Mr. Speaker, this has been a time when we’ve been hearing a lot about cuts to government spending. There is a very significant piece of Territorial infrastructure out there that has been talked about, and there have been some very large dollars attached to the anticipation of such a structure. I’m talking about a courthouse here in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, many long-time residents of the N.W.T. remember the days when the courthouse in Yellowknife was located on the second floor of the Federal Building, better known as the post office, so at one point the federal government did pay for and provide space for courts in Yellowknife. The federal government also maintains the right to appoint judges to the Supreme Court and the N.W.T. Court of Appeal. In addition, the federal Department of Justice also maintains responsibility for Crown prosecutors. So regardless of the fact that the Government of Canada has devolved responsibility for corrections and Territorial courts, they still have a fundamental role in the administration of justice in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I’m also aware that the Government of Canada paid for a courthouse in the Yukon in the 1980s and, I would guess, probably contributed to the construction of many of the provincial Supreme Court buildings that were built in Western Canada at the turn of the century on one of the previous major divisions of the Northwest Territories.
I do not dispute the need for a new Territorial court building, and I would like to see it built in Hay River, of course, but recognize that it is somewhat traditional for the highest court to be in the capital of the particular province or territory. I also recognize, Mr. Speaker, the importance of ensuring the impartiality of the judiciary and recognizing it as the third branch of government. I have also seen the very impressive architectural detail that has gone into provincial Supreme Court buildings across Canada and do not dispute that it should be a landmark building.
What I do object to, Mr. Speaker, is the amount of money that we would have to spend to accomplish the construction of a suitable legacy courthouse. As a legislator I cannot possibly support such a project when things like the high school and the hospital in my riding are in need of serious renovation and replacement. There are so many other capital projects that should be high on our priority list in the communities.
It is time, Mr. Speaker, to have the Government of Canada get involved and give us the same consideration that many other jurisdictions have received and either build the project on our behalf or provide us with the suitable funding to offset the cost of a new courthouse in Yellowknife. Thank you.
