Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Committee, we’re on page 9-13, activity summary, services to government, operations expenditure summary, $9.622 million.
Agreed.
Page 9-14, activity summary, services to government, grants and contributions, grants, $49,000.
Agreed.
Page 9-15, information item, services to government, active positions.
Agreed.
Page 9-17, activity summary, law enforcement, operations expenditure. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I mentioned in my general remarks that I was looking for some information that the schedule the department has to increase RCMP in the communities with, currently don’t have a police presence. I think some of it goes to special constables or community constables. So if the Minister could cover both of those areas in his response, that would be helpful. Thank you.
Thank you Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.
Mahsi Mr. Chairman. This is a particular area of interest to our department. We are currently in negotiation with the federal government on the First Nations policing. We have shown our uniqueness in the Northwest Territories. The three territorial approach to the federal government and they have finally listened and they are re-examining and reviewing the formula funding that we get and we were told at that time that there is going to be some changes. They haven’t told us what kind of changes will be coming but to reflect our northern perspective. So with that in mind, we feel that there is going to be some increase in funding or resources that we currently have. I think we have four PYs in this respect and we have also told the federal government, every opportunity I have met with them, increase the positions. The Community Policing Program is another area that we have voiced our concerns and finally they are doing a pilot project and should be up and running we are hoping by this fall. There should be a federal announcement soon. There are advertisements that are happening. Those are the areas of increase that we have initiated and are still ongoing discussions. Mahsi.
Thanks to the Minister. That information is all good. If for any reason all of that funding falls through, what are the plans for the department in terms of putting detachments in communities where there are none? Is there an outline or a timeline of a schedule that the Minister can advise us of? Thank you.
We don’t have a timeline to whether we have a police detachment in all communities. Of course that is our wish as well, to have detachments in all communities, but we have to continue to work with the federal government. They are the ones with the resources, the funds to cover the infrastructure and with our department we provide 70 percent of the cost factor, so we like to do it the sooner the better. But sometimes we are still waiting for the federal government to give us an approval, especially with the Gameti and Wrigley detachments. It is a slow pace but at the same time it is coming. With the remaining communities without detachments we will continue to push the federal government. We can’t do it alone as the Department of Justice Government of the Northwest Territories, but we can work with them for having additional resources in a detachment serving the ones without detachments such as the one we have done for Tsiigehtchic through Fort McPherson area. Those are the things that we can do with the federal government. Mahsi.
I would just like to follow up. I appreciate that this is something we have to do in conjunction with the federal government, that we do need their funding but I guess I would suggest that there ought to be a target date for various communities that don’t currently have RCMP and we may not meet those targets, they may have to be amended but my personal view would be that we should have the communities listed and a target date for RCMP within those communities and that is what we are aiming for, so I would encourage the Minister to do that. Thank you. That’s all.
Thank you Ms. Bisaro. No question there, but, Mr. Minister, would you like to respond?
Mahsi Mr. Chairman. We can set dates but if the federal government doesn’t come into play, then it really doesn’t work for us. But I can share with the Member that those areas that we need to discuss further with the standing committee we could give, let’s say, 10 years from now all the communities will be filled with detachments. Of course, that is our goal and objective. But at the same time it has taken some time for the federal government to make a commitment in that area, so it is going to be very difficult in small communities.
It is similar with the nursing, with the community populations of 100 or 120 people, it would be difficult to have the infrastructure in the community, so that is why we are heavily dependent on the federal government. I would assure the Member that I will push more at the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers’ meeting.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Next I have on my list Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just along the same area, we do have a lot of discussion about having RCMP presence in every community in the North. I think that department should actually do that evaluation, because I don’t think we can have police in every community in the Northwest Territories. They don’t man the posts by themselves and then we have communities of 50 people and then we have communities that are part of the 33 communities that were recognized across the North that are attached to other communities. Like Dettah/Ndilo would probably not get their own police force and the Hay River Reserve would probably not get their own police force. Things like that I think are important to lay those things out for the Regular Members.
The other thing, because we keep asking the same questions and the answer seems to be we’re going to try to put police in every community, but the reality is that’s probably never going to happen. So we should probably bite the bullet. I can’t see it happening. But my question is more along the line of First Nation policing. It has a better cost-sharing arrangement. Is there a possibility for the department to negotiate a fairly large chunk of the Territorial Policing Services Agreement into the First Nations? There’s a small portion here that’s in the First Nation policing. I don’t know if the Minister can answer that question directly, but I’m wondering if that is something that’s possible.
On another point so I don’t have to ask any more questions, but I need to hear what the plan is for the Community Policing Program again from the Minister. I kind of missed it when he explained it to Ms. Bisaro. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I totally agree. This First Nations policing, it’s a different agreement than the police contract we have with the RCMP “G” Division. We currently have a 70/30 shared agreement, 52/48 agreement. So it is a big difference. As I stated, we’re currently in negotiations with the federal at that level and Mrs. Schofield is part of that and the ADM is also part of that. So those are the ongoing discussions that we’re currently having with the federal government and, of course, we’re pushing for whether it be more funding or resources that we desperately need here in the Northwest Territories, and I think we’re going to see some changes because it has been earmarked as our uniqueness and our northern perspective.
The Community Policing Program, that particular program is similar to special programs, of course. They want to have a pilot project program in early 2010 and the training is supposed to take place whether it be this summer or this fall and three of those officers will be in the Northwest Territories and it will be up to the RCMP “G” Division to allocate where those individuals will be, preferably with a detachment, I think. That’s our understanding from the RCMP “G” Division. So it is their call to say where they’re going to go.
So, Mr. Chair, those are the key areas of community policing. Mahsi.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Committee, we’re on page 9-17, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, one more question. When the Minister was discussing something earlier or in his remarks he mentioned the difficulties with placing RCMP in communities and the need to provide housing for them. When we discussed the Housing Corporation, I believe the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation indicated that they are working with various departments to try and provide staff housing. So to the Minister of Justice, is there an opportunity to work with the NWT Housing Corporation to provide housing for RCMP to try and enable officers in our communities sooner rather than later? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The quick answer is most definitely yes, because those officers that need to go to the communities without detachments, such as Wrigley or Tsiigehtchic, we definitely need to work out some agreement in that area. We want to have more presence in the community by RCMP, but sometimes there’s no accommodation. If they provide accommodation, it’s not suitable to their standards as well. So we have to identify the specs as well. When I was talking about the infrastructure, that also includes the detachment where it has to be according to the “G” Division specs on the detachment as well. But, Mr. Chair, yes, I’ll continue to work with the NWT Housing Corporation in this area.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair, that’s all I have.
Thank you. Committee, we’re on page 9-17, activity summary, law enforcement, operations expenditures summary, $33.586 million.
Agreed.
Page 9-19, activity summary. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. During business plans we did discuss the idea of a child advocate from a program that the department, I believe, is thinking about considering putting in place. If I could ask the Minister or his officials for an update on where this initiative is at and whether there’s any kind of a date that we can be advised of as to when this might or might not happen. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. When this was brought up at the standing committee, we did share with them that we are working on a children’s lawyer. So it would be like an advocate for children in the Northwest Territories. So those are the areas that we’ve been talking about. I guess the children’s lawyer will give the children a voice in legal proceedings that certainly affects them and by also protecting their rights. So I think it’s similar to what Ms. Bisaro is referring to, maybe a different title, but that piece of work we’ve been focusing on and we’re making progress in this area. Mahsi.
Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate you’re making progress. Could I have a little more definitive answer as to what kind of progress, is it anywhere near completion or fruition or decision time? When might we see this particular initiative actually on the ground? Thank you.
We are doing research in other jurisdictions as well. That should be completed and a discussion paper should be available within the next six months to the standing committee. Mahsi.
Thank you, Minister. Committee, we’re on page 9-19, activity summary, legal aid services, operations expenditures summary, $5.642 million. Agreed?
Agreed.
Page 9-20, information item, legal aid services, active positions. Questions?
Agreed.
Page 9-23, activity summary, court services, operations expenditures summary, $11.098 million. Agreed?
Agreed.
Page 9-24, information item, court services, active positions. Questions?
Agreed.
Page 9-27, activity summary, community justice and corrections, operations expenditures summary, $33.733 million. Agreed?
Agreed.
Page 9-28, activity summary, community justice and corrections, grants and contributions, contributions, $2.061 million. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to ask a question here with regard to the community justice committees and projects. It has been a concern, I believe, to get some of these justice committees going and part of it, I understand, is due to the lack of community coordinators. I wonder if I could get an update on whether or not there’s been any progress in getting more community coordinators in place and/or are we making progress on establishing community justice committees. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, with this particular area, it has been our intention that we need to have a thorough review of the community justice programming. We do have coordinators in place, not in every community. Some communities don’t have it, but at the same time there are some communities that are performing really well with the Justice department with the court services. I think there are nine without coordinators. Mr. Chair, we continuously have discussions with… Shirley Kemeys-Jones is the one in charge as the director and in constant contact and dialogue with the community to make some improvement in these areas. I think that’s what it comes down to where I told my department we need to have a review of the funding that we provide to these committees. Why aren’t some working; some are very successful. We need to provide some incentives in that respect. Mr. Chair, this is an area of concern and, also, I guess you can say, an opportunity for us to move on. So there is work in place for that under review. Mahsi.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Page 9-28, community justice and corrections, grants and contributions, contributions, $2.061 million.
Agreed.
Page 9-29, information item, community justice and corrections, active positions. Questions?
