Debates of March 14th, 2002

This is page numbers 649 - 694 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th 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

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Update On Fur Industry Initiatives
Good Luck To Arctic Winter Games Participants
15th Wedding Anniversary
Nunakput Arctic Winter Games Participants
High Cost Of Housing In Yellowknife
Weledeh Arctic Winter Games Participants
American Attitudes Regarding Northern Resource Development
Apologies For Late Arrival
Hay River South Arctic Winter Games Participants
Frame Lake Arctic Winter Games Participants
Literacy Programming
Support For Wildlife Harvesters
Federal Court Ruling On Tax And Treaty Rights
Yellowknife South Arctic Winter Games Participants
Tragic Death Of Young Man
Recognition Of Canada World Youth Program Participants
Romanow Commission On The Future Of Health Care In Canada
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Funding For Community Literacy Programs
Relocating The Energy Secretariat
Shortage Of Apartments In Yellowknife
Treaty 8 Federal Court Ruling On Taxation
Location Of Energy And Hydro Secretariat
Authenticating Northwest Territories Diamonds
GNWT Liquor Prices
Support For Fur Harvesters
Notification Of Rent Increases
Tabled Document 26-14(5): Market At A Glance, Yellowknife Winter 2002
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
To Delete $220,000 From Legislative Assembly Capital Acquisition Plan (carried)
To Amend Clause 3(2) Of Bill 2, Appropriation Act, 2002-2003 (carried)
To Amend Part 1 Of The Schedule To Bill 2, Appropriation Act, 2002-2003 (carried)
To Amend Part 2 Of The Schedule To Bill 2, Appropriation Act, 2002-2003 (carried)
To Amend The Total Appropriation Of The Schedule To Bill 2, Appropriation Act, 2002-2003 (carried)
Item 20: Report Of The Committee Of The Whole
Tabled Document 28-14(5): Standing Committee On Social Programs' Response To The Health And Social Services Action Plan
Tabled Document 29-14(5): Sahtu Dene And Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, Annual Report Of The Implementation Committee, April, 2000 To March 31, 2001
Tabled Document 30-14(5): Inuvik Twin Lakes Mid-term Review
Bill 2: Appropriation Act, 2002-2003
Bill 4: An Act To Amend The Legislative Assembly And Executive Council Act
Bill 10: An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act
Revert To Item 16: Motions
Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 11, 2002 (carried)
Assent To Bills
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I can appreciate the Minister's comments that some of this direction and decisions were made in the 13th Assembly. However, he stated that he supports the communities and the smaller communities by offering support to the open custody, the wilderness camps. His deputy ministers have also stated the same comments, that the Department of Justice supports wilderness camps.

I would like to ask the Minister if he could tell me how many wilderness camps have shut down in the last two years?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have the exact number of camps that are shut down, but if I may, for the record, there are 11 adult wilderness camps in operation as of February 11, 2002. Under the young offenders, alternative open custody home operators, open custody contracts, February 11, 2002, a total of seven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Could I get the Minister to repeat that answer? I am not clear. Did he say seven camps shut down?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 13th, 2002

Page 674

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

No, Mr. Chairman, I was stating for the record that we have 11 adult wilderness camps in operation as of February 11, 2002...

-- Interjection

My apologies, Mr. Chairman. There are four operators for adult wilderness camps who are housing, as of February 11, 2002 and 11 offenders in the adult corrections.

For the young offenders, there are eight, with a number of seven young offenders in placement. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 674

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, I find it very ironic that the Minister cannot tell me how many camps were shut down, yet he knows how many are operating, when he knew how many camps were operating two years ago. To me, that would be simple math. I am not satisfied that there is support. Maybe the Minister could tell me what camps are now operating for adult facilities, if he is not willing to tell me which ones are shut down. The four that are operating, can he give me the names?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Minister Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Currently, there are two adult wilderness camps open and in operation, Kozo Lake in Fort Smith, the Simpson Islands, six, and those who are temporarily closed and not in operation is Hume River and Axe Point. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, the Minister said there were four operating camps. He has only mentioned two that are operating. What are the other two that are operating?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the record, there are four camp operators, of which two are active and two are inactive, with a total number of offenders in the two camps numbering 11 -- one has five, the other has six. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

I would like to thank the Minister for clarifying that because his initial answer was that there were four operators and it was projected as if it were four operating camps. In my count, I would estimate there were at least eight camps two years ago. I cannot believe that the Minister is saying we are supporting our camps when there are only two left. Could he tell me why the camps are shutting down?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As we said earlier, one of the reasons why there is a lower number of offenders attending the camps is that it is based on voluntarily going to those camps. There is a procedure in place. I do not have the exact details of how that is being administered, but what we are saying is that there are currently 11 offenders who currently reside in two of those four camps. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Maybe the Minister could tell me how he could justify his comment and his deputy minister's comment by saying "We are supporting the communities" when in fact there are only two camps operating. Tell me what he is doing. If he could tell us what he is doing to justify and give him confidence to make such a statement out in public.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Minister Allen.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do support camp operators. We have four adult camps registered, effective February 11th. Two of those four adult camps are currently operating. Two are inactive but they are still listed. Then we have eight young offender, alternative open-custody contracts effective February 11, 2002. Of these, five have offenders and three do not at this point, as of February 11th. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 675

The Chair Leon Lafferty

Thank you. Page 7-25, community justice and corrections, operations expense, total operations expense, $29,700,000.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.