Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Several days ago, Mr. Speaker, the Member for Inuvik made a statement in this House with regard to our representatives at national curling events. I think he commended those who had already participated in national events and represented the Northwest Territories very well. I want to say, Mr. Speaker, during the past week, as was pointed out by Mr. Koe, Mr. Delmage, Mr. Mel Smith, Mr. Ron Kapicki and Mr. Larry Elkin, who we all know very well as the president of the Housing

Corporation, placed second in our national senior men's championships.

---Applause

I think that is commendable on their part and it bodes well for our curling in the Northwest Territories, but even more than that, the kind of athletes that we have the capacity to develop in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Antoine on March 18, 1993, with regard to the transfer of Arctic College credits to southern institutions.

In general, Arctic College graduates, like graduates from other colleges in Canada, may apply to enter programs offered through other post-secondary institutions. These institutions will review the courses students have taken, the credits they have achieved and determine what credits they will recognize towards the programs students wish to enter.

Arctic College does have formal accreditation agreements with seven other post-secondary institutions for specific programs. The community administration program is accredited with St. Lawrence College; university transfer programs are accredited with the Universities of Alberta and Athabasca; the eastern Arctic teacher education program is accredited with McGill University; the western Arctic teacher education program is accredited with the University of Saskatoon and the social worker program is accredited with the Universities of Calgary and Regina. Arctic College is currently negotiating with the University of McGill concerning accreditation for the interpreter/translator program and with the University of Trent concerning the accreditation of the native studies program.

In addition, the certified nursing assistants' program is recognized nationally. To graduate students must pass a Canada-wide examination. Also, the renewable resource training program is one of ten programs in North America recognized by the American Wildlife Technology Association. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, on March 4, I tabled Tabled Document 82-12(3), which was a Press Independent article about an incident which involved a sexual assault issue of a young offender in Hay River. In the article one of the Minister's senior corrections officials, Mr. Friesen, confirmed that there can be up to four youths living in a single dorm at the Hay River facility. Mr. Friesen is also quoted as saying, "It would be ideal to have single rooms, but it is just too costly to build." Recognizing that the Hay River facility has proven to be completely inadequate as a place to provide secure custody, can the Minister tell the House why his department has now decided to use it as a secure custody institution along with an open custody institution and a remand custody institution? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing that Mr. Friesen, who is probably one of the Minister's most experienced officials working with young offenders, has stated for the public record that a dormitory style facility creates special supervision problems, how can the Minister justify a facility such as the Hay River secure facility to be a triple designate for young offenders who are sentenced by the courts? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Would you please re-phrase the question, Mrs. Marie-Jewell?

Thank you. I would like the Minister to justify the Hay River secure facility as a triple designate facility to house young offenders who have been sentenced by the courts. Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Mr. Speaker, under the Young Offenders Act, territorial legislation allows for open custody or wilderness camps. Open custody is generally for young offenders who are designated by the courts to have committed crimes such as offending the Liquor Act or break and enters. Secure custody is generally repeated offenders who have committed either sexual assaults or murder. I would like to ask the Minister, how can he justify placing these young offenders who have such a variety of crimes, in an institution with a triple designation? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 5, oral questions. This is your final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe this issue is only a concern for the union, I believe it is a concern for the staff at River Ridge. They sent me a letter dated March 14, asking me to assist them to allow for their institution to be maintained as a secure facility, probably due to the number and types of training courses they have taken over the past couple of years. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister -- he did not, by the way, answer my question -- if he can tell this House whether his department has determined the extent to which the GNWT is legally liable for physical or emotional damages which are suffered by a young offender who is victimized while they are incarcerated in a territorial facility, particularly a young offender facility? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

(microphone turned off)