Debates of March 7, 2005 (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In any given year, the maximum number we have had applying for this is six. It is a maximum of $10,000 each. So $5,000 per semester is the maximum that is made available. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. I know Mr. Dent was going to look at getting some information to the aboriginal court challenges and some requirements to paying that. I am asking this because a couple of groups in my region wanted to know more about this. I am not too sure the advertisement for this kind of programming is out there in the communities because they are asking about…The one issue they were talking about is the issue of the discrimination of the Métis eligibility on this UCEP funding of the federal government. So they wanted to look at something like this. Is this where you would fit something like that into a situation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are a number of criteria. The process is outlined on our web site, but it is not advertised in any other format. I would certainly be happy to write to the Member with the details. There is a committee that has to consider all of the requests. There are a certain number of criteria. If an applicant meets those criteria, they apply to the committee. The committee then makes a recommendation to me. Then I would sign off on it, based on their recommendation. So I would be happy to write to the Member, and he can share the criteria with the residents he is talking about in his area or he can encourage them to have a look at the Justice web site, because it is set out on the Justice web site too.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. I would appreciate something that the Minister can give me to write or communicate somehow to me so I can take it back to the communities that I represent. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Page 7-14, activity summary, services to government, grants and contributions, grants, total grants and contributions, $79,000.

Agreed.

Page 7-16, information item, services to government, active positions, $62,000.

Agreed.

Page 7-17, information item, services to government, active positions, $62,000.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a motion for page 7-19. I move that this committee recommends that the government undertake to develop a concrete plan with specific actions to address the absence of policing services in small communities in the NWT;

Further, that the plan and its associated cost estimate be presented to the Standing Committee on Social Programs before or during the review of the 2006-2009 Business Plans. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. The motion is just being circulated for review right now. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Page 7-19, activity summary, law enforcement, operations expenditure summary, $24.291 million.

Agreed.

Page 7-23, activity summary, legal aid services, operations expenditure summary, $4.493 million.

Agreed.

Page 7-26, information item, legal aid services, active positions, $27,000.

Agreed.

Page 7-27, information item, legal aid services, active positions, $19,000.

Agreed.

Page 7-29, activity summary, courts, operations expenditure summary, $7.895 million.

Agreed.

Page 7-32, courts, active positions, $49,000.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion. I move that this committee recommends that funding for the remand unit for the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre be reinstated in the 2005-06 Main Estimates for the Department of Justice.

The motion is in order.

Question.

The clerk is handing out the motion. The motion has been circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to speak in favour of the motion.

---Laughter

Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a moment to thank all the Members who have taken an interest in this subject and who have spoken to this. I really appreciate it. I know there are a lot of issues on everybody’s agenda. This remand unit at the South Slave Correctional Centre, Mr. Chairman, is something that has been there for awhile. It has provided a good and sound service. I just hope that the government will hear our voice on this motion and will respect the will of the House on this and that the Minister will carry this motion forward to his colleagues with enthusiasm and support. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

---Applause

To the motion. Ms. Lee.

Just a very short addition to that, as the Member for Hay River South mentioned earlier, there are many priorities that Members of this House have stated with regard to their priorities for Justice and that is what we are supposed to be doing. We are doing exactly what we would like the Minister and the government to know in terms of what we think should be done. I think this motion should be taken as a recommendation in a consensus government for the government to review the decision that they have made. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the department has to eat whatever is the lost revenue or the budget deficit from within. I would like to ask FMB to consider bringing a supplementary appropriation forward, if they try to meet these deficits from within and can’t do it without cutting the essential programs that we have all suggested.

I do appreciate the Minister’s position. At one point or another we are all speaking to priorities, but the Member for Hay River South and I have been here long enough to know that it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. The government does have means and ways to find money when the majority of Members have stated a priority. So I just wanted to make it clear that endorsement of this motion is on the merit of the motion. I have already explained that and it doesn’t say anything about lessening other priorities we have stated in other areas. I don’t think it has to necessarily be that way. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. To the motion. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, vote in favour of this motion. The main concern is that one of the goals and objectives of this line item is to provide safe custody and detention for adults. I am not convinced that the safety of the adults who are passing through the facility will be taken care of with the reduction of services. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the motion.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those in opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Page 7-35, activity summary, community justice and corrections, operations expenditure summary, $31.101 million.

Agreed.

Page 7-37, activity summary, community justice and corrections, grants and contributions, contributions, total grants and contributions, $1.704 million.

Agreed.

Page 7-39, information item, community justice and corrections, active positions.

Agreed.

Page 7-41, activity summary, services to the public, operations expenditure summary, $2.989 million.