Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main estimates 2022-2023, with Justice and Municipal and Community Affairs. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Does committee agree.

Thank you, committee. We will break for a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I'll call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee. We've agreed to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023, and we are finishing up with the Department of Justice. Minister wish bring to witnesses in the House?

Yes, I do. I would like to bring in Charlene Doolittle, deputy minister, and the director of corporate services.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses.

Welcome. Committee, we are continuing on with Justice, and so we were on the section policing services. And Member for Monfwi, before we ended yesterday, was in the middle of her question. So I'll turn it back to you, Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Yesterday they said that, okay, regarding my region two positions were allocated, and it just -- two positions were allocated but only one legal aid. That, I don't really -- I don't really like it. I don't think it's right what they're doing because what they're doing is that if you create -- if you put in more policing in the community, that's to make more arrests. But we don't have enough people to work with them, like legal aid. We only have one legal aid, and we have -- there's four communities in my region. But from what I heard is that the policing are short-staffed in my region. That's what I heard. And so I just want to ask the Department of Justice, what are they doing to help the community reduce the crime rate?

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Justice.

Thank you. I'd like to ask the deputy minister to answer.

Thank you. Deputy minister Doolittle.

Thank you, deputy minister. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. There's three other communities that don't have friendship centres so we have to keep that in mind. You know, like, there's Whati, Gameti, and Wekweeti that don't have friendship centres. And so, okay, thank you. Thank you for the reply.

Another one too it's -- okay, that's good that they're doing all that because I've been dealing -- there's a lot of concern because when you look at -- when you look at it, it's mostly young boys.

I just want to know if the Department of Justice are doing -- what are there doing in the correction system to help -- to help our young boys that are -- you know, that are there or -- because I'm sure -- I've been getting lots of phone calls, a lot of parents are concerns about their kids. So what they're -- they don't -- I also feel the same, and a lot of other people feel the same, they don't like how the correction system is operating because with the policing and all that, and it's just that it -- they're complaining saying that our future generations, all the correction system or the policing is doing is that locking up our young boys, our future generations, and lot -- I do agree with them. And so what is the Department of Justice or the correction system doing to help these young boys, especially it's mostly young boys. We know that. So what is -- what are they doing to help -- to help at the correctional system when these young -- young people enter the system? Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi, we discussed the correction service in the last section -- or the section before. This is policing services but maybe I'll just turn it over to the Minister to see within that division -- this department if there's anything to answer. Thank you.

I guess the RCMP don't have much of a role in the correctional service so, yeah, there's not much I can add in terms of the policing aspect. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi, did you have --

Thank you. Okay, there's another one too is that I've been getting lots of phone calls and, you know, especially from parents, and most of the crime that's committed are, you know, when there's drugs and alcohol involved. So a lot of parents are complaining and especially they have -- they're -- they are frustrated with the drug dealers, and my colleague here mentioned about the drug dealers that we need to do more for the drug dealers as well too, that, you know, we need to have a program for them. So I do agree with that too as well. But a lot of time parents are frustrated or other people are frustrated because on income support day and child tax day, there's lot of -- there's more drugs in the community than alcohol issues. So that's another one too that lot of community members are very concerned about, especially the choice of drug in the community is crack because they are -- you know, they're inexpensive to buy and the high is short-lived, and then -- you know, and it has other effects on the body as well. So I just wanted to know if the Department of Justice are doing more in that area about the working with or -- or working with the school and working with the other community organizations to -- about drug program? Like, at one time there was a DARE, that DARE program, and we haven't seen anything like that for quite a while in any of the regions. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.

Thank you. Perhaps I can just get the deputy minister to answer. Thanks.

Thank you. Deputy minister Doolittle.

Thank you. Are there any further questions from Members under the policing services? Oh, Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I know that there were a number of housing units that GNWT was -- the Housing Corporation was building for the RCMP. How does that factor in to any of the budget items here, if at all? Thanks, Madam Chair.