Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know if we're talking about the same case, because as far as I know this case has been tried and this young man has been charged and sent to jail for seven years, and this is his third time before the court and it has been done and dealt with.

I do believe that we have to show more than regret in knowing that our young girls are being sexually assaulted at knifepoint near a school and near a home. This is in our backyard. I have a very specific question to the Minister. Why is it that we don't have any communication plan? Why is it the RCMP cannot let the community know that we have a dangerous sexual offender on the loose? In extreme cases, why can't we do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP can do that and have done that in the past, but it is entirely the RCMP's decision as to when they should make that sort of announcement.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's good to know that they can do that, and I would suggest that the Minister let them know that they ought to do that in situations like this. My follow-up question, Mr. Speaker, is in this offender's case there are reports that clearly state that he's at high risk, that it is mostly likely that he will reoffend. There

were reports on him saying that on the previous two occasions. Now he has gone to jail for another seven years. Would he look into whether or not in cases like this -- where there are professional assessments, where there are mental health treatment programs and assessments show that he's likely to offend -- there is something that we can do as a government? Could the Minister do anything to make a note of that and to make sure that that sort of offender who goes on probation is watched and supervised and the community is properly notified? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can certainly, as I said I would to Mr. Hawkins, take a look at the issue of a registry and see whether or not that would work in the Northwest Territories. In this sort of situation, the new Youth Criminal Justice Act would allow a different approach, and that is an intensive supervision program. So in the future with this kind of offender, it's likely that there would be a more intensive supervision program in place that would reduce the chances of this kind of offence happening again. Unfortunately, that wasn't in place when he was released the last time. I'm referring to the individual in this case, Mr. Speaker, because the Member is right; the sentence has been issued in this case that she's referring to. I do think that in the future with that kind of support, there's less chance that this sort of reoffence would happen. But the federal law has changed in the interim since his previous release. So I've already answered the first part of her question and to the second part, the federal law has changed to allow a different kind of supervision to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen again.

Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could I ask the Minister to provide us with his precise action plan as to what he plans on doing, a very specific implementation plan as to what he is prepared to do or what he's putting into place for situations like this kind of offender? I realize we don't have a lot of them, I hope, but in cases as precise and dangerous as this, what specific steps is he putting into place so that if he comes out into the open or anybody else of similar criminality that they will be supervised and monitored? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd be happy to provide that to the Member. I'm not sure if she wants me to provide that in writing so that she's got it in a lot of detail. As I've said earlier, one of the first steps is to try and respond to the RCMP business plan to make sure we have adequate policing here in the Northwest Territories. We are supporting community programs like the Wellness Coalition and the Citizens on Patrol program, which again should help to reduce the opportunities for this sort of offence to ever take place. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act there is a new sentence that allows for intensive supervision of offenders, which again is another opportunity that would make sure that the offence does not get repeated. Those are just some of the steps, but I would be happy to follow up with the Member in terms of other steps, if she would like. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Speaker, everybody seems to be referring to newspaper articles today. I have an article here from the Yellowknifer, November 12th, 2003, and the headline reads, "Handley says RWED will be Split in Two: Potential Premier Provides Commitment to Upgrade Tourism." I'd like to ask the Minister, Mr. Bell, what is the status of any kind of a plan or a study or anything to undertake such a thing as splitting RWED? Thank you.

Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to assure the Member that no decisions have been made at this point. We're simply reviewing options internally. I've asked the department to have a look at a number of options and come back and discuss them with me on a continuum to help us more effectively deliver services and programs which would isolate both the environmental and wildlife aspects of the department from economic development.

The Member knows that there are many things that are driving this discussion, not the least of which is the immense development going on in the Northwest Territories at this point. As all Members know, I'm working on this internally and once those range of options have been presented to me I'll be coming back to all 19 Members so that we can have a discussion. Certainly nothing will be done prior to that discussion with all 19 Members. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm aware that there may be some very real merits to something like this being undertaken, that there will be a lot of considerations of things such as costs. Can the Minister just perhaps summarize some of benefits? He made reference to wildlife and environment versus the economic development side. Could he just articulate some of the benefits that might be achieved by seeing these two activities separated? Thank you.

Mr. Bell.

Thank you. As the Member has indicated, cost will be a factor. I think we'll need to strike a balance. Obviously if we're going to make any substantial change, it may cost money initially. I believe it will cost money initially, but this has to be about improving program and service delivery. I think this government has always said that one of our priorities is the protection of the environment, the protection of our wildlife. I think what may inevitably happen is that as a government we've been so focused on economic development, the need to train people, the need to make sure that northerners are able to take advantage of economic development, I think that is of critical importance. But we can't lose sight of the need to also protect the environment, protect our wildlife and make sure that this pristine North is here for future generations. Will this cost money? Potentially it will, but we'll have some discussion about that and I hope Members will be prepared to sit down and look at a range of options. I think we need to strike a balance that's going to be about the most effective program and service delivery at the end of the day. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has made reference to consulting the 19 Members of this House and I very much appreciate that and would look forward to having a look at those options once they've been generated. He did mention that these options were coming from within the department, so they're internal options that are being brought forward and I'd just like to know if he's had any early responses from any of the stakeholders in these areas as to how they would receive this change. Thank you.

Mr. Bell.

Thank you. As the Member indicates, there are a number of stakeholders and many people who will be concerned and will want to know what we're proposing to do, not the least of which are employees of this government who may be affected. We will certainly keep all of these stakeholders and all of these folks in the loop, but as preliminary at this point we've simply asked, I've asked the department to go back and have a look at a number of these considerations and discuss a range of options so that we can sit down with the Members of this House, all 19 Members. At that point, after getting some sense from the Members as to what their priorities are, we are proposing that we'll then engage the various stakeholders and make sure that everybody understands where we're proposing to go. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Delorey.