Mr. Speaker, during my response to the Commissioner's opening address the other day, I outlined the need for the Fort Smith corrections complex to resume the rehabilitation focus that was once offered there. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my speech, the majority of the facility's inmates are Indigenous people and are products of the multigenerational impacts of residential schools and colonialization. Given this history, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, TRC, provided calls to action outlining the need for rehabilitation to be a key part of the correctional programming for all levels of government.
Mr. Speaker, to carry this idea further, I also mentioned in my speech that, since part of the rehabilitation process includes an educational component, I think that the town of Fort Smith has a very unique opportunity to offer inmates the chance to attend Aurora College to help themselves improve the quality of their lives. This would give inmates a chance at a fresher start and possibly to return to their home communities with new skills and certifications.
This idea would be a win-win for everyone involved as it would benefit Aurora College, the corrections complex, as well as the inmates themselves, and since this program has already existed in the NWT, the logistical infrastructure to enact this program should not be too cumbersome to get under way. Therefore, the only barrier is a matter of the political will.
Mr. Speaker, the people in our corrections systems are important, too, and they deserve good care, treatment, and rehabilitation, just as anyone else. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.