Thank you, committee. We will proceed with the first item. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Minister of Justice have any opening remarks?
Debates of March 3rd, 2021
This is page numbers 2299 - 2340 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 indigenous.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 3rd, 2021
Page 2309
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Yes, I do. Should I just take it away? Thank you. I am here to present the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for the Department of Justice. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $136,000 over the Main Estimates 2020-2021. These estimates continue to support the mandate objectives for the Department of Justice while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.
Highlights of these proposed estimates include forced growth funding of $877,000:
- $99,000 to fund increased external counsel costs in the Office of the Children's Lawyer;
- $123,000 to fund increased inmate services costs being incurred at the North Slave Correctional Complex;
- $233,000 to hire two additional sheriff officers to address staffing shortfalls; and
- $422,000 for the Territorial Police Services Agreement to allow the staffing of three additional RCMP constable positions in Yellowknife;
Initiative funding of:
- $303,000 for the implementation of a community safety officer pilot program within an NWT community. This program will be developed by Indigenous peoples for Indigenous peoples;
Funding sunsets of $1.424 million, including:
- $20,000 that supported the activities related to the legalization of cannabis;
- $339,000 to defer the establishment of two legal counsel positions in support of the initiative approach to unauthorized and rights-based occupancy;
- federal funding of $316,000 thousand from the Indigenous Justice Program fund; and
- $749,000 from the A Framework for Enhancing Victim Services Agreement in the NWT;
In other funding adjustments of $415,000, including:
- $158,000 incremental investment under the federal gun and gang violence action fund; and
- $257,000 for the implementation of the Judicial Remuneration Commission Report recommendations.
These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly by allowing the department to:
- work with the RCMP to ensure that all 33 communities in the Northwest Territories have policing priority action plans in place that are based on the specific needs of each community and are developed in partnership with community leadership;
- support community justice committees in the development of alternatives to the criminal justice system, such as diversion programs, and community service and crime prevention programs;
- make ongoing improvements to corrections programming to address the root causes that lead an individual to crime, integrate Indigenous culture and traditions, and support inmate reintegration back into their community; and
- finalize the transition of the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre in Hay River to a therapeutic community model to ensure that participants in the program have person-centred care and much needed support to turn their lives around.
This concludes my opening remarks, and I look forward to answering questions from Members. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, will you please introduce your witnesses for the record?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Madam Chair. We have Charlene Doolittle, deputy minister; and Mandi Bolstad, director of corporate services. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you and welcome. Committee has agreed to forgo general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail in the contained tabled document?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Committee, we will defer the departmental summary and review estimates by activity summary, beginning with community justice and policing, starting on page 274, with information items on page to 277. Minister.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. As we get into this, our first item is community justice and policing, and I just want to remind everyone that policing services is later on, so this is not the section to discuss the RCMP. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I promise not to discuss the RCMP. My first question is in regard to victim services, and I am just wondering: there was a report that was published in 2020, the victim services program evaluation, and as part of that there were recommendations to the GNWT, many of which requested items that would cost money, one of which was to allocate additional resources for travel to outreach for communities. I am noting that travel has gone down by about half, so is there a costed plan associated with the victim services program evaluation available from the Department of Justice? Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of those recommendations, the department has already acted on, things like the travel. I can send it to the deputy minister for some more detail, though. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Doolittle
Madam Chair, we are currently working with our partners and our stakeholders, too, based on the recommendations coming forward, and that would include a costed action plan. We are also discussing this with the federal government, where we receive a lot of funds in this area. Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. We are currently working on that.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2309
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. One of my concerns is that I think, as I go through my other questions, we want to pull a lot out of this, but this page and the funds that go along with it have come down by about $600,000. We are wanting this section of Justice to do a lot more with a lot less money and not the additional funds that we are looking for. That is definitely a concern that I have, but I am happy to know that the action plan is coming. If the action plan does not come with dollars from the federal government, is there room for Justice to move money around to accommodate that plan within this fiscal year? Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. The Member noted a decrease of about $600,000, and that is due to the sunsetting of the victim services agreement. That is about $749,000. However, I believe we may have signed that, a new agreement -- no, we are working on negotiating a new agreement, and we are confident that it's going forward. It's just a matter of time, but it was not ready for these main estimates. That is in the works. There is limited money in Justice to move around. It is very mandated, and we require budgets for specific things such as RCMP, such as courts, and we do not really control those budgets, necessarily. They are largely driven by the organizations, the RCMP and the courts. It will be a challenge, but we will do our best. We were unable to really include those costs here, given that we do not have the action plan yet and this budget is already set. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Is there intent then, if the plan does come back and the money is not within justice, that justice would put forward a supplementary appropriation? Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310
Bolstad
Thank you, Madam Chair. We are very confident in our funding allocation from the federal government, so we really do expect an agreement to be finalized here within the next few months. We are confident within that funding allocation that we will be able to implement some good changes on the program and move forward from there. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2310