Mr. Speaker, I need to correct the Member again for now moving the facility from one type of facility to another. We are giving it a triple designation which allows us the flexibility to use it, in large part, either as a secure facility or as an open custody facility.

The letters she mentioned, for instance one that was signed by the president of the Fort Smith Metis local and the Fort Smith native band, contain some inaccurate information. For instance, they say, "We are told that because the facility in Hay River requires some upgrading, and since there is no need for two facilities in the South Slave region, the department proposed to spend thousands of dollars by taking out all the secure facilities at River Ridge in Fort Smith and converting it into an open facility. It would then spend much more taxpayer's dollars and convert a semi-secure facility in Hay River into a secure facility." Again, I say there is no such thing as a semi-secure facility and there is no statement by this government that suggests we are going to spend thousands of dollars converting facilities. Somebody told these people that, and based on that information -- and if I was told that I would also be concerned.

My point simply is that I do not think these people have had the benefit of accurate information, at least if they have they have chosen to ignore it and would rather get on the bandwagon and raise concerns which are not based on factual information. They suggest that as a government we are not trying to spend taxpayer's money wisely, and that we have no interest in using the staff wisely.

I submit that we are very concerned about the number of empty beds in our facilities. With respect to the taxpayers, we have said to maximize the use of the facilities, we are concerned that the staff, which number 19 at the River Ridge facility, are not being taxed to the level they should because of the low number of inmates. That is not their fault, but we have an obligation to have staff working as fully and efficiently as possible and this initiative we have taken addresses both those things exactly in the interests of the taxpayer. We are not spending any money on renovations. We are taking existing staff and giving them some security by making sure all of them are going to be working to the full capacity which I am sure they are interested in doing, and that the facility is being used to the full capacity in which it should. Those are the interests of the taxpayer. Thank you.