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Laurie in Question Period

Edmonton Remand Centre

Ms Blakeman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last night during the estimates debate the Minister of Justice advised that bail hearings will now be conducted, where possible, with Crown prosecutors. In relation to that, I have some questions for the Solicitor General regarding the Edmonton Remand Centre. Has his department considered that this measure may lead to an increase in the number of detainees in the Edmonton Remand Centre?

Mr. Lindsay: Mr. Speaker, we have noticed over the last few years that there has been an increase in the number of inmates we’re holding in the Remand Centre, and the design of the facility that we’re working on anticipates that that number will likely increase.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. Given the number of new Crown prosecutors that are going to be involved, does the Solicitor General have a number for new employees that would be deployed to that particular centre?

Mr. Lindsay: No, Mr. Speaker, we haven’t got that kind of detail yet. But with the open supervision concept we’re using, we anticipate that we may have fewer members working in the remand centre.

Ms Blakeman: All right. To the Solicitor General: given that we don’t seem to have a set opening date for the new remand centre and no staffing, possibly, or lower staffing, is the Minister of Justice able to advise, given those conditions, whether inmates could be expected to receive 3 to 1 credit again or possibly even more than 3 to 1 credit for being sentenced in the remand centre?

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

Ms Redford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll refer to the discussion that we had last night. We discussed the fact that prosecutors would be undertaking bail applications. One of the very useful discussions that we had was about how we weren’t sure if this would actually lead to an increase in the population in remand centres and that, in fact, it may very well lead to a reduction in the population in remand centres. So I’d question the fundamental premise for the question. I’d be prepared to have that discussion at another time. But just to clarify the situation, I don’t think we can make that presumption today.