Debates of February 2, 2017 (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I note that the current budget proposes to increase the complement of deputy sheriffs in the Department of Justice by two. I wonder if the Minister of Justice can fill me in on if they have had the discussion about the sheriffs taking over all court services in the justice system and allow the RCMP out of the courtroom and onto the streets where they belong? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, until 2010, I believe all escorts were done in Yellowknife by the RCMP. I was looking at some statistics, which I can't seem to put my hand on at this time, but I understand about 80 per cent of the escorts now are done by the sheriff's office in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Could the Minister be clear if it is 100 per cent or if we are still using the RCMP for a service that is not required? I think what I am getting across is: has an assessment been done if we are going to move the sheriff's office towards full coverage of court security and escorting services so we can get the RCMP back on the streets, keeping people safe, and allow our sheriffs to do a much-needed job that they are perfectly capable of doing, especially now that you have been given more resources to do that job?

The sheriff's office is doing 80 per cent of the escorts at this time. I have actually found the statistics. In the last year, there were 3,241 escorts and the RCMP only did 455. I imagine there would always be circumstances in which it would be required that the RCMP do the escorts. I don't know whether the figure of 20 per cent, which is roughly the number they do now, will go down.

I appreciate the statistics from the Minister. It is good to see we are making better use. Apart from escorts, are we moving away from having an RCMP officer in the courtroom securing it? Has that policy shift been discussed with both our partners in the RCMP and within the Department of Justice? Have you had that discussion? Are we moving toward the model that we have seen in other jurisdictions, such as Nunavut, where the sheriffs are the sole security personnel and peace officers responsible for court security and we can start shifting the RCMP to other responsibilities as through our police services contract?

With respect to the situation in Nunavut, I understand that the sheriff's office does the transfers and prisoner court security only in Iqaluit. There is a possibility, of course, of changing our system to be more like that of Alberta and some of the southern provinces. However, that would also require the agreement of another party, which the Member opposite did not mention, the judiciary. The long tradition is to have RCMP officers in the courthouse, and any change that we might be planning would have to be vetted through them.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear a lot of excuses from the Minister. If he is not interested in this policy change, I wish he would be forthright about it. Has he talked to the judiciary in addition to the other two departments I have listed, and can he answer if the department has spoken to the RCMP, the judiciary, and to other GNWT departments? Have we had this discussion about this policy change, and is the Minister willing to make that move? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am willing to have that discussion. I don't know whether I am willing to make that move, because I would have to consider the RCMP, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and also the judiciary's concerns. I have not spoken to the judiciary about this. We have meetings with them perhaps once a year. I will perhaps bring it up at the next meeting. We have looked at this situation, and generally speaking I would have to say we do seem to be content with the present arrangement, but we are certainly always open to new ideas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tabling of Documents

Tabled Document 262-18(2): Aurora College Annual Report 2015-2016

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Aurora College Annual Report, 2015-2016." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of Committee? Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole