Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

This is page numbers 1951 – 2010 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Update On Early Childhood Development Plan: Education, Culture And Employment Milestone Statement

Enbridge Pipeline Erosion Control Measures

Support For Terrax Minerals Inc.

Improving Consumer Protection

Hay River Rental Accommodation Challenges

Benefits Of Public Service Growth In The Sahtu Region

Yellowknife Rental Accommodation Costs

Resident Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Modern Treaty Implementation

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Emergency Situation Communication Protocols

Yellowknife And Peripheral Area Land Use Management Plan

GNWT Land Use Monitoring Capacity

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Improving Consumer Protection

Rental Office Workload Challenges

Rental Accommodation Subsidies

Land Lease Assessments

Residential Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Social Housing Policy Adjustments

Written Question 21-18(2): Complaints Of Sexual Assault Classified By RCMP As Unfounded

Tabled Document 302-18(2): Workers’ Safety And Compensation Commission 2015-2017 Strategic Plan

Extended Adjournment Of The House To February 28, 2017

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Operations Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Lands

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Community Justice And Policing Activity

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 65-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Community Justice And Policing Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Often, those ones who are sent south, if it is for the reasons of access to programming, are inmates in need of specialized psychiatric or psychological assistance. Unfortunately, I don't know. I don't think I have the numbers in front of me, and it may be difficult to actually obtain those numbers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. So, probably the question of can the programming be provided in the North or whether qualified staff can be hired, it is going to be difficult to answer without knowing how many inmates this applies to. Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Often, the numbers of those in need of these specialized services who are actually serving penitentiary time are not all that numerous, so I don't think we would have the numbers required to set up specialized services here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you for that answer, and thank you, Mr. Chair. What kind of programming is offered to people who are on remand in the North Slave Correctional Centre? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

I know that this was a gap that was identified some time ago. We are trying to address that gap. Perhaps I could have the deputy minister expand on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I think the deputy minister is going to address that gap. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I apologize. I was trying to do two things at once. Mr. Goldney.

Goldney

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That has been an issue and a challenge for correctional facilities, not just in our jurisdiction but all jurisdictions. The challenge quite often is that the length of stay for remanded inmates is largely unknown and depends on court scheduling and other factors, so it becomes very challenging and very difficult to provide programming in every case. We do, however, make effort and have made effort to make programming, where available, to remanded inmates.

The other challenge, of course, is sometimes the security levels for remanded inmates might be higher than our program allows for at any given time, so that does present a challenge, not unlike other jurisdictions in that regard. Where we can provide the programs and make them available to remanded inmates, we make every effort to. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wonder if the Minister could provide a little extra detail such as what percentage of remanded inmates do get any kind of programming and what kind of programming is most commonly offered to them? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

February 23rd, 2017

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do not have those figures before us, but we believe we could assemble those figures and provide them. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you very much to the Minister for making that commitment to come back with what percentage of inmates get some kind of programming and what kind of programming they get. I think this is my last question in this section, and that is the financial impact of taking federal inmates. I am assuming that Corrections Canada pays the territorial government for housing federal inmates. What do they pay in this case? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Ms. Green. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Yes, Mr. Chair, I do know that the federal government does in fact pay for inmates who are up here, so it is not as though we suffer any loss from it. In fact, I understand, looking at some figures, that $1.6 million is anticipated, and the actuals in 2015-16 were for $1.35 million.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Anything further? Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

No, that's everything. Thank you very much.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Next I have Mr. McNeely.

Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

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