Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this morning I spoke of an escape at the North Slave Correctional Centre. Mr. Speaker, what corrective actions have been taken to close the physical gap in security measures at the facility? Those questions are to the Minister of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Justice.
Mr. Speaker, I can advise this House that the department and myself took this matter very seriously. A critical incident report was prepared, and I also will be meeting with committee tomorrow evening, I believe. I can give a fuller answer at that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm sure committee and members of the public are looking forward to that fuller answer. I assume this meeting will be in public so the answer will be available to the public, as they would be in this House?
Mr. Speaker, I don't believe the meeting will be public because we will be discussing certain confidential information that would not be appropriate to share with the public. There are, however, many of the issues around this incident that are already known. I can advise this House that the report, which was quite comprehensive, found that the escapee acted alone, he exploited a gap in the physical security of the building to access the roof of the building; the number of correctional officers on site at the point of escape was appropriate, and proper procedures were being followed at the time of the escape; the area used to access the roof was one the inmates had been using for the past 12 years, since the opening of the facility, without incident. Proper emergency procedures to address the escape were immediately implemented and no changes to those procedures are required.
Mr. Speaker, did this comprehensive review take into account any additional security concerns related to the neighbourhoods in my riding of Kam Lake close to the correctional facility? Was there an assessment done on potential security issues related to the close proximity of neighbourhoods with a correctional facility?
Mr. Speaker, I don't have the report, pardon me. I think the report mainly looked at the institute itself, the walls, the roofs, and so on. Obviously, we are aware that the facility is in the middle of an urban area, so that would be an ongoing concern. I'm not sure if it was addressed specifically in the report, but I can advise this House that we are very aware of the location of this facility, of the possible dangers to the neighbourhood.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, has the Minister spoken to frontline staff or personally toured the facility to see their daily experiences and the challenges they face and, if not, will the Minister commit to do that so he gets a good sense of what our peace officers go through in their daily lives?
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I did have the opportunity some months ago to go on a visit to the facility. I had been there many times in my former capacity as a defence lawyer. I do not speak to, and I don't think it would be appropriate for me to speak to the individual workers there with respect to this incident.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
