With respect to the vote, we have ten in favour, zero opposed and six abstentions. The motion is carried.

Motion carried.

We’re still on page 7-35, Department of Justice, Activity Summary, Community Justice and Corrections, Operations

Expenditure Summary: $33.826 million. Are there any questions? Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Chairman, I once again seek unanimous consent to return to page 7-28.

We have a Member seeking unanimous consent.

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just quickly — I won’t use up a lot of time on this — considerable concern has come up about the Court Library. That’s access for people from the general public and, potentially, lawyers. I know there’s an electronic version out there that’s generally only really accessible by those in the practice of law. As I understand it, there may be potential restricted hours or changing of the hours, and at one time there may have been a suggestion of even changing the location of the Court Library. Can I just get an update as to that?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. We did, as a department, plot out options on the Court Library itself. We’ve been in touch with this Assembly as well to see if we can share the library with our Court Library. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. At the same time, we have explored other options, and if I can have Mr. Donald Cooper just elaborate more on the detail of those options that have been presented. Mahsi.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Mr. Cooper.

Just one last item, Mr. Chairman. I would like to be assured that they seek the formal deletion from the Law Society just to make sure they’re fully up to speed and their membership is satisfied with that.

The last point I just want to make on this area is that I’ve been informed that there’s potentially up to a 30 per cent usage by the general public that wouldn’t be perceived as use by a lawyer or by someone having any legal training. That was why I was highlighting that there’s a group out there that wouldn’t have access to the electronic version.

My comment on this — and I’ll leave it as my final comment — is the fact that if the Department of Justice is considering adjusting or tweaking or changing or whatever you want to call it, be it the hours or formal location, I would suggest that they place some notice out there to encourage some kind of feedback from the general public that doesn’t operate through the Law Society or a formal organization. Therefore, if they need general public feedback, they at least have the opportunity to accept it.

We’ll certainly take that into consideration.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Are there any further questions on page 7-28? If there are no further questions, we’ll be returning to page 7-35, Justice, Activity Summary, Community Justice and Corrections, Operations Expenditure.

In recognition of the clock and that it now states 6 p.m., I will rise to report progress. Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Thank you, witnesses.

The House resumed.

Can I have the report of the Committee of the Whole, please, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 37-16(2), Main Estimates 2008–2009, Volumes 1 and 2, and Committee Reports 5-16(2) and 6-16(2), and would like to report progress with six motions being adopted.

I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Do I have a seconder for the motion? The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Motion carried.

Item 23, third reading of bills. Item 24, Orders of the Day, Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Friday, May 30 at 10 a.m.

The House adjourned at 6:03 p.m.