with clerical and cultural/language support.
They’re also an active participant in the Inuit Learning Development Project whereby two candidates would perform a four-month secondment with the Iqaluit detachment. Those candidates are of Inuit descent and they speak Inuktitut.
I apologize as my voice is becoming hoarse.
Indeed, to return to this issue within the Inuktitut version, I’m just following what it states, “…to increase capacity to communicate in the Inuit language.”
I now understand that officers who can speak Inuktitut can be promoted to higher ranks.
I wonder if that indeed will be the case where only some officers can speak bilingually, although the majority of the lower ranks need only to speak in English.
Is that the goal of this particular wording?
The RCMP is trying to increase the ranks of moving up to corporal or sergeant or higher in the ranks of Inuktut-speaking officers.
They will obviously be English-speaking and Inuktitut-speaking.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you. I also thank the minister for his reply.
If I may, I want to move to an entirely different topic.
You alluded to domestic violence and I want to speak to that if you will allow me.
In regard to family violence and bullying, you responded earlier that the RCMP would talk to instigators when they find out about them.
With that being the case, I imagine that since it is contained in legislation today and in the past this was never a practice, I wonder if you mentioned that it would be formulated into the new legislation.
As an example, if there is bullying in the school, parents would become involved and the student is included in the discussions with the parents.
Is this the goal of this plan?
I was talking about two things.
One was the Family Abuse Intervention Act, which came into force in March 2008.
That’s where individuals who feel threatened can contact the community justice outreach worker or justice specialist or someone on their behalf can apply for an emergency protection order to help them get protection right away.
There are also community intervention orders, which are a bit more complex, but then there’s the other part where I was talking about RCMP officers.
They could charge a young offender between 12 and 17 under the Young Offenders Act, but the parent would have to be present.
Then there is the other aspect where with community policing, the RCMP could go into the schools and talk to the students about bullying, talk to them about drugs, and other things like that. This is just part of their work, bringing awareness of bullying.
It’s dangerous and unacceptable, and drugs are dangerous to youth and illegal to use.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the minister for clarifying that for me.
I wish to ask you another question.
As an example, if a student within a school swears at or argues with their teacher and the teacher reports the incident to the RCMP the perceived transgression, the student would be approached by the RCMP.
What happens to the student in this situation?
Would it start with counselling or would the RCMP immediately charge the student or detain them? Please clarify that for me.
If the RCMP were to receive such a call, they would obviously respond and they would talk to the individuals involved in the alleged incident, the victim and the person who is doing the bullying; accused, I guess they would call it.
They would have to determine whether or not to press charges. If that was the case, then they would have to involve the parents.
If there’s not enough evidence or enough justification to press charges, I believe they would probably just want to talk to them and warn them that bullying and fighting in the school and all that sort of stuff is not to be condoned.
I would take it that school policy would also state as such as well, that bullying is unacceptable in school.
For this reason I will now ask you my last question.
When an incident occurs, for example, when a teacher feels a teenaged student is being argumentative or disrespectful, are the parents first notified or do they just proceed without notifying the parents or include any counselling services where they charge the student with a misdemeanour offence in preparation for a court trial? Is that how these cases are dealt with?
If the RCMP is called and they respond, I believe the parents would have to be part of the interview process with the child.
The child would be present and the parents would be there as well.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the minister. I am pressing the minister because the process that is laid out isn’t being practised.
Part of the process isn’t even used in practice.
Perhaps parts of it can be used.
An actual incident occurred in my constituency.
In that case the parents were not notified and the student was charged with a summary conviction.
This is particularly troublesome.
The subject we are discussing is why we need to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Inuit values in this process.
This resulted in tragic consequences in that case as the student committed suicide after they were charged.
He was apprehensive about the court case and his parents were in the dark about his situation. It was quite troubling and it exemplifies the need for improvement.
I wonder if the minister and his officials can resolve the problems in this area and include the RCMP to try to improve the current legal situation.
When a student is causing trouble, the parents ought to be notified first and involved in the resolution of the matter.
They need to be properly consulted to ensure that the trouble or incident can be resolved to their satisfaction.
I thank Mr. Shooyook for his comment there.
I’ll have my deputy minister follow up with the RCMP and the Arctic Bay detachment to see what the details are.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on page E-5.
Justice. Law Enforcement. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $40,071,000.
Chairman: I would like to call the committee meeting back to order. We are now on page E-6.
Justice. Lawyer Support Services. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $3,401,000.
Onto page E-7.
Justice. Registries and Court Services. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $13,116,000.
Onto page E-8 in English.
Justice. Corrections. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted.
If you would allow me, I would like to go back to this.
In the smaller communities we have a problem with the call centres and it automatically goes down to the Iqaluit call centre. Not everyone speaks in English and sometimes it’s quite an emergency.
Often unilingual Inuit do not have many family members who can speak English living in their house.
Is there an Inuktitut-speaking person who answers the phone at the call centre?
I thank Mr. Keyootak for the question.
It’s my understanding that they have bilingual call operators at the call centre.
Are those bilingual call operators available on a 24-hour basis?
Are the bilingual call operators at the call centre always available?
Again, it’s my understanding that it’s 24/7 and they’re available all hours.
Mr. Keyootak (interpretation): Thank you for the response.
I will then move on to another subject.
Can the minister indicate what follow-up services are available for people who go back to their communities from correctional facilities?
Depending on whether or not they have served their sentence, they may be on probation, so they would have to report to a probation officer.
I don’t know what the conditions would be on their probation, but they may have to report to the RCMP or a probation officer. They may have to report to a community justice outreach worker or a specialist.
If they have served their sentence, I don’t know if they have to… . They wouldn’t require any support services if they served their sentence, but if they’re at the community level, if they’re diverted to the community justice committee, the committee may require them to fulfill certain acts to make restoration for the incident or crime they have committed against the victim.
It would all depend on the community and who the individual is.
As we all know, in most communities in Nunavut there aren’t a lot of support services for people returning to their communities.
That’s why, through the Crime Prevention Strategy that we are working on, it will probably involve communities to help persons reintegrate into their communities.
Can the minister indicate how many staff members in the Corrections Division are currently certified to perform case management duties?
I don’t have a specific number, but most of our community corrections officers receive training in various areas to work with individuals who are released on probation.
They would have that kind of case management training. It would be various things. A client risk or needs assessment, youth risk needs assessment, discharge and release planning, case management, and the work.
The parole officers or probation officers would be involved in all that.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on page E-8 in English.
Justice. Corrections.
Following the list of names, Mr. Mapsalak.
This is a question that I brought up on numerous occasions.
I think there are still some outpost camps that are being utilized by the Corrections Division where they take inmates. Has there been an increase or are there any outpost camps that are being utilized by the Corrections Division?
Are there still the same numbers of outpost camps being utilized?
We currently have three outpost camps in Nunavut.
There are two in Kimmirut and one in Baker Lake.
For further clarity, are you still looking for additional outpost camps that your department can utilize?
Is it possible to set up those types of outpost camps?
I thank Mr. Mapsalak for the question. I don’t believe we are looking for any additional outpost camps at this time.
Mr. Mapsalak (interpretation): The minister indicated that they are not currently looking for additional outpost camps.
Is it because you are not really utilizing the outpost camps anymore?
No, we have three outpost camps and a lot of the usage depends on the classification of a person who would be eligible to use an outpost camp.
If anybody would like to set up an outpost camp, is it still possible to establish one that can take in inmates?
I have been asked this question before and I wouldn’t say we wouldn’t consider it. If there’s an individual or a group of individuals that want to express an interest in setting up an outpost camp, we would certainly be interested.
Again, it’s a type of business and you have to meet certain criteria. You can’t just open up your camp and take people from the various facilities. There will be certain criteria to be met, but I’m sure if our director of corrections was contacted, he could provide that information.
That was my last question, but I understand that you’re not looking for any new outpost camps to take in inmates and that there are criteria that must be followed in order for outpost camps to be utilized by your department.
Just for further clarity, if there were an individual who could set up an outpost camp to your standards, would you consider using that outpost camp or would that be out of the question?
Again, if there is an individual or individuals, they could contact us and offer their service, but I can’t guarantee if we would use it or not.
Again, there are minimum standards of services for outpost camps and they would have to meet those. Only certain offenders could be eligible to go to an outpost camp.
For example, remanded offenders and sex offenders with violent or sexual assault convictions would be ineligible.
If there’s someone who is interested, they should contact us or put a proposal in or write a letter and we can send the information, “Here are the minimum standards. Here’s the type of offender that would be eligible to use an outpost camp,” and then they can decide for themselves if they want to operate an outpost camp and we could consider whether we would use their service.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on Justice. Corrections.
I want to start off by asking the minister if he can tell us how many Inuit are employed now at corrections.
That has been an area of concern raised in the past.
I’m wondering how you are doing in that area now, one year later.
You will have to bear with us. Every time you ask a question, we have to get the information and it could be a few minutes or a few seconds hopefully.
We have 142 filled positions. These are corrections facilities; 142 filled positions with 36.6 percent filled by beneficiaries, and there are 140 casuals in corrections facilities and 53 are beneficiaries.
I understand it’s quite difficult to try to get beneficiaries to apply on some of the corrections jobs.
As a department what are you doing to try to create that interest that you can get people from the communities especially, perhaps, to come out to some of the larger regions that have correctional services? How are you addressing that problem?
Well, we have our corrections officials who attend careers days. They run competitions.
They do get the information out through community postings and that sort of stuff, but we have lowered the, I don’t want to say, qualifications, but we have reviewed the job descriptions to make it easier for Inuit beneficiaries to apply.