Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my question is: what is the training? Have we started the training of staff? Have we got programs? Staff have to be getting trained so that they can actually be operational when all of that work is done, and we are not waiting. Can the Minister elaborate and focus on just the training? Has there been training done, and what are the next steps moving forward? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the Minister doing that. With part of that cost analysis, could he look at the need, the demand of these positions, and how many people need the services? Can that be part of the study, as well? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The electronic maintenance enforcement system has been tested since 2016-2017, but my understanding is it's now been delayed. Can you please explain what obstacles the department has encountered in utilizing this system? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to follow up on questions from Mr. McNeely here. Can the Minister provide more information about the planned therapeutic community of the South Slave corrections? What is going on right now with that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is to the Minister in regard to legal services, about the opportunity to branch it out to the South Slave. I know that, in 2014, they looked at this. However, in 2014, we had lawyers there. Presently, in Hay River, we see one lawyer retiring and another lawyer downsizing his practice. Can the Minister explain why they wouldn't be looking at this? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's very, very important. I mean, we see that across Canada it's been implemented and followed through on, so why has the launch of the recalculation services been delayed? What is the stumbling block? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I appreciate the Minister is going to get to me with that there because, again, we have made a change. There should have been new money to make this change if we got 100, and if there isn't, that means seniors or elders were getting the short end of it who were actually accessing the program. The Minister actually talked about elders going out and cutting wood and that to help, you know, pay for that. That is great, but did they look at actually allocating the money that was litres as money instead of just coming out with monetary value?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. My concern or my understanding is, I know in my riding, we only have one in Fort Simpson and we don't have anything in Fort Liard. Previously, we had two or three in Fort Simpson and at least one in Fort Liard, so again, this is a valuable service. I guess my question is: you are saying there isn't, but how are we going to be able to help administer justice if we don't have these positions there and they have to go out and get the service from another community? Will the Minister look at that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concern is I am still hearing of people selling cannabis. What I am asking, though, was if the RCMP is able to confirm with you if they have been able to convict or charge people with this, for selling it, trafficking it. That is what I am asking. I will hope that they are able to give that to you and you are able to report to the House and the committee on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister providing those answers to us right now today. I mean, it is great that we need to get in there right now, but will the Minister look at actually putting a cost to it? Previously, it was 2,800 litres, and each zone had litres and not a monetary value. It is great that some people are able to access monetary value, but for those elders who are under that, will they look at the ability to, instead of monetary value, actually put it in litres or the value of those litres that they were supposed to get? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.