Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The public has been telling us for some time, including every Member of this Legislature, that the Yellowknife Correctional Facility is in a sorry state. Every Member has said that. I think even the good Member that just asked the question has said that on a number of occasions, that it needs to be replaced, so we are going to do that. The public is very loud and clear about that. The inmates are very loud and clear about it. The officials who look at the provisions that government makes in carrying out the responsibilities are clear about it. That institution is inadequate and in a very sorry state.
The fire marshal has basically ordered us to provide new young offenders facilities by a certain date. The public, over and over, has said they would like northern inmates to stay in the north, not go south, stay in the north. The public has said over and over the families and the relatives of these inmates want easy access to them. They want easy access to them. The public has said we want you to provide programming so that you are not housing, warehousing these inmates but actually providing programs and that program space should be provided. It is required of us to give the best possible care to these inmates, whatever you think of them. Some of you have called them hard core criminals. We are bound, we are responsible for providing adequate care, the best care possible, for these inmates. It means that we should locate them in a place where there are programs and services available to them. We have taken all these into account.
consultation at all, we locate a facility in Inuvik and Yellowknife for young offenders. Those decisions were made by Cabinet. To say and to suggest that there should be consultation now when we have literally run out of time, I believe, is actually irresponsible. Thank you.