Action To Promote Social Justice

Investing In Personal Security

Mr. Speaker, this past year, two major reports drew our attention to significant weaknesses in our child protection and justice systems. A report on the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Zachary Turner made significant recommendations for reform. A report by the Right Honourable Antonio Lamer identified significant weaknesses in our criminal justice system. The issues are different, but they both involve protecting the rights and well-being of those who are especially vulnerable. This year, we will continue to address the recommendations of both reports.

Protecting the health, safety and well-being of children and youth is a priority of this government. Our government acted swiftly following the release of the Turner Review and Investigation to put an action plan in place to address recommendations to strengthen child, youth and family services in the province. Following a thorough review of the report’s recommendations and the completion of an independent operational and organizational review, our government is committed to making improvements. Through a $6.5 million investment this year, and $9 million annualized, we will work to strengthen the Child, Youth and Family Services system by targeting professional development and training, including the development of a new orientation program; adding new positions to the system, including social workers and support staff; hiring additional lawyers to support the legal requirements of the program; undertaking the necessary legislation, program and policy reviews; implementing operational and organizational changes, including improvements to the Client Referral and Management System; introducing quality assurance initiatives; and enhancing our monitoring, evaluation and planning for system changes for the future to ensure best practices are implemented across the system.

We are equally determined to restore public confidence in the integrity of our justice system by following through on the recommendations of Judge Lamer. To better prevent wrongful convictions and protect the interests of clients of our justice system in response to the recommendations of the Lamer Inquiry Report, we are creating 59 new positions in policing, legal aid, the Crown Attorney’s office, court services, civil law and operations. Our initiatives will be phased in beginning immediately, with an initial investment in 2007-08 of $2.1 million, an incremental $2.3 million in 2008-09, and an annualized investment of $4.1 million.

We will continue to invest in the strength of our police forces, whose work promotes safety and security in our communities. We are investing approximately $1.5 million this year, and $2 million on an annualized basis, in the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. We are investing $3.4 million in the RCMP this year to create an additional 22 positions, including 12 regular members, 7 public service employees, 2 civilian members and a community justice forum coordinator.

To bolster infrastructure associated with community protection and justice, we will invest $11.3 million for the construction of the Corner Brook Courthouse, which we announced last year. We will invest $500,000 to plan and design renovations and additions to the RNC Headquarters and Annex in St. John’s. We are also investing $500,000 to initiate planning for an adult correctional facility in our province.

In a heavily-forested jurisdiction such as ours, we cannot afford to be improperly protected from the threat of fires. This year, we will invest $19.9 million to begin the process of upgrading our water bomber fleet under a multi-year strategy valued at over $100 million.