Thank you. Mr. Speaker, today I am very pleased to tell you about the progress that the Department of Justice is making to recruit, retain and advance priority one employees within the corrections services.

As we all know, Mr. Speaker, the vast majority of the offender population in our facilities is aboriginal. I believe that in order to provide effective and appropriate services to these offenders, the people working in our facilities should reflect the cultural diversity of the people they are working with.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say we have already made significant progress in this area. There are currently seven corrections facilities operating in the NWT. In six of these, more than 50 percent of the staff are priority one. In two of these six facilities, over 70 percent of the staff are priority one. In our probation services, 63 percent of the staff are priority one employees.

I am also pleased to inform you that many of these staff are in mid management or management positions. Right now, three out of the four managers of the young offender facilities are priority one employees. This is an excellent indication that affirmative action is progressing very well within the corrections services.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice wants to ensure this trend continues and that we are able to maximize the opportunities for our staff in the facilities. This is why I have asked the department to develop and implement a human resources action plan. This plan will provide our employees with training and development opportunities that will allow them to move forward in their careers with corrections. Through this plan, corrections employees will have the means to gain the skills and experience necessary to become leaders in the corrections field.

Mr. Speaker, I am very excited about this plan, as it will encourage and promote the leadership potential that our employees already have. Mr. Speaker, the development of this plan is a priority for me and for the Department of Justice. I expect to have a more detailed framework for the plan ready for discussion with my Cabinet colleagues in April 2002. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause