This is page numbers 6289 - 6352 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 assembly.

Topics

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Justice invest adequate resources into victim services to ensure public awareness of these programs; and further, that the victim services staff are in a position to inform victims of details pertinent to their well-being and safety, including cases where a person remanded in custody is released by the courts. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We recognize that the Department of Justice is currently reviewing its victim services program and that there may be recommendations in that review that improve the service that is being offered, and so this motion really speaks to that, that the victim services staff in given communities are able to serve the needs of victims, not only by providing information about inmates but also by providing information about people who are on remand, so that the victims are aware of basic information about the person being released and to where and so on. More details about this are in the bill, but this is just more generally about the service behind the delivery that is outlined in the bill, to victims of those who are in correctional facilities. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends, to the extent it is possible before the dissolution of the 18th Assembly and for the public record, that the government provide a response to these recommendations, even of a preliminary nature, and that the committee may publicly disclose. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that we have concluded consideration of Committee Report 34-18(3)?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Committee Report 34-18(3), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 45, Corrections Act. Committee, do you agreed to consider Bill 45, Corrections Act?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you. I will ask the Minister responsible to introduce the bill. Minister Sebert.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to discuss Bill 45, Corrections Act. The purpose of Bill 45 is to repeal and replace the current NWT Corrections Act, which is over 40 years old.

The changes proposed are intended to update NWT corrections legislation to bring it into line with the evolution in corrections over the past several years and incorporate the reformed practices and approaches that have emerged at the national and international levels.

The bill makes a number of improvements to the current legislative framework of the corrections system in the areas of accountability, supporting the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community, reducing the risk of reoffending, and keeping our communities safe.

The bill recognizes the unique cultural background, historic legacy, and experience of offenders in the NWT and sets the framework for incorporating these elements into the rehabilitation process. The bill also includes operational improvements in the areas of risk management and security, quality assurance and monitoring, and staff training.

Significant changes being proposed in the new act include:

  • provide for the establishment of independent community advisory boards;
  • facilitate the involvement of Indigenous governments in the delivery of corrections programs and services;
  • clarify the link between case planning and programming for remanded persons, sentenced offenders in facilities, and offenders in community-based corrections;
  • establish oversight by an investigations and standards office and provide for independent decision-making in disciplinary matters and the use of separate confinement;
  • increase authorities related to the search and monitoring of those in a correctional centre or seeking to enter a correctional centre;
  • provide for the establishment of a notification program that respects the rights of victims and includes a victim-offender mediation program;
  • clarify the rules relating to the appropriate use of separate confinement, including fixing time limits, providing for independent oversight, and specifically defining the authorities for placement; and
  • provide for the development of a corrections employee code of conduct that employees and service providers are required to follow.

I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Development for their thorough review of this bill. I would also like to thank our respective officials for their collaboration and for going above and beyond to find mutually agreeable solutions that have enhanced and improved the bill. I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 45. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Sebert. I will now turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development, the committee that considered the bill, for opening comments. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will, again, be very quick. Again, I would like to thank the Minister, his staff, Legislative Assembly staff, and committee for all of the hard work that was done. Again, like the Minister has said, I think that the department staff and the Legislative Assembly staff went above and beyond. There were lots of long hours, but it was amazing to watch them work to achieve this great bill in front of us. I say it is a great bill because I think, as we have talked about it, it was something that I don't think that we would have been able to see in the 19th Assembly. I think it was a lot of good work.

Again, I would just like to thank everybody who was involved. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is this a good time to do opening comments on the bill, or wait until the witnesses are here?

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. We will have the floor open to comments later, after the Minister and witnesses have taken a chair. Thank you. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber? Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to have witnesses with me. To my right is Martin Goldney, deputy minister of Justice, and to my left is Mike Reddy, director of Legislation Division, Justice. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 45. Ms. Green.