I know the Minister talked about FPT meetings and getting together with his colleagues from across the country. One of the big issues recently that’s come to light is people getting double credit for time served in remand while they’re awaiting a court date. I’d like to ask the Minister if here in the Northwest Territories has our government and the Minister of Justice taken a position on whether or not that’s a good practice to have. Thank you.

Mahsi. There’s double time, time and a half, time. A lot of times the number of days are waiting for their trial. Those are the discussions that we had at a recent FPT meeting as well, and there’s been a lot of debate on the 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2, two times or double you can call it. So those are discussions that have been brought forward across Canada and we do raise our concerns as well.

There have been several cases, Mr. Speaker, that even young offenders have, like, 40 or 50 different cases before them, but they are free for various reasons under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and the acts are being changed as well. The recommendations are brought forward to make those changes so we can deal with those matters at hand. But this double time and time and a half is also the discussion that we are having at the federal level. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It doesn’t sound like our government has an official position on whether or not that’s a practice that we want to have here for folks in remand. Personally, I think it’s a practice that has to stop.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if people who are in remand -- and our jail has a number of those individuals -- are available to access programs and services that other inmates are allowed to access while incarcerated. Thank you.

Mahsi. It all depends on the case that’s at hand, if it’s a high risk, low risk, medium risk. So it all depends on the case that’s before the court proceedings. So it all varies. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, replies to budget address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 15, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the anti-poverty workshop report titled No Place for Poverty. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 16, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 10, 2011, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 10, 2011, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 10, 2011, it shall be adjourned until Monday, February 14, 2011;

And further, that any time prior to February 14, 2011, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 10, 2011, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment reinstate the policy of sponsoring a placement in the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine;

And further, that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment fund that placement;

And furthermore, that the reinstatement of this policy includes a requirement for return of service by the graduate practicing in the Northwest Territories or repaying funds expended on the sponsorship.

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 18, motions. Item 19, first reading of bills. Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future; Tabled Document 103-16(5), GNWT Contracts over $5,000 Report, Year Ending March 31, 2010; Tabled Document 133-16(5), NWT Main Estimates, 2011-2012; Tabled Document 135-16(5), Response to the Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Evidence Act; Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights; and Minister’s Statement 88-16(5), Sessional Statement, with Mr. Abernethy in the chair.

I’ll now call Committee of the Whole to order. In front of us today are tabled documents 4, 30, 38, 62, 75, 103, 133 and 135; Bills 4, 14, 17, 20; Ministers’ statements 65 and 88. What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today the committee would like to continue with the consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services’ main estimates and we would like to stop short of getting into the Department of Education in order to convene a meeting at the rise of the House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Is committee agreed?

Agreed. Thank you. We’ll take a short break and when we return we’ll go to Tabled Document 133-16(5).

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Before we went on break, committee agreed to review Tabled Document 133-16(5), Main Estimates, 2011-2012, with the Department of Health and Social Services where we left off, which was page 8-21. Ms. Lee, would you like to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, please. Thank you.

Is committee agreed?

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, if you could please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Ms. Lee, for the record, can I please get you to introduce your witnesses?