Mahsi, Madam Chair. There are small costs associated with that. Yes, we are running another expression of interest in February so we should have the results for that. We've reviewed the applications for each of the correctional facilities and will be establishing a CAB at the NSCC. If not done now, very soon, but we did receive low numbers and applications largely from Yellowknife. So we went out to seek further members and we're hoping to -- that that will be successful. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Debates of March 3rd, 2022
This is page numbers 3711 - 3754 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 know.
Topics
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Doolittle
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm just quickly trying to troll through my own emails to see if I got a heads up about this. But if the Minister or the staff want to send that again, I'd be happy to put it on my own Facebook page and YK Facebook page and so on, and I'm sure others would be as well. So it would be great to get those in place and operating. I don't think I have any other questions about this section, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member. Are there any further questions under the corrections?
Seeing none, please turn to page 283, Justice, corrections, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $39,419,000. Does committee agree?
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, committee. Please move to page 287. We're on court services with information items on page 288.
Questions for court services?
Seeing none, Justice, court services, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $15,123,000. Does committee agree?
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, committee. We'll now move to page 289, Justice, legal aid services, with information item on 290, 291. Are there any questions to legal aid services? Member for Great Slave.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3743
Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at the line item for the Office of the Children's Lawyer, I note that it is more than the 2021-2022 Actuals, which is great. I can't say enough for the good work that this area is doing and have had friends who have utilized the services of the children's lawyer for the benefit of their children.
I think this is an area where we would want to see more money being put into, and perhaps a lot of people don't even realize, or I'm not sure how it's communicated to them, that there is this option for them. And given perhaps what I said earlier about the stresses that COVID has put on people and their relationships, we may see more of a need, unfortunately, for the children to have legal services.
So could the Minister speak to whether or not we will be looking for more money down the line for this, and would he be coming back for a supplement if it was oversubscribed? Thank you.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. For some detail on this item, I can ask the deputy minister to answer. Thanks.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Doolittle
Mahsi, Madam Chair. There is nothing in this budget but last year, in 2021-2022, there was -- the office did receive an increase of $99,000 in forced growth funding. So we are watching this office and paying attention to the needs if there are any increased needs. We are looking at an evaluation for 2025-2026, and that should help inform us going forward. I know it's not immediate, but we are paying attention to that and they did receive an increase last year. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is probably an area I don't know a lot about -- sorry, Madam Chair. An area that I don't know a lot about but, you know, we have talked a lot on the social development committee about perhaps a child's advocate. If we were to have a child advocate, does the Minister or the department think that this would then maybe take some of the strain off or relieve the need for the child's lawyer, or am I sort of just -- they're completely separate and not related? Thank you.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Yes, they serve different purposes. I believe the child lawyer is when the courts require a child to have a lawyer and then the lawyer is appointed to the child through that process where the child advocate serves a different role altogether. Thank you.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I appreciate that. I guess then again I feel that that is a silo again. You know, we have children that have a need, and it would be nice if we could figure out some way to provide them with the services sort of all around them. But that's more of a comment than anything. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member. Are there any further questions from Members under legal aid services? Member for Frame Lake.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. There's, yeah, three positions that are being lost in legal aid services, and I would just like to know more about why that's happening, especially if we're interested in increasing access to justice. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. Because of the timing of these main estimates, we show a decline of positions, but it's because we are -- it's the timing of when we sign our federal agreements. So there's no intention to lose these positions but the agreement was not signed in time to have it printed in the main estimates. So that money will come forward through a SUP, and those positions will reappear through that SUP. Thank you.
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Committee Motion 194-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 3744
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. So what are we doing to try to increase access to justice through legal aid services? What changes, if any, are being made in terms of this budget? Thanks, Madam Chair.