Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take his question as notice.
Debates of March 15th, 1993
Topics
Question 488-12(3): Implications Of Regional Hospital In Keewatin
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
Rebecca Mike Baffin Central
Question 488-12(3): Implications Of Regional Hospital In Keewatin
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. Hopefully if he answers this question we can put this issue to rest. Mr. Speaker, my colleague for Deh Cho has said that justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done. How is the Minister of Justice assuring the public of the Northwest Territories with regard to the issue of an inmate who misappropriated funds, in excess of a quarter of a million dollars of public funds, that justice is seen to be done? Thank you.
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Kakfwi.
Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, I have said last week that perhaps it is a good thing that politicians are not the ones who decide a sentence or punishment which is going to be inflicted on people for their wrong doing. In this case the particular individual has seen a career that is totally wiped out, any credibility, her personal self-esteem totally eradicated, the high profile which was given to it through the media and ongoing by politicians is a form of punishment. There was a sentence handed down by the court which is the due process that we respect regardless of its efficiency or shortcomings. That is the way it is done. If individual politicians or Members feel there is not enough punishment, I would be interested to know why. The focus, I think from our point of view, is to help people who have committed a wrong doing and not send them to the bottom of the dungeon not to be seen again. People have to be prepared and helped to come back and be part of society. We extend it certainly to our own aboriginal people, we should extend it to all people regardless of race. Thank you.
Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the Minister did not answer the question. However, Mr. Speaker, the Minister wanted to know why we do not feel that justice is being seen to be done. Mr. Speaker, we have an inmate who is enrolled in one of the educational facilities, Arctic College, taking management studies, who has been given a sentence of three years, and within six months this inmate is attending school. I am still trying to find out who paid the tuition when many other students in the Northwest Territories have to absorb their own tuition. I would like to ask the Minister if he would review his corrections division to give assurance to the public, in this particular case, that justice is seen to be done by the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, my view is that there are two Members of this Legislature who have taken a particular interest in this inmate. I understand there is a perception on their part that there is not enough punishment for the offence which was committed. I do not see it as a great public concern judging from the lack of interest in other quarters. We have an exchange agreement, Mr. Speaker, a month ago I indicated that if Members had a particular problem with the provisions of the exchange agreement then perhaps that is what we should focus on. The exchange agreement provides and makes certain provisions for people who are first time offenders, people who are from the Northwest Territories, not only the aboriginal peoples of the Northwest Territories but all long-term and life time residents of the north. The exchange agreement provides for the things which the particular inmate is now being accorded access to. She is attending courses, she is paying for the courses herself. It is seen as a good positive means of an individual rebuilding self-esteem, confidence, some belief that upon release the individual will have some capacity, mentally, physically, and academically to become a productive, accepted member of society. The exchange agreement is what the Members are focusing on and I would be prepared to table it and then the Members can focus on that rather than a particular individual. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 906
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I want to make it explicitly clear to the Minister that I do not appreciate the imputative motive that he is making toward me, that an inmate should be dealt with in a harsher manner. I think the issue at hand, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that the public does not feel that justice is seen to be done. That is the issue at hand. I would like to ask the Minister, how can he assure the public, to avoid something such as this happening in the future, that justice is being done? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, there seems to be a fundamental difference of opinion, since I do not see anyone calling for a public inquiry asking for this gross injustice to be dealt with. I do not see anyone asking for some specific focus to be dealt with. I do not agree with the Member that she is the sole spokesperson for what the public thinks should be done in any case. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, whether the Minister agrees with it or not, I am the spokesperson for the concerns that my constituents bring to me, whether you like it or not. I would like to ask the Minister and I certainly hope he takes the courtesy of trying to answer Member's questions on this side of the House, can he indicate to me how is his department assuring the public, particularly regarding the issue of an inmate who has misappropriated public funds in excess of a quarter of a million dollars, that justice is seen to be done under his department. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
I would like to remind Members there is nothing in our rules which compels a Minister to answer or compels a Minister to answer in a certain way. Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, I tried to answer the questions, the same question as last week. It is recorded in Hansard. When a person commits an offence, particularly a serious offence, it is the federal government which organizes itself and lays the charges. It goes before a court. That is the due process. There is argument for and against. They are presumed innocent until the court finds otherwise. Once that is done a sentence is passed.
Further Return To Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Question 489-12(3): Public Perception Re Fort Smith Inmate
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. New question, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Question 490-12(3): Eligibility Criteria For Legal Aid On Appeals
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, I will try again with the Minister of Justice on a different topic. Mr. Speaker, a couple of week ago my colleague for Deh Cho raised a number of concerns, particularly about the way the legal aid program is operating in the Northwest Territories. He has concerns, I would like to state for the record that I agree with him, that there are certainly many problems with legal aid and that it seems to be time for the Minister to take some type of role in trying to correct them. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the procedures which are used for determining whether legal aid funding should be funding the court appeals of persons who have been found guilty of various offences. I certainly believe that at least in most cases the offenders original lawyer provides the executive director with a statement of opinion on whether there is grounds for an appeal. I have also been informed of different situations in which the appeal may be called for because of the apparent inadequacy of cases that have been produced by the lawyers themselves. Can the Minister of Justice indicate whether he would be willing to review the procedures used within the legal aid program for evaluating the funding of offenders' appeals? Thank you.
Question 490-12(3): Eligibility Criteria For Legal Aid On Appeals
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Kakfwi.
Question 490-12(3): Eligibility Criteria For Legal Aid On Appeals
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
Question 490-12(3): Eligibility Criteria For Legal Aid On Appeals
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Question 491-12(3): Employment Restrictions For Staff On Education Leave
Item 5: Oral Questions
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Personnel. I would like to ask the Minister of Personnel when government employees are granted education leave, are there restrictions placed on whether they are able to take on full work with other governments, private sectors or organizations? Thank you.
Question 491-12(3): Employment Restrictions For Staff On Education Leave
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Kakfwi.
Return To Question 491-12(3): Employment Restrictions For Staff On Education Leave
Question 491-12(3): Employment Restrictions For Staff On Education Leave
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 907
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, the education leave with pay and leave without pay have different provisions in them. I think generally if they are on education leave with pay it would be frowned on if the person found the time to take away from full studies to do another job full-time. If the leave is without pay, then I would think it is really none of our business what they do with their spare time in order to make income. Thank you.