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.