Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's fine and good to say that the department has a good track record in terms of aboriginal employees, but given the fact that the YCC has an inmate population of about 90 percent aboriginal -- and that's unfortunate in and of itself, Mr. Speaker -- it would make sense that we try to advance aboriginal employees into management positions. How many aboriginal employees are currently in permanent supervisory roles at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre? Thank you.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Speaker, that level of detail I don't have in terms of the staff complement of each facility, but I am sure the Member is aware of the corrections entry level training program which is in place at the facility and the practice has been to help people advance. There are other initiatives. We are, for instance, even in other facilities, working to provide mentorship and training for candidates to make sure they are prepared to become wardens. It's not something new to the department or that facility. There is, in fact, a considerable amount of work that goes into providing assistance and training so that candidates can advance. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There seems to be a tactic employed by management at the centre. That tactic is to put a person in acting capacity until they have enough experience to compete for the position. This completely shuts out a fair and competitive job competition because management has hand-picked the candidate already. Is the Minister aware of this tactic being employed at YCC and does it concern him? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Speaker, in fact, it's not a tactic to stop people from advancing, it's a tactic to ensure that people can advance. Rather than filling those positions with long-term employees, we have two positions that have been supervisory positions that have been used to rotate a number of people through so they are prepared to apply for supervisory jobs when they come open. So it's an effort to provide some experience while people can have an active position to improve their skills.

Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering when the last operational review was done at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. Given the trouble with the health services unit and indications of many other concerns and issues with the centre, I wonder if the Minister will commit to a full operational review of this facility. Thank you.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I won't. I am satisfied that other than the usual problems you can expect when one facility shuts down and people are moved into a new facility, that there is nothing out of line there. The Member talks continually about morale problems, but the turnover at YCC has been less in the last fiscal year than the government-wide average is. So that doesn't point to an issue of there being a widespread morale problem. So I don't see the need for it right now. There were some concerns that the Member brought to the department about the operations of the health services, and that is been investigated. The department is reviewing the report and I am satisfied when we are able to implement the recommendations there, we will have dealt with all of the outstanding issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, yes, Mr. Zoe, has told me and has also told other Members that he will be taking action to make sure this doesn't happen. Exactly what kind of action that is, what kind of treatment it is, that's a personal thing and I don't want to get into any of the details of that. That is something that is Mr. Zoe's responsibility. He has told us that he will take action to make sure this does not happen again. Thank you.

Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, along the same lines of several of my colleagues on the issue of conduct and Mr. Zoe, indeed this is a serious matter as has been well acknowledged and it's also an extremely difficult one for everyone in this Assembly. You know, when a friend or a colleague has difficulty, one of the things that is incumbent on us as peers or co-workers or friends or neighbours is to do what we can to be supportive of another person who intends to get back on the right track in life. That is where I would like to be with our colleague, Mr. Zoe. In order to say that, especially in this political environment where accountability, openness and transparency crosses over very much into our personal lives, at least I believe it does. That's a condition I understood and I accepted when I took this job. I would like Mr. Zoe to consider the same thing, and my question to the Premier is very much like what Mr. Hawkins was pursuing. What steps is Mr. Zoe planning on taking? I would like to know more about this because I still need to know if I am going to be supportive of Mr. Zoe. I need to have some satisfaction that the steps he is going to undertake are ones that I can understand and have confidence in in order to support him. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, as I said to the Member who had a question previously, the kind of steps Mr. Zoe is taking is something that is very personal to him. It's one that he has to deal with. This has not been easy for him, for me or for any of us. I would encourage Members if they want to know more, that they take the opportunity to speak to Mr. Zoe privately about what he intends to do. I don't think it's something I should spell out the details of here. I don't feel that's my responsibility. The important thing to me is that Mr. Zoe has told me, and I accept his statement, that he is going to take steps to make sure this does not happen again. The exact nature of that is something that may be better dealt privately with Mr. Zoe. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Okay, Mr. Speaker. I won't pursue that line of questioning anymore. The Premier has made it abundantly clear that the decision is to keep that private. However, I would ask the Premier again, related to this, would these steps require that Mr. Zoe be absent from his job for any substantive period of time, and over what period of time might these steps be required? Thank you.

Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Zoe has indicated to me that he is taking personal time to do this. Yes, he will be away. Whether he chooses to do it during his holiday time or other days off, then that's something that needs to be clarified further. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.