Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For a number of years now, the Department of Justice has had virtually no capital. It has virtually had no capital budget for a number of years because this legislature, in its wisdom, has allocated the meagre capital that it has had at its disposal to other priority items. This is the very first time we have capital allocated to build new correctional facility and/or to renovate. But the intent clearly is to provide better or new facilities to young and adult offenders. That is the functional intent of the money that has been allocated and the decisions that were made by Cabinet and FMB. We have had no program space, and there is what you would call a crisis in the correctional facilities of the North.

The adult facility in Yellowknife is considered substandard and inadequate. The young offenders facilities, obviously, are no longer acceptable, and we are compelled by the fire marshal's order to provide new facilities by July, 2001. We need program space for the adults, and we need program space for the young offenders. We need recreational facilities for the young offenders as well. Under the original plan to do renovations to the adult facility, it was going to take seven years and a new revised capital estimates of $35 million. The decisions at that time by Cabinet in June, 1998, and in September, 1998, there was no consultation, but the decisions were made. The decisions were made then. It is my view that in the interest of the inmates, the young offenders, and really that is our responsibility, my responsibility as a Minister and our responsibility as a Cabinet, to provide adequate services and facilities to those in our care, and those are incarcerated people, the young offenders, who are required by an order, to provide these facilities within a time frame.

It is my view that we are compelled, in the public interest, to proceed to quit revisiting decisions, implement the decisions made by Cabinet and FMB, which was started well over a year ago and that we go ahead with design, finalize the blueprints, give those out in whatever form we decide and start with site preparation and construction by the latter part of next year which should see the facilities hopefully being completed somewhere in the spring of 2001 so that we can have it occupied and functional by July, 2001. This is what we need to do. The Members should not forget that there is a facility that you have not mentioned once yet, the female young offenders facility, which was located in Inuvik, again by Cabinet in the spring of 1998. Nobody has put that into the picture. Cabinet has decided that decision would stay as well. In the interest of the public, I would say we are compelled to act. Thank you.