Debates of May 31, 2006 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Brendan Bell. Mr. Bell gave a Minister’s statement today talking about community justice and some of the pilot projects and some of the innovative things that are being done on the community justice front in our communities. I have to agree that it would appear that we are gaining good results from some of these things. I would like to commend the Minister and his department for that. However, Mr. Speaker, recently, a situation has been drawn to my attention. I believe it has been drawn to the Minister’s attention as well, where our local courts are being called upon to sentence people who are known to be addicted to crack cocaine. Sometimes these individuals, rather than go to jail, are being given conditional sentences. They are being placed under house arrest.

I would like to ask the Minister if he does not see a gap in that type of scenario where somebody who the courts know is addicted to drugs is sentenced to house arrest and with no other, and obviously instructed to abstain, but with no other resource to back them up at the community level; no other program, counselling, or any direction provided to them and no resource available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 8-15(5): Sentencing Terms For Persons With Addictions

Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult for me to comment on actual sentencing because that is under the purview of the courts, but I would agree that we need to have support and resources in our communities for those who need treatment. There is a lot of discussion currently around the use of conditional sentencing. I know the Members are all aware of the federal proposal to hold conditional sentencing and use it only for less serious crimes and not allow it in situations where violent crimes have been committed, sex crimes, crimes against children. It is certainly something that I support that we not use conditional sentences in those cases. But in terms of the latitude that the courts and judges have now, that is not something that we are obviously involved in. But I would say that, as a government, we have a responsibility to ensure that there are community resources to deal with addictions. We are certainly working on a number of initiatives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 8-15(5): Sentencing Terms For Persons With Addictions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that the Minister and everyone in this room or Chamber know that the community resources are not there to deal with drug addictions in many cases and particularly in the smaller communities. To sentence people to house arrest who are drug addicted seems like a bit of a recipe for disaster or for failure for those individuals. I would like to ask the Minister if he has room in the jails for these people. If we don’t have the resources to provide counselling and help for these people who are drug addicted, does he have room in his jails for them today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 8-15(5): Sentencing Terms For Persons With Addictions

Mr. Speaker, obviously, it is not our hope or intention that we set people up to fail and somehow they end up back in our court system and back into our jails. We do need to do a comprehensive job as a government, making sure there are treatment options. We need to work in our corrections system to make sure that those who are in our facilities have access to these supports. I think we do a number of things that are very good. Are there needs and are there gaps? Yes, there are, Mr. Speaker. I would certainly acknowledge that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 8-15(5): Sentencing Terms For Persons With Addictions

Mr. Speaker, this is my final question. I wonder if the Minister would commit to working with the Minister of Health and Social Services to do a cost-benefit analysis on providing those resources in the communities to deal with those folks who are in court as a result of drug addictions to see which is the more economic and humane route for this government to provide the resources to support those people in their efforts to get away from those addictions, or to look at the cost of where they are ultimately going to end up and that is in jail. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 8-15(5): Sentencing Terms For Persons With Addictions

Mr. Speaker, I am certainly willing to sit down with the Minister of Health, but I think we all recognize and acknowledge and take the Member’s point. We certainly provide people a disservice if we do not provide them with the treatment and help they need. Obviously, there are personal choices to be made here. But we also have to live up to our end of the bargain, which is to make sure there are resources available, Mr. Speaker. It is a last resort to lock people up. We are certainly not trying to do that. We are not trying to unnecessarily lock people up when there are other options. I think that and will commit that, as a government, we will continue to work on treatment options. I know the Minister of Health has a personal interest in ensuring that we do that, as does our entire government. So we will continue on that course. I will have discussions with him and certainly invite discussion with committee as I know the Minister of Health would as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.