Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding is that under the Corrections Act of the Northwest Territories and the regulations to that act, an inmate who has been charged internally, as it were, with some offence, be it having contraband in his position or attempting to strike a guard or something like that, they have an opportunity to give full answer in defense before a committee. I believe they are entitled to be represented by counsel, depending on the nature of the charge. If it is one that could involve loss of privileges or be put into confinement, then the inmate is entitled to be represented by counsel. That, as I understand, is the process.
Debates of March 23rd, 2000
This is page numbers 235 - 268 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.
Topics
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Cooper
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Cooper. The Chair recognizes the Member for Range Lake, Ms. Sandy Lee.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not going to have a general statement because I am going to save that for the main budget. I do have one issue that I would like to get some information about. That has to do with PPSA. I see that in your budget, only five percent of the interim appropriation is being allocated for this activity. Could I get information on what is being budgeted for PPSA, the registry system and where we are with that system?
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will ask Ms. Schofield to answer that question.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Schofield
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The total project is approximately $200,000 and a portion of that is to be spent in this fiscal year. The remaining $150,000 will be spent in the beginning of the next fiscal year. That is to implement a web-based computer system for their registry, the Public Security Property Registry.
There is an ongoing annual cost to maintain the system of $48,000 a year. That would be revenue neutral.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not think I will be forgiven by my fellow lawyers out there if I did not pursue this issue.
I just wanted to say I am going to spend some time over the life of this Assembly to make sure this gets implemented. I should probably not try to explain this, but there is a capital appropriation of $150,000. I have just been told the total budget is $200,000. Maybe I should have them repeat what was said, because I do not understand this math.
Is this system being implemented now? Is this money to put the system in place? How much is the whole project? Are we looking at implementing the system now? Where are we with this project? Maybe I should start from there. Are we anywhere near implementing PPSA?
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will defer the question to the deputy minister.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Cooper
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The contract is being negotiated as we speak with a company that specializes in this particular software and has sold this program to at least four provinces. It is a tried and tested program.
In the discussion yesterday with the principles of this company, which has its head office in Fredericton, I am anticipating the contract will be entered into within two to three weeks, and implemented, it is hoped, within three months time.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does being implemented mean we are going to have a system in place in three months where people can access and register personal properties on the computer system? Is that what we mean?
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Cooper
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My information is that if the contract is entered into and the contractor does what they are supposed to do on a timely basis, the job could be more or less finished in the end of the first quarter.
There are some training issues and other issues relating to the usage of it with the bar and others. Anyone who would open an account with the document registry could file a bill of sale or chattel mortgage electronically from Inuvik or anywhere in the Northwest Territories.
I can say to the Member, Mr. Chairman, that we anticipate it will be accessible by the public, including the legal profession, by the fall. It will be operational.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I must say I was pleasantly surprised to hear that. I was expecting I would have to do a lot of legwork and work hard on this to make that sort of progress.
I have been talking to the Premier of Nunavut, who also articled with me, and we went through a process where we had to do everything manually. We were hoping we could have a computerized registry system for personal property.
He mentioned the cost is being shared between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. I see that it is written here. Could I have an explanation as to what the cost share arrangement is? Is it half-and-half? If we are spending $150,000, is the Government of Nunavut spending the same amount?
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like the deputy minister to respond to that question.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Cooper
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The intent is that this would be cost shared 50-50. But the intent is not that this would be a three-way contract. Nunavut and the contractor would enter into a contract, and we would enter into a contract, so we can adhere to our timelines and pose our own particular standards.
The cost of proceeding together in the North will offer both of us substantial savings. So it is a shared 50-50 enterprise, but it is not accurate to say we are sharing the contract itself 50-50.
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Community Constable Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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