Louis Sebert

Yes, thank you, I do. I am pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Justice. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of just over $3 million, or 2.4 percent, over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

$1.389 million in forced-growth funding to provide the RCMP with increased capacity to cover the costs of officer participation in new and existing training initiatives and related administrative costs;

$179,000 in forced-growth funding to enable the Legal Aid Commission to add a new full-time criminal defence...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Of course, this is a voluntary program that people have to agree to enter into. I understand that they can, while on remand, enter into the program. Of course, one of the problems with remand is that their release date, if that is the right word, or the date that they will no longer be in remand is sometimes not known because they have upcoming court dates. I don't know whether that might be a discouragement to them from entering into the program, but they do have the ability to enter into the program. Sometimes they are on remand for a very long period of time and...

My understanding is that the pilot was a three-year program ending in 2020, March 31st, I assume.

Yes.

Yes, of course. It has been mentioned by the deputy minister that this is a pilot project. In my view, it has been a pretty successful project, so we are looking at it moving forward, and as I say, looking at the numbers of referrals, it appears to be a well-used program, but it is, of course, a pilot at this stage. Thank you.

Yes. We can do that.

Yes, that certainly is an important question, but I wonder if we might defer that until we get to policing services.

Yes, thank you. The Member has brought this matter to my attention, and I do have a copy of the report from 2014 on my desk.

The department is currently preparing the scope for a program review of Victim Services. The intent is to have a contractor in place early in 2019-2020 and a final report later in the year. This is important. This is an important area, and this report will be a key document to guide us in any future decisions regarding the program and how it is delivered in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

My understanding, Mr. Chair, is that that was the RCMP's commitment, and I certainly will keep committee and Members apprised as to progress, but, again, it's the commitment of the RCMP. There may be operational reasons why they could not get that done sooner rather than later. Clearly, it's an important issue, and most members have completed the course, most regular members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not certain whether there is any limitation on the number of pilots you can have, but the program, in our view, has been successful. I cannot commit to this, but I think it's time that we take a very careful look at this. It has been a success, and perhaps it's time to move ahead to a program that is not a pilot. In fact, that's the goal of the work that we're doing at this time, or the department is. Thank you.