Debates of October 26, 2006 (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This afternoon, I would like to ask the Honourable Brendan Bell some questions regarding the performance of, and at, the North Slave Correctional Centre, and specifically regarding some of the conditions in which some inmates are managed there, Mr. Speaker. One of the things I encountered in talking to a couple of inmates was their frustration at not being able to find out just what their situation was and when they felt that there was something that they just could not get resolved, some difficulties, some discrepancy, some conflict between them and their supervisors or case workers, they had nowhere to go except, at least in one case, to their MLA. So I got some pretty frequent phone calls. Mr. Speaker, what I wanted to ask about was the provision that is in our Corrections Act for a position called a corrections investigator who is like an ombudsman or a person who inmates can go to when they encounter systemic difficulties. Is such a person on staff, on contract, or available to inmates now, or has this position been allowed to lapse, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The first level of appeal when an inmate has a concern is, as it should be, I believe, in the Department of Corrections. But sometimes the inmate won’t get the satisfaction they feel that they need there and would like to take it to the higher level. The Member has cited the provision that allows for that. We have never had, to my understanding, a staff person who fulfills that role. We have gone out for expressions of interest in the past and had people on contract. We no longer have somebody on contract. The department has advised me that we would seek to do that on a need basis, so that, when one was required, we would go out and find someone. I have suggested and asked the department to go out and pursue this now, make sure we have a contract so that there is somebody in place and we don’t lose any time should the need arise. So we are doing that, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s initiative in this area. Kind of related to this, Mr. Speaker, is there has been a service provided by some volunteer organizations in our community, especially the John Howard Society which, on a volunteer basis of late at least, has gone into the North Slave Correctional Centre, and had face-to-face involvement opportunity to work with inmates in their rehabilitation. But this summer, I understand for a variety of reasons that access by these volunteers was curtailed quite extensively, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to ask whether we have a policy regarding the access of volunteers to the inmate population, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Mr. Speaker, thank you. I would like to say I am sure, but I believe we do have an operational policy with this respect at the facilities. There are, of course, always in these situations potentially safety concerns for inmates or for volunteers who would come. It is of paramount importance that we ensure that safety, but let me say that the John Howard Society fulfills a critical role, I believe, in society but in our corrections system. I appreciate the good work that they do. We want to make sure that they do have access to our facilities, but there are some things that we need to ensure like the safety, as I have indicated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister advise on the adequacy of staffing at the North Slave Correctional Centre and the training of our staff? This is in relation to complaints and concerns that I received, Mr. Speaker, that there is often communication difficulties, inconsistency with communications, and inadequacy and shortcomings in the delivery of programs for inmates, programs relating to addictions, literacy, school and these kinds of things, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Mr. Speaker, a couple of issues. I think both of them were raised in the HR review. There were many, as Mr. Ramsay has pointed out a number of times, recommendations that we are moving forward with. I think communications have vastly improved at the facility. I think programming is ever improving, Mr. Speaker. Can we do more and can we do better? Yes, I believe we can, but I think we have a number of good programs in place, some recent media coverage, some speculation that we cancelled some programs. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we have reviewed some of our programs and are seeking to improve them. We have felt that some of the people delivering the programming needed more training to ensure that the programs were improved and more adequate. So we have undertaken that, Mr. Speaker. I think all of the programs should be back on line in the next couple of months because, really, as I have indicated, they have never been cancelled. One was delayed for a couple of months while we engaged in some training. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Mr. Speaker, related to the overall performance of our correction centre, the correction service has a values and mission and vision statement. I won’t read it here. I don’t have too much time. Actually, the way it is written, Mr. Speaker, might get me cited for the CBC "What Are They Saying" contest here. Is there a regularly scheduled program of performance operational review? When was the last one conducted? When might we see the next one, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. There are three questions there, Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 202-15(5): Operational Review Of The North Slave Correctional Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I now too am ever mindful of trying to avoid that segment on CBC. There is a review underway right now of our corrections program and the facility. We think that we need to obviously ensure that our programming is as good as it can be. So we have had some concerns come up. Obviously, the Members know we ran a deficit last year. We had some cost drivers that we are seeking to address. We need to know exactly what we are legislatively required to provide, what types of service and other things that are add-on. So we are viewing all of these things. I have indicated that we will come back to the committee with the results of that review shortly; pre-Christmas, Mr. Speaker.