Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated in the House through a Minister's statement that resulting from the federal court ruling, youth would be treated differently within the justice system. As we all know, we just built a brand spanking new youth facility here in Yellowknife. I am wondering who we are going to put in there? The question I have for the Minister is, for those youth that are convicted of minor crimes that have to be dealt with at the community level or incarcerated at the community level, what does the Minister and this department plan to do to come up with correctional facilities or camp facilities? How is he planning to deal with youth justice in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
In the Legislative Assembly on June 13th, 2003. See this topic in context.
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Preamble to the question here and to my answer is that we have invested quite heavily in community justice committees, restorative justice programs that are working well. We are not at liberty to determine what decisions are imposed by the courts on young offenders under the new Youth Justice Act. Our intention is to look at several of these program changes that would help support community justice committees as they deal with young offenders who are sentenced. Hopefully we will be able to facilitate through a funding mechanism a process that the committees will undertake, such as taking the youth out to winter camps and perhaps community service work and a number of other initiatives those committees deem necessary to work with the young offenders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Supplementary To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
June 12th, 2003
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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer, even though it is pretty vague. Mr. Speaker, we are providing $20,000 to communities for part-time justice coordinators. That is just another example of how we have devolved responsibilities and under funded them. Can I ask the Minister if he can be a little bit more specific when dealing with the sentencing of youth for minor crimes in communities? There is lots of support from committees, but how about for the staff and the youth for rehabilitation and for staff safety and the work environment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Further Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The new Youth Criminal Justice Act is most recent and has an impact on how sentencing is awarded to youth. However, in the context of the question, we see a lot of support provided to the community justice system so we can help them work through the initial impacts. So certainly, although our budget is limited, we can still provide certain support mechanisms through our staff working with the justice committees through the restorative justice program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Supplementary To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituents of Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution have come to the Department of Justice on more than one occasion in the past years to look at restorative justice, as the Minister put it, in the form of a camp where the youth and elders could be placed out there so there is a cultural component and there is a back-to-the-land component. The teaching of the ways of life of the aboriginal people could be part of the restorative process. I would like to ask the Minister if he can commit his department to look at that seriously over the summer and maybe come back with an option at the next session? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1070
Further Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have people working in preparation for implementation of the new act and how we are going to deal with the various communities. Again, it varies from community to community. Again, I believe the important thing is that we need to be flexible and take that approach to work with each individual community and see how the best methods can be applied at this point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Question 332-14(6): Community Youth Justice Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to the Opening Address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents.