Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Zoe on March 17, 1993, concerning North American aboriginal summer games.

Mr. Speaker, I have some additional information to provide on this summer's North American indigenous games.

The second North American indigenous games will be held July 18 to 25, 1993, in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The first games were held in Edmonton in July, 1990.

Several teams from the Northwest Territories did participate in these first games in 1990, including men's and ladies' fastball teams from Fort Smith. The department provided grants to these teams to assist their travel costs. There were no formal trials to select an overall official Northwest Territories team, as such.

Mr. Speaker, the department has only received, to date, a couple of inquiries about the 1993 aboriginal games and we are not aware of any definite plans being made by any teams to participate.

The department does not have a program or any plans to select and send an official team to represent the NWT at these games, as it does to the Arctic winter games or Canada games. The department is prepared, however, to consider support similar to that given to teams that participated in 1990.

Mr. Speaker, sport in the Northwest Territories is the envy of many jurisdictions. Our individual sport organizations, our Sport North Federation and the various competitions and major athletic games we support place heavy emphasis on providing participation opportunities for our aboriginal people. Perhaps that is why there is less need to establish or support separate competitions. However, we have supported and will continue to support these groups that have been organized to promote aboriginal games, such as the various regional Inuit and Dene games associations and the NWT Arctic sports association.

The department will speak to these regional Inuit and Dene games associations and to the NWT Arctic sports association to see if they have plans to support or organize participation in these 1993 indigenous games. We are certainly prepared to work with these groups and to also consider any direct requests, as we did in 1990.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that most of our regional Inuit and Dene games groups have made plans for their own traditional games celebrations, held each summer. Our Sport North Federation is also in the final stages of preparing for the NWT's preparation in August at the 1993 Canada summer games. however, within this schedule, the department is ready to assist where there is interest in participation in the 1993 indigenous games. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. I would like to recognize in the gallery, the Mayor of Iqaluit, Mr. Charlie Ruttan.

---Applause Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the government's intention of trying to make sure they fully utilize a facility. The concern I have is the government is now intending to utilize a facility for the wrong program. I fully support the government's intention of trying to maximize the use of facilities, providing it is for the proper program delivery. The Minister has indicated that this particular facility will now be switched over from a maximum secure institution, to an open custody type of institution. Recognizing the bed space available, and keeping in mind, Mr. Speaker, that the trend for corrections fluctuates, I can say that correctional centres are probably over loaded in the winter, and under utilized towards the spring. That has always been the trend in my experience. I would like to ask the Minister whether any needs assessment studies, program reviews or strategic plans were done to examine whether this change was needed? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, it has always been my understanding that there are three categories of young offenders, according to the Corrections Act. Mr. Speaker, what I am concerned about is, I would like to ask the Minister in looking at the Justice budget again, there did not seem to be any particular funding identified for renovations. These renovations from changing a fairly maximum secure institution to an open custody would mean the idea of taking out all these locked doors and trying to take the control centre, making many changes to the facility. I would like to ask the Minister, does he know what renovations will be necessary to transform the River Ridge facility into an open custody setting, recognizing that I am sure he has been through that facility himself? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know about the idea of keeping the morale up on the staff because I met with the staff over the weekend and I believe it is going to affect their morale. Mr. Speaker, it appears to me the Minister of Justice does not fully understand the types of security and the responsibilities of the Department of Justice under the Corrections Act with respect to young offenders. I do not believe the Minister fully comprehends the Young Offenders Act to recognize his full responsibilities. The Minister says there will be no renovations. I know you cannot keep an open custody in what is designated as a maximum secure institution, and that is exactly what River Ridge is. There are going to have to be renovations to the Hay River facility. As he has said, the young offenders will transferred to the Hay River facility. I would like to ask the Minister, the expenditures which he is proposing are not in the budget and there will have to be renovations made, whether he realizes this or not. Can he review the act, recognizing his responsibilities and ensure those facilities would be used for their designated purposes to deliver the programs they were intended for? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, it was to be part of our meeting Wednesday, because we had an open afternoon. However, we are re-scheduling the meeting. We were going to have it on the agenda. The Legislative Assembly decided to meet on Wednesdays rather than leaving that period open. I have to re-schedule the meeting. We were going to discuss that at that time.