Thank you, Mr. Ng. Mr. Enuaraq.
Debates of May 22nd, 1996
Topics
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central
(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the jobs that are available for legal aid ... Regarding the Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet, their jobs are getting larger and larger all the time. They are getting cut back as well. Their jobs are getting larger and I would like to ask, especially in Iqaluit, if you are going to be giving them more funding. Thank you.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in this budget, generally speaking, there has been a 50 per cent reduction to the Legal Services Board and they have passed on that reduction in the contributions to regional legal aid clinics. Thank you.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 548
Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central
(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Lastly, in the Baffin region, the coroners haven't had a workshop for a long time. They do have a very difficult job and they have to be updated from time to time. I would like to see them have more workshops for the coroners.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the department was fortunate in visiting the targets, in recognizing that the social envelope partners had a tougher time in trying to reach their targets. We were given some additional funding back for the current fiscal year. Of that, $450,000 was put back into the coroners' program to provide the training and to deal with the increased caseloads in that area, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question to the Minister is with regard to community justice committees. How many are there with regard to contribution agreements that you do have? How many justice committees do you have established to date and which communities are they in?
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Mr. Chairman, I have a comprehensive list that I can distribute, versus reading it out, because we have lots. We have approximately 50 to 60 contribution agreements, from what I have before me today.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With regard to the contribution agreements, I have been hearing some complaints, especially from my region, about the length of time it takes for resources to be given to the committees to operate. The intention is good to have committees to assist judges in sentencing and things like that, but it seems that, in order for them to operate, they are always borrowing money from the band councils or other areas to continue to operate as a committee.
The other problem is when you sentence someone to an on-the-land program, they don't have the resources in place to assist those people. There was a case in Ontario where an individual was banished to an island, but there was some question of being able to guarantee his safety and who is responsible if something were to happen to him. How have you assisted communities in getting their resources and what obligation do they have to the individual they may sentence?
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, with respect to the timing of payments, if it has been a problem in the past, I am not aware of it. However, if he is speaking about this current fiscal year, there hasn't been any significant progress made because the budget hasn't been approved yet. We have given out some preliminary payments to some organizations. In the future, the way the funding for community justice committees and projects would be financed is, as we go towards community wellness and community empowerment, more of these things will be block funded to the local agencies for direct distribution. So we would get around that problem of having to report and request to have payments made on the contracts, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
With regard to the question of contributions, are there resources to assist the justice committees to have the resources in case they have to send someone out on the land, for the cost of setting up camp; food, gas, et cetera. Is that part of the contribution agreement or is that separate funding?
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, under the current funding for community justice committees' programs and projects that we have, whether it is for fine options programs, conferences, funding diversion camps or day camps, to develop self-esteem programs or justice committees, they are all eligible under this program now. Thank you.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The other question I have is with regard to camp facilities. This year, I believe two facilities are going to be established in Fort Resolution and Aklavik. Are those still proceeding and what is the possibility of looking at alternative camps in other communities in other areas?
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee Members know the Standing Committee on Social Programs recommended that we look at this issue with the overall community justice initiative that we're putting together now for presentation, hopefully in June. As it stands now, there are no concrete plans to go forward one way or the other. It's looking at some of the alternatives we have to deal with the community-based justice initiatives. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97 Department Of Justice
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 549
The Chair Vince Steen
Before you proceed, Mr. Krutko, I would just like to remind Members that we are on general comments at this point, and if you have questions specific to an activity, at that point would be the appropriate time to question the Minister. If you could keep your comments or questions in a general nature, it would help to speed things along. Mr. Krutko.