Madam Speaker, the community justice initiative is one that is going to take some time to gain momentum. All across the Northwest Territories, at this time, there is major work being done by nearly all the predominantly aboriginal groups to implement land claim agreements. These are very complex and time consuming. Many of the leadership and skilled people at the community and regional levels are focusing their priorities on this work at this time, such as in the Gwich'in settlement area. The Inuvialuit continue to implement their claim. The Sahtu is following suit. The Nunavut claim area is also starting to swing its focus primarily on claims implementation.

In the wake of that, the focus that I hoped would be put on community justice has not moved as quickly as I would have liked. At the same time, it follows that once people put their priorities in order, I believe that community justice is going to be high on the list because people are preoccupied with taking responsibility for crimes, for the social upheaval and the things wrong in our communities.

The Department of Justice continues to stand ready to help those communities that call on us to assist them setting up meetings and workshops, those communities that wish to explore ways in which they can, initially as volunteers, begin to look for ways they can get involved in the current justice system, to take over certain elements of justice the way it is now and to give the community more responsibility and involvement in that area. It is still a high priority, at least with the Department of Justice. Thank you.