Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, let me restate the commitment that we and the RCMP are making toward both building a representative police force. The RCMP access program numbers that we just spoke of I think are good. I'm happy to see all of those applications. I want it to be very clear this is for regular members, we are also pushing the issue of special constables. We do know in terms of regular members that if 19 people apply, not all will be accepted and even fewer will graduate. That's just the reality; that's our experience; but we're working on improving that and we want to understand what we can do to make sure aboriginal applicants are more successful and we get people on the ground in communities. We know we have to improve coverage to all of our communities, especially our smallest communities. You know that I am committed to making sure we're successful in getting some more detachments. That is something that I'll be sitting down immediately to work with the two new federal ministers in Public Safety and the Justice Minister on, and as well as other justice related issues. But we are very well aware of the need. We think the need is increasing and we are going to do everything in our ability to make sure that we meet that need and ensure public safety in all of our communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Yakeleya.

The last question that I want to ask the Minister in terms of 7-47, and I think it speaks to 7-48 and 7-49, any of these programs here, are we in a situation where, because of the change of the government, it's not added or not on the books here? Will that come later on in terms of the victims' services project, for example, or

the official language, or French? So is there any type of funding that's going to be added to the budget? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, there are a couple of initiatives where we're waiting to sign agreements or see current agreements extended and we don't have information on them yet at this point. The family law initiative on 7-47 is one such agreement. We're hoping that that can be renewed. The RCMP First Nations policing recruitment is another, but there are others. There are examples on this page where there are simply past agreements with the federal government, have expired, but we keep them on the books so we can see what they were. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question. I wanted to find out who pays to house federal inmates in our corrections system. The last time I checked, there were a number of them at the North Slave Correctional Centre. How is that accounted for and who pays the bill? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, the federal government, through a federal exchange of services. They pay us a per diem for housing those inmates. It's ballpark $180 a day per inmate. It was in the neighbourhood, at one point, almost $1 million last year. We expect it will be in the 1.2 neighbourhood this year. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am just wondering how is it accounted for. In the work performed on behalf of others, there is a contracting back of services. I know we also house inmates from Nunavut and the Government of Nunavut pays us almost a million dollars to house their inmates, which is a good deal. How come we don't show how much the federal government is giving us to look after federal inmates in our corrections system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, just at the highest level, we show this money coming into our revenue summary. We have a forecast there that you can see. Those monies go into the consolidated revenue fund, but the treatment in terms of the accounting treatment between monies we receive for Nunavut offenders and money we receive for federal inmates are not exactly the same. There is a different treatment here and if you want detail on that, I can certainly have Ms. Schofield explain how that is accounted for and works.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ramsay, would you like that?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was waiting for the light to come on.

Thank you. Ms. Schofield.

Thank you, Ms. Schofield. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So if I am getting this right, the return of services agreement that we have with the federal government, that money just comes back to the GNWT and goes right into general revenue. It doesn't go back into the department. So, in essence, the department is paying to house federal inmates without getting anything back. You have your appropriations, yes, but you are not getting exactly what it's costing you to house these inmates, if you don't have it accounted for like this, or am I missing something, Mr. Chairman? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

HON. BRENDAN BELL: Mr. Chairman, I guess it's not a direct pipeline. The money doesn't go directly from the federal government to our department to be used for those purposes and taking care of those inmates exactly. It does come to the consolidated revenue fund, as Ms. Schofield explained. But when we have increasing pressures because of that, I go back to the FMB with a submission for additional funding. It could be a collective bargaining increase; it could be additional positions; whatever it is in order to be able to meet that need. Then it's either accepted or not. That's where I make the pitch for the additional funding. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am trying to understand where the Minister and Ms. Schofield are coming on this. To me, it's not a true cost accounting of what it costs the corrections system to operate if the money that's coming through to the federal government to house federal inmates doesn't see the light of day inside the Department of Justice inside of corrections. Then to me, it's not a true cost reflection of what is really happening there. The real numbers aren't there. I am not an expert in exchange of services agreements or how those are set up and what they are intended to do, but from an accounting standpoint, I would think it would be much better to show the money coming from the federal

government back into the department, not into general revenues.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.