Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Roland. I will ask if Mr. Menicoche, the chairman of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, would please provide the committees comments on the review of FMBS. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his responses. Just for clarification, the Minister says that if the government found a use for the building and that could employ a staff there, that he, as a Minister in this government, would support such a proposal. Thank you.

Does the committee agree that Bill 18 is ready for third reading?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to my comments about the needs of youth, we had a theme day here recently by the Regular Members of this House with respect to the many needs of youth in the Northwest Territories and the emerging needs. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister of Justice support a reprofiling of this piece of infrastructure that would enable us to engage the expertise and the skills of this staff in Hay River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Next on the list I have Mr. Ramsay.

Clause 4.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so is the Minister saying that if the group home facility had been built in Hay River, that we would have an open custody facility operating in Hay River today? Because I look at the young offenders at Dene K’onia and it’s a very similar layout and building type to any group home that I’ve ever seen. So when the Minister brings that up, is it to say that if they had built that facility that it would be open and operating today, and that with Dene K’onia we would not have seen the complete loss of this facility and these jobs in Hay River? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Thank you. Clause 2.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so you had two facilities: one completely staffed up with experienced people, operational; another one just finished being constructed, not staffed up, obviously newer people in those positions. What was the determining factor that made the choice between the two facilities to be that Yellowknife would be a facility open for open custody young offenders and that Hay River would be closed? Thank you.