Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, May 31, 2004, I will move that Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendments Act, 2004, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of protection of the public is one that we take very seriously at all times. The RCMP is certainly aware of the concern and is very careful to monitor convicted sex offenders as they do normally, and as we do through the parole system. So I think that over the last few years there has been a change in the approach and it has gotten more rigorous. I think that while standards have changed, monitoring of the sex offender registry will provide one more tool that we’ll be able to have. Until the computers are updated, and there is adequate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that no one is going to be ready to implement by this fall. I understand that the most recent meeting to discuss the implementation of this act, the RCMP has indicated for instance that they can’t be ready by this fall. There are a number of issues that have to be addressed, so the committee is working at moving the process along. There is a committee made up of representatives from all jurisdictions, and my understanding is now that we are looking at early 2005 for the registry to become active.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the goal of setting this program up was to find out whether or not it would improve results. So certainly we would look at this as a pilot project. Of course we will have to examine how many inmates there are in the system at any given time who would qualify for this kind of program, and how many programs like it we can run would be somewhat dependent on that. So I can’t predict whether or not there will be opportunities in other regions, or how often we will be able to do it, but certainly we were looking at this as a pilot project and we will want to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Tl'oondih lodge was used in conjunction with corrections. The goal was to run a program that would help offenders reintegrate back into the community through a program that was tied to the land, and the program started I believe in late March and ran for several weeks. The early reports that I have received are that the program was seen as very successful by both the inmates who went through the program and by the staff. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in fact, it’s not a tactic to stop people from advancing, it’s a tactic to ensure that people can advance. Rather than filling those positions with long-term employees, we have two positions that have been supervisory positions that have been used to rotate a number of people through so they are prepared to apply for supervisory jobs when they come open. So it’s an effort to provide some experience while people can have an active position to improve their skills.

Mr. Speaker, without having some names to address, it’s a difficult one to have some comments on. I guess I should point out though that the Member makes it sound like there are no aboriginal employees in corrections. In fact, our department is ranked third in government, in the last report on affirmative action, at 34.2 percent of its employees being aboriginal. Corrections services, since that time, has increased the number of aboriginal managers by 35 percent. So of the current 46 manager and supervisor positions, 57 percent are staffed by aboriginal persons and an additional 21 percent...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the intention is to be able to deliver the services at the facility, and we do currently have two nurses on staff to be able to provide services. I am advised by the Department of Health and Social Services that there has been no appreciable increase or noticeable increase in the patients from YCC to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, May 31, 2004, I will move that Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 31, 2004, I will move that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.