Jackson Lafferty

I think that is one of the recommendations brought forward by the Committee of the Whole, and certainly we will consider looking at those recommendations. Also, we do have a three-year time span as part of our business planning. We have highlighted where we can enhance and improve our program delivery into the communities. Those will be taken into consideration.

Mr. Speaker, that certainly is not the case. We’re not encouraging students to drop out. We’re encouraging them to stay in school and be successful in their particular program.

This particular constituent is grandfathered as well, along with other students who are in the current system. So we do continue to support them during this transition period.

Mr. Speaker, it’s important to highlight that we are here to support them as the Government of the Northwest Territories, and our SFA program is one of the best in Canada. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, currently, for the past seven or eight years we’ve sponsored these students to return to the Northwest Territories.... Out of the 19 we’ve sponsored, five returned to article here in the North. Two are in practice: one is in the legal division and one is in Behchoko. One is currently articling.

Mr. Speaker, we hoped that we had more applicants in this area. At the same time, when we talk about the summer employment, the students would have to notify our department by February 28 for summer employment, as with any other students, to be employed here in the North. Also, if they have...

I think it’s clear that the Chair of the Social Programs Committee will be sharing that with the Members. Our office and our department are willing to do that as well with the Members who are not on the committee.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Safety is one of our top priorities as a department — safety of the inmates, also safety of the correctional officers and, as the Member alluded to, safety of the public. We’ll certainly do what we can. We do have a psychologist on hand to assist us with program delivery at this facility, and also the two individuals that are in there currently and also the third individual that does deliver the program. So we will continue to deliver the programs that have been delivered for a number of years, and we’ll certainly monitor that as well on a continuing basis. Mahsi.

We do have the expertise from within. We have one continuing staff member who has taken on the role of delivery officer. Also, the two current members whose positions are proposed for reduction do have the opportunity to become the case officers, or case managers. So they will continue to deliver the programs at the centre.

Mr. Speaker, we’ll do what we can as a department to fast-track this particular piece of our proposal.

We will, as a department, continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Services and the other parties that are involved with drafting of the proposal. We’ll do what we can as a department to move it expeditiously. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this has been an ongoing issue for a number of years, highlighting the doctors and the lawyers. I believe Mrs. Groenewegen raised that issue on numerous occasions in the past. It has triggered our department and also Health and Social Services to draft up legislation on this particular issue. We are currently establishing a draft proposal to be submitted, and then we will be discussing that further. It is one of the priorities that our department is also working on with the department.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s discussing this particular area of concern for his riding. We will do our part as the Department of Justice to monitor the programs that are being delivered at the centre. Wherever there needs to be improvement, we’ll highlight that as well. Certainly we will continue to monitor the progress of the centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There are proposed changes to the North Slave Correctional Centre and also the young offenders that we’re faced with. At the same time, there are no changes to the program delivery. We will continue to deliver those programs with the staff that we have at the centre.