Louis Sebert

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government and the Power Corporation are always interested in development of safe, reliable, sustainable green energy. As to whether for a specific project we would have the resources to have a project on the scale that might be necessary, it would have to be determined by the parties, and I understand that the Power Corporation has been in touch with several industrial groups to discuss that very issue.

I am sorry. Could you repeat that, Mr. Chair, so that I am certain what undertaking I might be making?

No, I can't.

---Laughter

Thank you. This has been a priority for some time. What happened in the past, though, because this is a very specialized area involving complex warrants, complex evidence and difficult court cases often we had to bring in RCMP from other jurisdictions which is incredibly expensive and inefficient. So what was decided by the RCMP is that they would set up their own unit here to respond to this complex and serious situation. Perhaps I could ask the deputy minister to expand on that. Thank you.

Yes, I think geography does have some play in determining where an inmate is going to be placed. As I say, sometimes the judiciary makes a comment during sentencing that placing the inmate at a certain location should be considered. There are a variety of factors that enter into where an inmate is placed: risk; availability of programs; geography; close to family; and so on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The department did carefully examine all of the areas of our mandate. We were, of course, directed by the Cabinet to look for places where we could make sensible and sustainable reductions.

This department has actually only been in existence less than three years in total. We thought that perhaps, as the former federal area of jurisdiction and our area of jurisdiction came together, there might be areas where we could rationalize our operations, so that is how the whole of our budget was looked at.

There have been concerns raised, and I have heard them before, about...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think I certainly agree with the premise in the Member's question as to vigorous inspections. I don't want him to think that, because there has been a reduction in the travel budget, the inspections will be any less vigorous. I know that we have formed a securities project assessment division, which is 80 per cent staffed. They are building a securities tracking system. I am going to let Mr. Hagen perhaps expand on that. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, the past contract for the Nahendeh program didn't require a clinical supervisor, as will the one that we are contemplating.

Yes, Mr. Chair. The courtyard, if I can put it that way, from which the escape took place is no longer accessible by the inmates. The issue is what type of fencing may be required, but perhaps I could turn the matter over to the deputy minister to expand on that. Thank you.

Yes, I believe that's correct. Thank you.