Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today I am presenting the 2014-2015 Main Estimates for the Department of Justice.
The department’s mandate is the administration of justice in the Northwest Territories, including policing and corrections. The department is also responsible for providing support to the courts. Within this mandate we continue to build a system of justice that is open, accessible and responsive to the needs of the people we serve. We support families when they are in conflict or personal crisis, and help them as they work toward successful resolutions.
The department’s main estimates propose an operations expenditure budget of just under $125 million. This represents an increase of 7.3 percent over the 2013-2014 Main Estimates. This includes just over $6.1 million in additional funding to ensure core programs and services have sufficient resources to operate, and it also includes $2.5 million to fund initiatives that will enhance and improve service delivery to the residents of the Northwest Territories.
The bulk of our resources go towards maintaining core programs and services the people of the Northwest Territories rely on, and making sure that these programs are efficient and effective. We support this Assembly’s goal of sustainable, vibrant, safe communities. We provide safe and secure custody of offenders and community supervision to
support rehabilitation and reintegration back into communities.
Department of Justice staff assist youth in trouble with the law, victims who have been harmed, people who need lawyers, families who need help working through separation or divorce, and offenders who need support to make better choices. Staff are located in regional offices bringing them close to the people we serve; however, we do not do this alone. We have strong partnerships with NGOs, community justice committees, community and Aboriginal governments, and our colleagues within the GNWT.
The Department of Justice also meets the needs of residents through our services to government. These include the provision of legal advice and legislative drafting for all departments as well as policy advice and support on access to information and protection of privacy matters. While these areas may not be clearly apparent to most, they are the foundation of a strong and effective government and are an essential part of our program and service work. These services will be under pressure this year, as we move forward with the Devolution Agreement and take on new responsibilities from the federal government. In response, we have identified $1.4 million to assist with this vital work and support the Assembly’s priority for an implemented agreement.
As I have mentioned before, providing these services and programs during times of fiscal restraint remains challenging. The justice system is experiencing pressures similar to those confronting other departments. Socio-economic factors contribute to a rate of police-reported crime that continues to be the highest in Canada. It is vital that we not simply react but take the time to fully investigate and plan, making sound decisions that are proactive and fiscally responsible.
We are working towards this by proposing investments in areas to support this Assembly’s priorities. New in this year’s main estimates are resources aimed at strengthening our services and improving the way that we work with our partners. We are proposing additional resources in the amount of $807,000 to pilot an Integrated Case Management Project. Additionally, we are proposing to move forward on the implementation of a wellness court. The purpose of this court is to assist those in our society who come into conflict with the law because of addictions or mental health issues. Funds in the amount of $300,000 are budgeted to implement this court in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
Justice programs and services also provide the GNWT with modest revenue of just under $14.3 million, or 11.5 percent of the department’s expenditure budget. These revenues are either generated through cost-sharing agreements with
the Government of Canada for access to justice and youth justice services, exchange of services agreements for housing federal and Nunavut offenders, or through the collection of fees and fines in legal registries and the Territorial and Supreme Courts.
The budget presented today is prudent, responsible, and will allow the department to continue to work on Assembly priorities and serve NWT residents.
I thank you for the opportunity to provide an overview of the department’s 2014-15 Main Estimates and I look forward to discussing it in more detail with you. Thank you.