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Legislative assembly briefs Funding for after-school programs Galit Rodan Northern News Services Published Wednesday, December 21, 2011
"It is a fact that time after school is increasingly being spent watching television, playing video games or using the computer," said McLeod. "Providing options for more physical activity will help reverse this trend and support our youth in making healthy choices from an early age." Recipient schools in Yellowknife include Ecole Alain St-Cyr, J.H. Sissons, N.J. Macpherson, Mildred Hall, St. Joseph School, St. Patrick High School, William McDonald Middle School and Weledeh Catholic School. Speaker rules on 'crime against humanity' remark Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley was not out of order in his Dec. 7 reference to the GNWT's Greenhouse Gas Strategy as a crime against humanity, ruled Speaker Jackie Jacobson on Dec. 15. Jacobson also ruled that Premier Bob McLeod was not out of order in his response to Bromley. Speaking on a point of order brought up by Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger, McLeod expressed offence that Bromley had "lumped" the members all together "as being somebody like Hitler or Pol Pot or General Radek because he doesn't like our greenhouse gas policy." Bromley then took McLeod to task over his words, saying he had not intended that meaning and McLeod was trying to stifle debate. In his ruling, Jacobson lightly chastised the members involved, saying, "Experienced members should be setting a good example for all other members, not showing them what not to do." Jacobson said he considered ruling against both Bromley and McLeod but in the end dismissed the points of order and reminded the members why they were elected. "The people elected us here and want us to work for the people, not throw insults back and forth." Anti-poverty strategy to be completed MLAs passed a motion last Wednesday to complete an anti-poverty strategy. The motion, introduced by Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro, called on the 17th assembly to complete the work of their 16th assembly predecessors. Bisaro called for the development of the anti-poverty strategy to involve a cross-section of people, from various levels of government to aboriginal government, non-governmental organizations, businesses and those experiencing poverty. Bisaro said an effective anti-poverty strategy would have to involve more than one government department and asked that the strategy include mechanisms to coordinate the response across departments. "We will not succeed if it is developed in isolation by government alone," said Bisaro. The motion calls for the GNWT to provide a "comprehensive response" within 120 days. Legal services for children Children involved in legal proceedings in the NWT will now have lawyers to advocate on their behalf. The Department of Justice established the NWT's first office of the children's lawyer in October and received its first clients in November, said Justice Minister Glen Abernethy. Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, which states that children have the right to be heard in proceedings affecting them. Abernethy said the office will provide legal services for children involved in child protection proceedings, custody and access disputes. "These legal services will provide support to children in emotionally stressful and intimidating settings," said Abernethy. He said the office is currently developing a roster of family lawyers to act on children's behalf.
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