Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been a lot of developments since the last session on the federal introduction of Bill C-10, the Omnibus Crime Bill. I’d like to recap and investigate our status to date.
The national clamour grows as provincial and territorial research confirms the anticipated balloon of court, corrections and policing costs resulting from minimum mandatory sentencing. Following a December 9th motion of this Assembly, the Minister of Justice committed to provide information on the anticipated costs and I’ll be asking questions on that research. An element of that motion called on the government to investigate means of diverting offenders from the justice system using more effective treatment programs and avoiding court and correction costs.
In our meeting last year, the Ministers of Justice and Health promised a comprehensive investigation of mental health diversion court programs to meet part of that need. Again, as called for by this and the 16th Assembly. The need to fight crime at its causes has recently been again confirmed by the work of a community roundtable on downtown social issues here in Yellowknife.
Unfortunately, provincial and territorial jurisdictions have been unsuccessful in knocking the federal government off of this regressive approach. Even political leaders in Texas say filling the jails just doesn’t work. Despite our overflowing jails and known consequences of Bill C-10, our Minister got a firm no from the Government of Canada on our call for assistance.
Recognizing the need to continue the fight, the Nunavut Justice Minister was damning in his criticism of C-10 and the huge human and dollar costs resulting. We need to promptly cost and document the downloading of expenses and take a harder line, in alliance with other jurisdictions calling on the federal government to pay the cost explosion it’s liable to create.
But most importantly, we need to address our real opportunity with more humane and effective treatment of potential and real offenders. Mental health diversion courts, alcohol, drug and family violence treatment programs, community justice mechanisms, these are the front-end investments that will reduce the costs from years of incarcerations and enable our citizens to live healthy, productive and law-abiding lives.
I will be asking the Minister questions on his progress in recent months on realizing these real opportunities and mitigating the real costs expected from Bill C-10.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
