Debates of March 4, 2010 (day 4)

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WRITTEN QUESTION 2-16(5): PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENTS AT NORTH SLAVE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

Speaker: Mr. Mercer

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 2-16(5) asked by Mr. Ramsay on March 1, 2010, regarding psychiatric assessments at the North Slave Correctional Centre.

From time to time the courts in the Northwest Territories may order that a psychiatric assessment be conducted to assist the court in determining whether an accused person can be held fully accountable for a crime. These assessments must be conducted by a psychiatrist. No psychiatrist in the Northwest Territories does these type of assessments so offenders are typically sent to a specialized forensic psychiatric unit at Alberta Hospital.

As of March 1, 2010, there were no remanded offenders at the North Slave Correctional Centre awaiting a court ordered psychiatric assessment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.