Thank you, Mr. Dent. Time for oral questions has expired. The Chair will recognize the honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We will return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my nephew Hank Pokiak who just walked in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to 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. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act 2004 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 17, Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act; Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006; Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2004-2005; Committee Report 9-15(3), Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight Report on the Review of the Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates; Committee Report 10-15(3), Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development Report on the Review of the Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates; Committee Report 11-15(3), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates; and, Committee Report 12-15(3), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2003 General Election, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.

I call Committee of the Whole to order. The Speaker has indicated the

items on our agenda for Committee of the Whole. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006, specifically with the Department of Justice.

Is the committee agreed?

Thank you. We will do that after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I call Committee of the Whole back to order. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With your indulgence and committee's, I would like to recognize two people in the gallery who have joined us this afternoon. They are constituents of mine in Great Slave. Fifty years ago tomorrow, Madam Chair, Tom and Muriel Eagle got married. They are planning a celebration or one is being planned for them for tomorrow. I am very pleased to welcome them to the Assembly and appreciate this opportunity to recognize them and wish them many, many more years. Thank you, Madam Chair.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I would also like to say happy wedding anniversary and I sure hope that party tomorrow wasn't a surprise.

---Laughter

We are on main estimates consideration for the Department of Justice. If the committee agrees, I will ask Mr. Dent if he would proceed with the opening remarks for the Department of Justice. Mr. Dent.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present the 2005-06 Department of Justice main estimates. These estimates offer details on how the department will allocate its resources to meet its mandate of administering justice, including corrections and policing, in the Northwest Territories.

The 2005-06 operational budget for the department is $79.8 million. This is an increase of .58 percent of approximately $460,000 from last year's main estimates. This increase will help make our communities safer and improve access to legal aid services.

Seventy percent of our total budget will be spent on law enforcement, community justice and corrections. The department has six main areas of activity.

Services to government: The department provides legislative drafting and legal counsel to all GNWT departments. It is, in effect, the government's law firm.

We are also implementing the Protection Against Family Violence Act. This work will include monitoring the impact of the legislation providing ongoing training to community workers and distributing public information to people all over the NWT. There is $9 million budgeted for services to government.

Law enforcement: The RCMP delivers policing services in the NWT under contract. This year, 10 new RCMP positions will be created. This is in addiction to the 12 positions added in the past two years. The funding will add six officers who will be assigned to detachments in Rae, Fort Providence, Yellowknife and Tuktoyaktuk. Three officers will form a traffic unit, and two of those positions will be based in Hay River. The final positions will be a full profile police dog and handler. We have budgeted $24.3 million for law enforcement activities.

Legal aid services: To improve public access to legal aid services, a dedicated Family Law Legal Aid Services Clinic has been opened. The main estimates include new funding in the legal aid services budget to support the ongoing operation of the new clinic. The Legal Services Board is responsible for the Court Worker Program, public legal education and for ensuring that all eligible NWT residents receive legal services. The GNWT and the federal government together provide $4.5 million for legal aid services.

Courts: NWT courts are impartial, timely and accessible. The total budget of $7.9 million includes operating the Justice of the Peace Court, Territorial Court, the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, along with the court libraries and court reporters.

Community justice and corrections: The department has budgeted $31.1 million for adult and young offender facilities, probation and parole services, custodial placement programs like wilderness camps and the cultural programs that help in the rehabilitation of offenders. This money also funds programs that help prevent crime within communities through increased community participation, that support victims' initiatives, and that support community justice needs.

Services to the public: The total of $3 million includes funding for public services like the coroner's office, the public trustee, the rental office, legal registries and the Maintenance Enforcement Program.

Those are the key points of the 2005-06 Department of Justice main estimates. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I will now ask the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their comments on the review of the Department of Justice main estimates. I will start that with Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met with the Minister and his officials on January 18, 2005, to review the main estimates for the Department of Justice.

The committee noted expenditures of $79.803 million for operations expenses and $1.78 million to be spent on capital projects, of which $1.092 million is to be spent on preliminary work on a new standalone courthouse for Yellowknife.

A wide-ranging discussion on a number of issues, including proposed employee layoffs and shutdowns of facilities and services took place. The committee has the following comments on the 2005-2006 Main Estimates.

NWT Courts Building In Yellowknife

During the review of the business plans in September, the committee was advised that the department was looking at a partnership and leaseback arrangement with the Workers' Compensation Board of the NWT and Nunavut on a shared building.

This was presented to committee in the form of an information item and was provided to let committee know there would be a substantial increase in operations expense related to future years' lease costs. The estimate was approximately $43 million over the lease period.

Since September, and the city's refusal to consider the Gerry Murphy Arena site as a potential location, the department and the WCB have been unable to find a location that met the needs of both organizations.

The department has now proposed to build a $41 million standalone NWT law courts building on the NWT capital site between the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and the Legislative Assembly.

All of the information provided to committee to date has indicated that having the government of the NWT build and pay for the NWT law courts building is the cheapest option that is available. The department has stated it will cost more to renovate the existing facility and the functionality and ability to expand in the future also call into question whether renovating is a viable option.

There will be considerable backlash in the rest of the Northwest Territories to the construction of a new NWT law courts building in Yellowknife. This is understandable, particularly in light of recent announcements of closures in Hay River.

The committee has the same reservations as other NWT residents but are forced to look beyond the sentiment of "just another big building for Yellowknife" or "there are people without houses - how can we even consider building a new $41 million courthouse?"

The department has proposed to spend $1.092 million on preliminary work related to the construction of a NWT law courts building in Yellowknife in 2005-06. The decision to build the courthouse is an unpalatable one for many northerners. These people will be looking for more information on the reasons we need a new courthouse and information on the costing exercise that has led the government to conclude that building their own standalone NWT courts building is the best option. Information will also have to be provided on the scope, size and facilities that will be included in a new standalone courthouse.

The committee wants to see the department come up with a solid communication plan on the need for a new courthouse so that interested members of the public have access to the relevant information on which the government is basing its decisions.

This issue has been referred to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight for their input. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Pokiak.

Court Registries In Hay River And Inuvik