Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One thing, before I answer the Member's question; I'd like to point out that I have not said that 22 staff were caring for one or two kids at Dene K'onia. I've always agreed with the Member that there is a staff of 14 full-time employees plus some casuals.

The Member asked about the remand facility and how the savings would take place. At any given time at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre, on pretty well every shift there will be some casual employees who will be brought in. What would happen after the remand unit is closed down is that the full-time staff would be worked into the full-time complement at South Mackenzie Correctional Centre and there would be fewer casual staff called in on an ongoing basis. So the reductions would start immediately, because the casual staff would not be called in. The full-time staff would cover off more of the operation of the facility.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So not calling in casual staff then constitutes the loss of positions through attrition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

No, Mr. Speaker, I was answering as to how the savings would start immediately. The loss of positions through attrition is that, over time, the full-time complement at SMCC will be reduced to what it is right now, exclusive of the positions which are dedicated to remand.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So right now, today, at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre, if there's a position vacant, will that position automatically not be filled in order to attain this loss of positions by attrition? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That would be a likely situation, yes. Although I can't speak for a position that might be open today, that would be the way it would be handled in the future for positions that become vacant. They wouldn't necessarily become filled until the full-time staff complement was reduced by the five people that will be added into the full-time staff complement.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are about 15 different types of workers at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre. Is Mr. Dent suggesting that if any of those positions become open they may not be refilled to achieve this loss of jobs through attrition, or would that only be corrections officer positions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It would have to apply to positions that the people who were affected could fill. So it wouldn't apply necessarily to all positions, no. It would be positions that were specific to the training and capability of the people who were on staff. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister of Justice a few questions today in regard to my Member's statement about ministerial responsibility. I'd like to ask the Minister the first question; that is, why didn't the Minister of Justice know what was going on at the North Slave Correctional Centre? He had the Regular Members asking him questions and he had numbers from his own department backing up the fact that there were substantial problems there, and I'm wondering why he didn't know what was going on at North Slave Correctional Centre. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, in his Member's statement, the Member talked about ministerial responsibility and I can't quibble with anything he said in terms of what goes along with ministerial responsibility, and I accept that I am responsible for any issues that happen within the departments for which I am responsible. Mr. Speaker, the corrections human resources review and report clearly confirmed that there were human resource problems that went back some time. Some of the issues identified, in fact, go back well before I was appointed Minister for the department. When concerns started to be raised after my appointment, I felt at the time that it was reasonable to believe that the change in the function for the operations and that the impending move from one facility to another were part of the issues that were causing the problems. Knowing the results of the review; clearly, I am sorry that I didn't order a review to take place sooner.

Just to the Member's point in his statement as well, yesterday he asked if I would apologize, and I used the word "regrettable." I meant to use the word "regret" which does mean the same as an apology. So, yes, I am sorry that the problems developed to the level that they did. Clearly the report that was done has identified that there were issues. Clearly we should have moved on them more quickly and, Mr. Speaker, some of them go back to well before my time. But that said, since the report has come out, I have moved very quickly to address the issues that have been identified. We are going to address all of them all with the staff involved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for his admission here today. One thing I didn't hear the Minister say was an apology to the employees at North Slave Correctional Centre. I know he's sorry for what took place, but it wasn't directed at the employees and that's the group of folks who are in need of an apology. So if I could ask the Minister for an apology to the employees of the North Slave Correctional Centre. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we're almost splitting hairs here. I said that I was sorry that the problems developed to the level they had. Clearly, I'm sorry for what was identified as problems in the human resources review and report. That talks explicitly to staff not only at the North Slave Correctional Centre, but at other centres as well. So I think I've already done as the Member has asked. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are to the Minister of Finance with respect to the outstanding property taxes that are going to be coming around for another year now, Mr. Speaker. The letters of the notice of assessment to owners are going to be coming out this April to all these outstanding property tax owners. Of course, everybody's interests are going to be accumulating taxes. The outstanding amounts are going to go up by another $50,000, I'm sure. I just wanted to ask the Minister of Finance if the department has taken any action or made any recommendations on how they're going to address this outstanding concern. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.