EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In times of loss, the coroner investigates and reports on each death as promptly as possible to allow family members to grieve. The final request before you today, $100,000 to the Office of the Coroner, reflects the growing numbers of deaths and the complexity of their investigations and will provide families some peace.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and my colleagues.
Does the Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness have opening comments? Mr. Joanasie.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness on its review of the proposed 2015-16 main estimates and 2015-18 business plan of the Department of Justice.
The standing committee notes that the department’s proposed 2015-16 operations and maintenance budget of $109,442,000 has increased by approximately 3.1 percent since the introduction of the department’s 2014-15 main estimates.
The number of positions in the department is 368. This remains unchanged from the 2014-15 main estimates.
The standing committee notes that one of the department’s goals for the 2015-16 fiscal year is to “Introduce Civil Forfeiture legislation.” On November 2, 2012, the report on the Minister’s Task Force to Review the Liquor Act was tabled in the House.
This review included a recommendation for the “urgent introduction of strong civil forfeiture legislation as a critical tool to fight the unlawful possession and illegal sale of alcohol, among other objectives.”
The department’s proposed 2015-16 main estimates indicate that $11,818,000 in funding has been allocated to the Legal Services Board for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
This amount remains unchanged from the department’s 2014-15 main estimates. The standing committee notes the minister’s efforts to work with his provincial and territorial counterparts to lobby the federal government to fund a greater proportion of the costs of criminal and civil legal aid.
The department’s draft 2015-18 business plan indicates that the Legal Services Board has “established a new Civil Coverage Policy and updated most of their policies.”
The standing committee encourages the minister to ensure that policies that have been approved by the Legal Services Board are reviewed on a periodic basis and that any updated versions are made publicly available at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s 2015-16 main estimates include $812,000 in funding for the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal.
On June 7, 2012, a report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly titled Strengthening the Nunavut Human Rights System.
The report presented 18 formal recommendations concerning the Human Rights Act and the operations of the Human Rights Tribunal.
The department’s 2013-16 business plan indicated that the recommendations of that review were being studied at that time.
The standing committee continues to encourage the minister to table the government’s formal response to the report and recommendations.
Mr. Chairman, under section 20 of the Human Rights Act, the minister is responsible for tabling an annual report on the activities and financial statements of the Human Rights Tribunal. On March 12, 2014, the minister tabled the 2012-13 annual report, which indicated that the tribunal has been facing a number of challenges related to public outreach.
The department’s 2015-18 business plan indicates that one of the tribunal’s priorities for the 2015-16 fiscal year is to “Complete a semi-annual public awareness campaign.”
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, the standing committee notes that in April of 2012, the Canada-Nunavut Territorial Police Services Agreement between the Government of Nunavut and the federal government was renewed for a 20-year term.
This agreement provides the framework in which police services are provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
On March 1, 2013, the 2012-14 Shared Directional Statement between the Department of Justice and the RCMP’s “V” Division was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The document outlined a number of priority areas for collaboration between the department and the RCMP’s “V” Division, including communication, communities at risk, and crime reduction and prevention.
On June 6, 2014, the minister stated his department and the RCMP’s “V” Division were working together to develop a new two-year shared directional statement.
The standing committee encourages the minister to table this new shared directional statement in the House at the earliest opportunity.
The department’s draft 2015-18 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2015-16 fiscal year is to work in collaboration with the RCMP’s “V” Division to “Continue efforts to increase capacity to communicate in the Inuit language,” and that language training is “ongoing and has proven to be beneficial as it allows RMs to engage community members in Inuktitut.”
The standing committee recognizes the importance of ensuring that Inuit language training is made available to law enforcement staff.
The standing committee notes that the department’s proposed 2015-16 main estimates include a total of $7,608,000 in funding for its court services and registries divisions for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
This represents an increase of approximately 10 percent from the 2014-15 fiscal year.
During the Committee of the Whole’s consideration of the department’s proposed 2015-16 capital estimates, the minister stated on October 30, 2014 that his department planned to undertake a “renovations and design project” at the Nunavut Justice Centre in the 2015-16 fiscal year.
The minister also stated that “Design work for the addition of a wellness court for those who suffer from addictions and mental health issues” would occur at the same time as the renovations project.
The standing committee notes that the Government of the Northwest Territories launched its own wellness court in October of 2014.
On February 9, 2015, the Yukon government announced that it has recently completed an evaluation of its wellness court, which was implemented in 2007. The standing committee notes that such wellness courts allow the justice system to divert offenders with mental health, addictions, and cognitive impairments to targeted programming that recognizes and addresses their specific needs.
The standing committee looks forward to receiving ongoing updates on the proposed wellness court for Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, an ongoing concern has been the issue of probation services in Nunavut. During his recent appearance before the standing committee, the minister indicated that the department currently has 27 probation officers in the territory.
On June 6, 2014, during the Committee of the Whole’s consideration of the department’s proposed 2014-15 main estimates, the minister indicated that a number of communities did not have probation officers.
The standing committee notes the importance of ensuring that there is a resident probation officer in every community.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, the standing committee emphasizes that the development of effective programs for inmates and persons on probation is an essential element of reducing the rate at which reoffending occurs.
Information contained in the government’s response to a written question asked in the Legislative Assembly in February of 2013 indicated that the rate at which adult male offenders reoffend was approximately 74 percent.
However, information provided in the minister’s response to a written question asked in the Legislative Assembly on November 4, 2014 indicated that the department’s Corrections Division does not have the capacity to evaluate the rate at which offenders reoffend.
The standing committee notes that such information is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of the department’s correctional and probation programs.
The standing committee recommends that the department work to increase its reporting capacity to determine the rate at which Nunavut offenders reoffend.
The department’s draft 2015-18 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2015-16 fiscal year is to “continue developing a plan for a medium to long-term solution to increase capacity for inmates in Nunavut, including planning to repatriate all Nunavut inmates housed outside of Nunavut.”
The standing committee also notes that the Auditor General of Canada’s next report to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut will focus on the territory’s corrections system.
The standing committee looks forward to the upcoming hearings on the Auditor General’s report, which will be televised across Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, the minister is responsible for tabling an annual report on the administration of the Family Abuse Intervention Act.
The standing committee notes that the minister tabled the 2011-12 and 2012-13 annual reports under the Family Abuse Intervention Act on November 4, 2014.
These reports include information concerning the activities of community justice committees, which offer culturally relevant alternatives to correctional sentencing where appropriate.
The department’s draft 2015-18 business plan indicates that one of its goals for the 2015-16 fiscal year is to “Continue to assist Justice Committees to increase their ability to receive more cases diverted from the formal criminal justice system…” The standing committee notes that the 2011-12 and 2012-13 annual reports under the Family Abuse Intervention Act do not indicate the number of cases that have been diverted through the community justice system.
The standing committee recommends that future annual reports under this Act include more detailed information on the activities of community justice committees, which will allow for more effective assessments of the program.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, the standing committee notes that the department’s draft 2015-18 business plan indicates that a number of its priorities for the 2015-16 fiscal year are focused on providing support to victims of crime.
The 2013-14 annual report under the Victims of Crime Act was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 4, 2014.
The report indicates that approximately $256,000 in funding was allocated to 23 different community-based projects that provide services and assistance to victims of crime across the territory.
These include annual reports under the Family Abuse Intervention Act, the Human Rights Act, the Labour Standards Act, the Legal Profession Act, the Legal Services Act, and the Liquor Act.
The standing committee looks forward to such annual reports being tabled in a timely manner.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2015-16 main estimates and 2015-18 business plan of the Department of Justice.
I just want to remind members that the contents of the opening comments are covered by the different branches of the department corporation. Please ask your detailed questions under appropriate braches.
Being none, we’re going page by page.
E-4.
I’m going to start off with victim services. According to your business plan, the department is working with stakeholders and with the federal government to look at ways to improve victim services.
Funding was received from the federal government through a five-year agreement and the program, from what I understand in looking at your business plan, was divided into two phases.
The first objective was to create a victims travel fund to attend court proceedings.
I’m wondering if this has been implemented and, if so, how many victims of crime have used this fund.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Can my colleagues highlight the page number of the business plan?
It will make it a lot easier for all of us. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Business plan page 35, first paragraph.
Hon. Paul Okalik: I’m sorry, but I lost the question when I was looking for the page. (interpretation) I’m sorry.
I’m going by your business plan where it states that it got federal funding for a five-year agreement to improve victim services in Nunavut and this program is divided into two phases.
The first objective was to create a victims travel fund to attend court proceedings. That’s for victims.
I’m wondering: has this been implemented and, if so, how many victims of crime have actually used this fund?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) This program has been well used, unfortunately. The latest one public was the Dejaeger case out of Igloolik where a lot of victims had to fly down and were recipients of this fund. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We don’t know exactly how many have utilized this fund over the last year, but we could get that information. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I don’t think it really goes into how much money was provided by the federal government under this five-year agreement. Perhaps, does the minister have that number with him today?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We don’t have that federal information with us right now, but we can get it. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The second phase is to increase awareness and to provide more support for victims.
Out of these objective goals, how does your department go about informing communities that this fund is in place?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We have been training a lot of good people like justice committees on victim issues. We also have employees who assist these committees.
We have three employees who deal with victims’ issues in our territory and they also assist us in making sure that we provide proper programs for people who apply to our department for programming. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Program.
My second question goes, just underneath, it’s on the same page of your business plan where you talk about the Arctic Child and Youth Foundation.
I understand that your department is working with this foundation.
Can you explain how your department programs and services compliment the service provided by this organization?
What I’m looking for is: how does this foundation and the Department of Justice work together?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I don’t have that detail at this time, but I’ll undertake to provide that information. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’ll go on to something else.
I’m going on to Inuit employment and still on the same page of the business plan, page 35.
In your business plan, it states that one of the department’s objectives is to increase the number of Inuit working within the department and that priority will be given to beneficiaries for “all job competitions for indeterminate positions.” That’s what it says in your business plan.
I’m wondering: what about casual positions? What is the status on that?
Hon. Paul Okalik: In terms of casual hires, as for their policy, we give priority to Inuit beneficiaries for casual positions. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’ve had some conversations with some constituents who actually work in some of the facilities up there and their concerns are that actually mainly non-Inuit are hired on a casual basis.
As the minister, what have you told your department about this?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I have told my officials and they understand that we have a job to do in terms of implementing the land claims agreement, doing our part to address many challenges faced by Inuit, and changing the face of justice from those who are on the other end to become the ones who actually work in the department.
I think that message has resonated and we’re moving, and I look forward to a lot more Inuit working in the department. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I think there are a lot of people who will be happy to hear that who work there.
I would like to just go on now to wellness courts. There have been discussions, obviously, regarding the importance of getting a wellness court for Nunavut.
Your department’s proposed 2015-18 budget does not include any information concerning the introduction of a wellness court.
As the minister, can you tell us where this initiative stands today?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) This initiative will continue.
There needs to be a lot of work still to be done, but it’s not off the radar.
We are focused on trying to meet our goals for this year and once that is done, we will focus more attention to the wellness court.
It is one area that requires work from other departments and that may take a little bit of time, but we’re committed to the project. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $17 million… Mr. Hickes.
I was just getting my questions ready.
I thought some other people might have a couple of questions and beat me to the punch.
I just have a couple of questions on this page. On page 56 of the business plan in the 2014-15 priorities, it speaks to implement the recommendations of the structural and organizational review of the Legal Services Board. The business plan also indicated that due to delays, the revised timeline for a final report is this upcoming spring.
“Wherever possible, the Board has begun implementing internal operational recommendations.”
To date, what recommendations have been made concerning the board’s organizational structure?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I had the advantage of going to Gjoa Haven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for being a gracious host during our visit.
There needs to be quite a bit of work, in my opinion, to make sure the office is in good working order and I’ll have to work with the board. I believe I’m scheduled to meet with the board later this week.
I look forward to working with the board and making sure that we make sure that all the challenges they face are reduced and that there are opportunities created for everyone. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In October of last year, the federal, provincial, and territorial ministers for justice met and one of the topics was the issue of legal aid.
The press release from that meeting stated, and I’ll quote, “Ministers reiterated the emphasis for continued collaboration between the Federal government and the provinces and territories to strengthen legal aid and the justice system for Canadians.”
My question to the minister would be: what has been the federal government’s response to these requests from your provincial and territorial counterparts?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We’re not alone in terms of pressing the federal government for more funding in this area.
We’re unanimous in terms of provinces and territories in encouraging the government to do their part and fund legal aid. To date, we have not had the benefit of receiving what we asked for, but we continue to press the federal government.
I don’t know what else we can do, but we will continue to press on and press the federal government to make sure that they do their part and fund legal aid for the rest of our country. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I believe it was from that same meeting. I’m just going by memory here, so I may stand to be corrected, Mr. Chairman. One of the topics was civil court legal aid inclusion.
I’m just wondering if the minister has any progress to report on that matter. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We did not make much headway during that conference on civil matters. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
How much does Nunavut currently receive from the federal government for criminal legal aid and how much funding does the territory believe is necessary to meet our current need?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I believe the line item here is $11,818,000 that we spend on legal aid for our territory. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’m just looking at very recent media coverage on the significant constitutional and legal risks of the Baffin Correctional Centre here in Iqaluit.
There were a number of comments that jumped out at me, but one of the ones that really concern me was that there was a caution that the courts could, among other things, declare the jail unconstitutional and order it be shut down.
With the ongoing issues that your department has seen with the Baffin Correctional Centre, I would imagine that the department would have some type of a plan in place, if it ever got that far.
We’re already at an overcrowded state and, as I understand, just as recent as last week, some inmates were sent out so that the renovation project could begin.
What would happen to the remaining inmates within the Baffin Correctional facility if the court system shut that facility down?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The situation continues to evolve.
We have transferred inmates out so that we can work on the facility so that it improves. That work is ongoing. As I said in the House, we are doing the mould remediation now and we will continue to work on the facility.
I cannot answer what may happen because that is hypothetical.
I’m here to deal with reality and do my part to make sure that we maintain the standards and making sure that everybody is safe and secure in all our facilities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I understand that it was a semi-hypothetical question. I won’t give it a full hypothetical status as it’s a statement that says it could very easily happen.
I would like to think that the department would have some type of a plan in place on what to do with the remaining residents of BCC. Maybe if the minister would like to consider a little bit further answer.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation); Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Right now, there are only 24 inmates at BCC, the bare minimum that we can hold in that facility.
We have moved inmates to Makigiarvik and other facilities to accommodate the work that needs to be done now. That work is happening and so we are making progress. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Last fall, this House approved an $850,000 budget for a safety renovation at the BCC facility.
What assurances can the minister give us that those monies will be sufficient to bring that facility up to a safe standard where we don’t have to be concerned about unconstitutional activities or a potential civil suit to the Government of Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We’re doing some very good work now and we will continue to do whatever needs to be done to make sure that we meet our obligations.
Our primary goal is to make sure that we have a safe and secure facility for all concerned. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
If memory serves me, we also approved a budget allocation to do a study of a new facility.
What’s the timeline of that study?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Right now, we are focused on making sure that the current facility is up to standard and our focus is there right now.
We will continue to work on the rest of the work that needs to be done and work with partners where we can to make sure that we improve the current facility. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Maybe if the minister could just elaborate on what partners his department will consulting with on that study.
Hon. Paul Okalik: We have the federal government that we are working with, so we will see how that goes and we will wait for that work to get done. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman
I know you were able to evade a commitment on a timeline of that study, but maybe if you just give us a rough estimate. Is it going to be six months, one year, eighteen months, or two years?
When can we anticipate seeing some results of that study so that we can assist you in making some budgetary decisions?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I can’t answer right now because it depends on our federal partners.