Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so you had two facilities: one completely staffed up with experienced people, operational; another one just finished being constructed, not staffed up, obviously newer people in those positions. What was the determining factor that made the choice between the two facilities to be that Yellowknife would be a facility open for open custody young offenders and that Hay River would be closed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. General comments, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Any further general comments on the bill? We will proceed with the details. If the committee agrees then that there are no further general comments, do you agree to proceed with a clause-by-clause review of the bill?

Vital Manuel.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Agreed. Thank you. Mr. Minister, if you would like to invite your witnesses into the Chamber, we will have the Sergeant-at-Arms escort them in.

Minister Dent, for the record, could you please introduce your witness?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to commit to the public record an accounting of what we are losing by the closure of the Dene K'onia Young Offenders Facility in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, last week in the Legislative Assembly in the visitors' gallery we had present with us many of the laid-off workers from the Dene K'onia and many of you, as you mingled with them, know who they are. This facility opened in 1986, almost 20 years ago; it was the longest-operating young offenders facility in the Northwest Territories. The collective years of services of the 12 full-time and...

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Minister Dent. At this time, I will ask the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs to please provide the committee's comments on the review of this bill. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. General comments on FMBS, Ms. Lee.