Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was wondering if committee could get an update as to the status of the warden position at the FMCC. I am aware that it was vacant and it was being staffed by an acting warden. Could I get an update from the Minister? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Goldney.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am happy to report that we have staffed that position with a hire with considerable experience. The plan moving forward is to use this as an opportunity for mentoring and building capacities locally. We do have somebody filling that position right now. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is the position filled permanently right now? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Goldney.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe the hire was for a term period, but it is a permanent position filled with the term hire for a certain term.
Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The person who is in that position now is there on a term. Is the plan to make that term indefinite, or is that person there to fill the position temporarily? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Sebert.
I understand that it is a casual hire. This person is a very experienced warden. I am quite sure he is not intending to spend the rest of his career, or what might be left of it, in the Northwest Territories. It is a question of bringing in someone to mentor people who might be considered for that position. Also, I believe he will be assisting with the Fort Smith jail. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concern is that someone, I believe, from out of the province or out of the territory was brought in to fill a position that local people have been acting in with considerable experience themselves. It is kind of demoralizing to a workplace when something like that happens. My concern is that this is a permanent position that we are again bringing in people from the South to fill positions that Northerners can fill themselves. Is this the case, Minister Sebert?
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Sebert.
Mr. Chair, it was really a question of bringing in a very experienced warden who had experience, as I understand, it in both the Yukon and in British Columbia with the full understanding that this person would only be there temporarily to assist and mentor staff in both Fort Smith and Hay River. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Minister. That was the answer I was looking for, intention to be there only temporarily to mentor staff. No further questions right now. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the wilderness programming, I notice a reduction of $281,000. Could the Minister explain what that reduction was. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Sebert.
That was an accounting issue. It was a transfer to community justice. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just trying to figure this out. There was $281,000 transferred to community justice, but when you look at the community justice page, it is only $249,000. We are $32,000 short. Where did that money go? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Sebert.
Thank you. I understand that this is really an issue of accounting. That money was transferred to another location. Perhaps I should have Ms. Bolstad respond, because I think she has a better answer.
Thank you, Minister Sebert. Ms. Bolstad.
In the community justice and policing expenditure category comparison on the expenditure summary page, my apologies, on page 257, you will see a growth in contract services. That transfer is there along with some additional funding received from the victim federal services agreement.
Thank you, Ms. Bolstad. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank her for providing the answer. However, I still don't understand this. We have $281,000 that got transferred over to community justice policing. There was $249,000, and there is still short $32,000. Where is that $32,000? Where did that get transferred to? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Sebert.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't really know, but perhaps Ms. Bolstad could.
Mr. Goldney.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think what the Member is seeing in the Corrections budget is the remainder of the fund for wilderness programming. That still stays there. It is a portion of it that was moved out to community justice. They are not numbers that should line up. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank Mr. Goldney for his answer. When I take $562,000 and you take $281,000, you subtract that you come up with $281,000. Maybe my math is wrong, but when I am looking at it, only on community justice and policing there was $249,000. In my math, we are $32,000 short. Where did that money go? Was it transferred to somewhere else? I am looking at it, and it doesn't jibe with what is in community justice and policing. Can the Minister please advise us, where has this extra $32,000 gone? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Sebert.
We are attempting to answer this question. I am wondering if the Member could identify where he is pointing to on the community justice page?
Thank you, Minister Sebert. We are on Corrections. Pages 260 to 263. Would you make reference within those pages there? Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, yes. On page 261, we see a reduction in wilderness programming of $281,000. I was told that we transferred the money to community justice and policing under contract services on page 256, but it only comes out to $249,000. We are out $32,000. I am asking: where is this money? Where did it go? Did it go somewhere, transfer to another area? We are out $32,000. Unless my math is wrong, I don't know where it is. That is why I am asking the Minister where it went. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Ms. Bolstad.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If you reference the 2016-2017 Main Estimates column and not the revised estimates, the number there is the $698,000 on the contract services line within community justice. The increase between the 2016-2017 Main Estimates and the 2017-2018 Main Estimates is actually $357,000. The $281,000 is within that increase. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Bolstad. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking at the main estimates, 2017-2018 and 2016-2017. The money is there. Can I get the Minister to make a commitment to show me exactly where the $32,000 is? Because it still does not add up. Can I just get that commitment, because we could be here for a while longer? If I could get the commitment for the department to show me where this extra $32,000 have gone to, I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Ms. Bolstad, would you provide assistance for clarification to that request?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is a question of some complexity. We will attempt to provide those figures, and I believe we can. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Sebert.
Going beyond the word "attempt," you will get your clarification.
Thank you. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The SFCC in Hay River, is the remand part of the jail fit to house remand inmates? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Sebert.
