Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question for the Minister under the contributions to wilderness camps. In the last year to two years there have been a couple of incidents where there have been some problems with some of the wilderness camps that have existed and that the Justice department I think may or may not have used. My question goes to whether or not there are any regulations that govern these particular wilderness camps or the businesses that operate them. What safeguards are in place to make sure that operators operating these camps are providing a safe, secure environment for inmates that are either sent there or that do go there? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Mr. Chairman, with respect to the wilderness camps, there are standards in place that we need to inspect the actual camps that offenders may be going to. It is a liability issue. We need to be careful in this area where everything is up to standards, to our standards as well within Justice, the court system, and the judges’ direction. Those are the works in place when we go out there and seek out camps. Mahsi.

It is good to know that there are standards in place. I would like to know if these standards are national standards or are they modelled under another province. How are they established or how were they established? I guess a second question would be whether or not these operators are licensed. Do they have to get a business licence from someone? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, certainly we follow certain standards whether they be the federal correction because we have our own correction standards as well, so those are the areas that we tend to follow because we have to cover all grounds whether they be inmates from elsewhere through federal institution. So those are issues that need to take into consideration with respect to inspections and the standards. Mahsi.

To my question on whether or not operators need to be licensed, could the Minister answer that, please?

My understanding is when they are running a business, they do need one. Mahsi.

The licences are issued by what organization and what level of government?

I do believe it is just a standard business licence that they need to operate, whether they are the camps or other businesses. That is the first step. They have to meet our standards as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. We are on page 9-28. Mr. Krutko.

Just on wilderness camps, I would just like to know, I know there used to be a few in the different regions in the Territories. I know that the Sahtu has one in the southern part of the Territories. I know that there are still people in the different regions that used to run these camps. They are still interested but because of the program and the cost to them to operate and whatnot, they are not even breaking even but yet this interest is still out there. Where are these camps located? What is the possibility of expanding this program to other regions in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko, Minister Lafferty.

Mr. Chairman, currently we have three camps that we have initiated. Fort Smith would be one of them, Kozo Lake, the Sahtu and we are still working with the Tlicho organization to have establishment to invite inmates. Part of my opening remarks was also expanding our horizon as well where we want to reach out to other regions as a long term basis. Those are the areas of discussion we need to have with the Standing Committee on Social Programs. Certainly I will be looking forward to the import of the Members and start planning on a long-term basis. We are open to those ideas as well. Mahsi.

Well, again, it illustrates all these programs in the southern part of the Territories, nothing in the northern territory. I think that, if anything, these programs used to exist in the Northwest Territories, the Mackenzie Delta. I think there are camps out there that could be used for this particular purpose. Again, it seems like it’s first-come, first-served with regard to who gets the Ministers there when they get these programs. I’d like to know why don’t you have a universal program in all regions in the Northwest Territories to be fair to everyone, so that those people who come from those regions have the choice of which communities they come from. It’s a cultural camp you are talking about. The Gwich’in region, the Mackenzie Delta, the Slavey regions and the North

Slave, the Chipewyan with regard to the southern Mackenzie. The same with the Dogrib with regard to the Tlicho region. So I’m wondering why aren’t you looking at regional culture-based camps for those inmates that come from those different cultural groups than just in three areas of the Territories and not allowing for all inmates to be treated the same based on which aboriginal tribe they come from. Why haven’t you taken that into consideration?

Mr. Chair, I am certainly taking those into consideration on a long-term basis. The three areas I have highlighted have been in the works for a number of years now, but I did indicate again that I am committed to working with the standing committee on identifying areas of interest. With that, we need to find resources and we need to find the funding as well. So certainly I am open to that as I stated earlier. I feel this is an important part of the process of dealing with our own people within the justice area. Then again it is rehabilitating back to the community. So we are focussing on this in the community justice areas as well as part of our mandate from the Justice department. Mahsi.

So when can we see a program like this run out of the Mackenzie Delta?

Mr. Chair, we need to start talking about where the next program delivery could be and we have to deal with other regions as well, not just Beaufort-Delta. So we need to identify if there are camps out there already existing and the cost of it and with these camps that are in existence, the equipment, the supplies have been allocated already and now the next step is to find those potential camps elsewhere in other regions. So I can’t tell you today if it’s going to be next year. There is a planning process that needs to take place and we are going through a business cycle next year as well. So certainly that will be up for discussion at that time. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

I’d like to ask the Minister how do people prescribe to this program? I have people who are doing some outfitting businesses on the side, but they are just struggling with regard to that business, but they are looking for other options to keep their businesses sustainable. I think this is a perfect opportunity or something they can look at since they are already running a business. Most of their business is during the summer months. These facilities can be used during the winter months for those types of projects.

Again with the Gwich’in, we have two camps; one outside of Inuvik, we have the Tl’oondih camp above McPherson. These are multi-million dollar facilities which could provide these types of services on a short-term basis.

It’s important to note that you have a facility in Inuvik with four inmates and it’s costing $2 million a year with 14 staff. I think if anywhere, that’s where you can find the money and implement programs like this right across the Territories in all regions so all cultural organizations can have an opportunity to develop a program for their residents, so that they can come back to the region and take these camps and start up being in the southern institutions in Fort Smith, Yellowknife or Hay River and they can serve out their time in their home regions. So, again, what is the process for somebody to apply to this program? Who do they contact? Who would they call in order to show an interest?

Mr. Chair, this particular program is not a huge project. It’s a small project where there may be three, four, five inmates that volunteer to go out on the land. It’s not a money-making initiative. We provide services, we provide resources to certain camps that can operate. But with the existing camp the Member is referring to, it could be a huge camp that we may not be able to subsidize the whole thing if there is only one or two inmates from that particular region. We have to take all of those into consideration. But certainly if there are interests from the Member’s riding, they can go through the MLA to our department. We will certainly be more than happy to accept proposals from the region if they want to take on a correction camp out on the land. We’re open for that as well. So we are looking forward to working with the regions. Mahsi.

We are on page 9-28, community justice and corrections, activity summary, grants and contributions. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to ask the Minister on community justice committees and contributions to provide…Is this an application base for community justice projects for communities to apply for?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, these are contribution agreements with communities. As an example, we visited Tsiigehtchic. They didn’t have the program in place. I was approached by the chief and the MLA of the region and they were interested in having the program delivered, so we signed off on a contribution agreement. Those are the areas that we sponsor as a contribution agreement. So we continue providing those services. Mahsi.

The Minister says it’s contribution agreements to the communities and we just had the discussion on 9-27, community justice, $2.5 million. So there is another $1.3 million here.

Maybe I am getting a little bit confused here in terms of the funding to community justice committees and projects. I guess I am going to take this as community justice committees that want to look at a specific project. I’m somewhat confused as to the funding here, Mr. Chair. I am asking for some clarification.