R.J. Simpson

Thank you. So we have been adding positions. Last year there was a new position added to Fort Providence. There was a new position added in Fort McPherson. So we are using the money that we have internally to explore more creative ways to expand these services and we have been able to do that. But there's not someone in every single community in the territory if that's what the Member is asking. Thank you.

Thank you. And during COVID, the Member's correct, we did utilize technology much more often. We've provided more resources to the courts to help them manage this technology because the judges and court workers aren't necessarily tech people themselves. There have been videoconferencing systems installed in the RCMP detachments across the territory so that people can appear virtually there. Perhaps I can hand it to the deputy minister for some more discussion about the things that have happened. Thank you.

Thank you. So the Residential Tenancies Act dictates the rights and obligations of the different parties involved. I understand there are different provisions for the housing corporation than from private entities. I'm not sure if this is the appropriate time to speak to that legislation; we're not amending the legislation. There's no recommendations in front of me to amend it. So we're talking about the operations of the rental office but as to the value of the act, the efficacy of the act, I am not in a position to speak to it right now. Thank you.

Thank you. I'd like to hand it to the deputy minister.

Thank you. So this program, it is it's a program to put officers in communities and the way they police is what's called community policing. So it is working with the community; it's getting to know the community. That's the whole idea. We do that across the territory. That's the way the RCMP operates across the territory so they integrate well into the rest of with the rest of the RCMP. And we are actually looking we are discussing whether or not we can expand that program. For many years, we did pursue the federal government and tried to get an increase to our allocation. I believe we had...

Thank you. This is a very new initiative; it just started. I'm not quite sure how far along it is. I don't think it's far along enough to be able to provide that type of information. I'm not sure if either of my witnesses has more information on this. I'd hand it to the deputy minister.

Thank you. And I believe in the Member's community in particular, there's been increases in the security classifications of inmates who are there. And those who are lower security classification are now going through the therapeutic model. And so definitely in that model there are opportunities to do what the Member is talking about. We have to take into consideration the fact that there might be a business who, you know, shovels people's driveways, and so they don't want to compete with government labour essentially that is being offered at no charge. So there are those things as well. But I...

Thank you. So far there have been 691 referrals to the program, and there are 98 active clients. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That's a big question. I'm not sure if I can put a price tag on how much it costs to reintegrate an offender. There's the practical considerations of depending on where the person is going back to. So if you're going back to Sachs Harbour, things are going to be more costly than if you're going to somewhere like Fort Smith. And because we've had relatively low numbers and the program is still relatively new, I can't provide an average cost or anything like that to the Member yet. But I'd be happy to ensure that the department does that work so that the next time the...

Thank you. So we have the budget for the previous year, let's say, and then the RCMP says we need more or we would like more resources here. Then we can work with them through our normal budget planning process to put those resources into the budget. So it's similar to other divisions of the government in that sense that it does follow the normal business plan process. Thank you.