Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee was generally satisfied with the presentation of the 1998-99 main estimates. The Members corresponded to the business plan and capital plan already reviewed by the committee. The committee made note of the following issues during its review of the 1998-99 main estimates of the Department of Justice.
Administration costs, the committee expressed its concern that there was no way to determine the total amount spent by the department on administration. There was also concern that the cost of human resources administration has been passed on to the department resulting in no net savings to the government as a whole. If anything, the money required to support human resources personnel, would reduce funds available for client-driven program delivery. The department has agreed to supply the committee with figures related to spending on administration within the department.
The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends this Standing Committee on Government Operations, requests that the government conduct an in-depth study as to whether any savings were lost by the dissolution of the Department of Personnel.
Justice of the Peace Program, the committee was pleased to hear that the department is allocating more resources to maintain this program. As in the case of coroners, the people who take on the responsibility of being justice of the peace in their home communities are often placed in unenviable positions between family and friends. The committee believes that as a government, we have a responsibility to support these people to the best of our ability. Of particular interest to the committee is the hiring of a justice of the peace coordinator. We need someone who can relate to the justice of the peace at the local and regional level, who can respond to the needs of the JPs and act on them. The committee looks forward to seeing a copy of the job description for the position. The committee also encourages the department to explore the possibility of expanding the use of JPs at the community level and to ensure there are JPs in each community. Committee members believe that if the JPs were willing and supplied with the right training, they could handle some family law in young offender cases, freeing up the court system.
The committee highly recommends that the person who is hired for justice of the peace coordinator be someone who has an in-depth knowledge of the north and its people.
The committee recommends that the corrections review by the department include at a minimum, the preparation of working papers on the state of corrections in each of the two new territories and addressing the issue of compliance with the federal corrections regulations to provide the new government with direction on resolving the serious issues facing corrections.
The committee recommends that the department formulate, in concert with the RCMP and the Interim Commissioner's office, a strategic plan for policing in the western territory and Nunavut.
A concern was raised that the Young Offenders Act is not being administered properly in some of the smaller communities. Young offenders are being removed from their home community to a larger centre without their parents being given opportunity to intervene. When the child appears in court, there is little opportunity, given the often-prohibitive cost of travel, for their parents to attend. The committee noted that the community, for which this is a particular concern, also does not have a justice of the peace. Committee Members feel that this issue could be more appropriately handled by a JP who has the authority to deal with young offenders in the offender's home community. It is hoped that the new justice of the peace coordinator would address this issue. The Minister had committed to looking into the concern and responding to the Member that raised the issue. The committee would appreciate being copied on all correspondence on this issue.
The committee appreciated the opportunity to review the interim legal aid report. The committee looks forward to reviewing the final report and recommendations and providing its input into the process. Although the department explained that the legal services board is an arms-length agency, the committee is of the opinion that the department, as the funding provider, bears some responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations. The committee is concerned that the lack of legal aid for family law impacts negatively on families and children. As recommended, in one of the models put forth in the interim report, the committee adds its unqualified support for the hiring of a separate legal aid lawyer to deal with family law only.
Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I would like to ask Mr. Miltenberger, my deputy to continue with the report, please.