Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm sad to hear that it's 50 years old. I mean I know that lifespan within the GNWT was around 45 years. However, in saying that, I've been here for many years, and I know that there are old buildings that are over 50 years that are still standing and still strong. Like I said, what we need to do is we have capital plans for Education, Culture and Employment's infrastructure over a 20-year period. We don't have that currently for Aurora College, so it's a piece of information that we need to compile. We need to look at every single infrastructure asset that we have within our post-secondary education and develop a 20-year plan, just like we have for our departments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Debates of Oct. 26th, 2018
This is page numbers 4473 - 4520 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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
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Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm sure the community will be pleased to hear of that review. I have no further questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. Education, Culture and Employment, labour development and advanced education, infrastructure investments, $200,000. Does committee agree?
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, committee. Please return to the departmental total on page 9. Education, Culture and Employment, total capital estimates, $17,658,000. Does committee agree?
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, committee. Thank you to the Minister and the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Minister, you may vacate the witness stand.
Committee, we have next agreed to consider the Department of Justice, which begins on page 48 of the capital estimates. I will ask the Minister of Justice to take his place at the witness table. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses.
We are just getting everything sorted out here. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses to the House.
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Louis Sebert Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my left is Mandi Bolstad, director of corporate services. To my right is Martin Goldney, deputy minister. Thank you.
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The Chair Daniel McNeely
Thank you, Minister Sebert. We will open the floor for questions. Mr. Simpson.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As we have moved into the department detail, the first section I see here is corrections. I see that there is a perimeter fence for the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre. It's half a kilometre long, 15 feet high. Can I get some detail about this piece of infrastructure? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Louis Sebert Thebacha
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. As committee Members will know, we will be looking at South Mackenzie Correctional Centre as a therapeutic community based on the Guthrie House model that some of us have had the opportunity to attend in British Columbia. One of the things that would be necessary in that change would be to enhance the security of SMCC. An important part of that, in fact the important part, would be the perimeter fence. If we wish to complete this transition, it's necessary that we enhance security. The most important part of that, as I say, is the fence. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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The Chair Daniel McNeely
Thank you, Minister Sebert. Before we go on here, just for the record, I want to mention on page 48, we are going to defer this total and regain our questions on the first activity, starting on page 49. It's supported in the information on page 50. Having said that, Mr. Simpson.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for that clarification. It sounds like this is related to an operational program, so I might have some questions about that program. The Minister indicated that maybe additional renovations required to increase the security levels. Can the Minister elaborate on that? Thank you.
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Louis Sebert Thebacha
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand there are some minor changes within the facility itself that would be necessary to raise its status to the status required to be a model or a program like Guthrie House. Thank you.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. For years, I have been asking the Minister why SMCC isn't used to remand prisoners. Would these renovations allow it to be used as a remand facility? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Louis Sebert Thebacha
Yes. Thank you. Certainly, the enhancements that we have spoken of would allow a higher risk of offender in there, but I don't think we would be planning to have remands in there. Perhaps Mr. Goldney could elaborate on that. Thank you.
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Goldney
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The security enhancements planned for SMCC would allow for higher-risk offenders. The primary driver for this work, though, is the transition to the therapeutic community model, which would allow more of our inmate population to take advantage of that kind of programming and that kind of setting. It would have the added benefit, though, of allowing greater flexibility and transfers among our facilities, if required, of those higher-risk offenders. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. I was asking about remand because it is always good to have a Plan B. Just in case this program doesn't work out, I want to make sure that these renovations aren't for naught.
I would like to know a little bit about this program because I imagine this is a large capital cost, and we don't want to just start building things without having a plan here. Could the Minister please discuss this program a little bit? Will the correctional facility be at capacity, and will all the inmates there be in this program? Is that the plan? Thank you, Mr. Chair.