Calvin Pokiak

Can the Sergeant-at-Arms please bring in the witness?

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Dent. Would you like to introduce your witness for the record please? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. McLeod.

Good afternoon. We’ll resume our Committee of the Whole meeting again now. At the present time we would like to ask the Minister if he would like to introduce any witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Bill 13. Does the committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform this Assembly what percentage of their time the Legal Aid lawyers spend in JP court and whether stopping this practice will increase the amount of time the Legal Aid lawyers can spend defending people charged with serious crimes and criminal offences? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Honourable Charles Dent, Minister of Justice, was interviewed on CBC Radio on Monday, October 25, 2004, and spoke of changes to the way the legal aid services in the Beaufort-Delta would be delivered in Justice of the Peace Court. A local justice of the peace in Inuvik had expressed concern that the legal aid lawyers would no longer represent people in JP court.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister did say that the court workers would be available for clients at proceedings in Justice of the Peace Court. Now, I realize that proceedings in Justice of the Peace Court are usually...

Thank you. At this time this item cannot deleted. Mr. Braden, it cannot be deleted. Thank you. I have next Mr. Ramsay.