Brendan Bell

Madam Chair, I am sorry if it’s confusing the way it’s laid out here. The $300 currently could be exempted from seizure. So you could be left with only $300 if you had a court order against you. That was the one amount. Now it varies, depending on whether you were looking after children. There was a certain amount, if that was the case, but $300 was the number you could be left with per month. Now we are saying the most that somebody can go after is up to 30 percent net of what you make each month. Thank you.

Madam Chair, yes, to the first question. The second question as to how long it will take, it’s really in the hands of the judges. So I will direct my officials to raise this with the judges. Hopefully they are amenable and hopefully they can move this through expeditiously. Thank you.

Madam Chair, the amount referred to is after deductions. So up to 30 percent after deductions.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today, Reg Tolton, ADM, Department of Justice; Mark Aitken, director of legislation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of things going on. We do have an Aboriginal Community Constable Program in the RCMP and there are four positions across the territory that have been earmarked, and that essentially is additional funding provided for positions where can have aboriginal officers trained and then take positions in communities. I believe there is one such position in Behchoko. The former Special Constable Program that the RCMP had, the Member's right, has expired. We have had a number of meetings and lobbied the RCMP to restart a program of this nature. The federal...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. We first went to a couple of other jurisdictions that have similar legislation to understand how it works and talk about whether or not it could be adapted for our smaller northern communities. They believe it can. We've talked a number of times now with the RCMP. As the Member, I think, and Members would understand, we need the RCMP to endorse and support this kind of legislation. There has to be a cooperation agreement. I was very pleased to hear from them that they were excited about this, as well, and very supportive. So we'll work very closely with the RCMP...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me thank the Member for his questions here today and his questions in the House in the past. This is something we're very interested in pursuing and I appreciate the impetus from Members on the other side of the House. I think it is a fine example of how consensus government can work effectively, Mr. Speaker. We are developing a consultation program. We will go out to communities to explain what safer communities legislation is all about. It really is about moving unwanted activity from our communities and shutting down operations; illegal gaming, prostitution...

Mr. Speaker, thank you, and I thank the Member for the question. I do know that this is a priority for the community of Behchoko. I think the Member remembers about six months back we met with his community, the RCMP and with the leadership, Chief Lafferty, to discuss policing issues generally. At that point there were some questions about bylaw. I will certainly sit down again with the MACA Minister. We'd be prepared to talk again with the community leadership and the Member to discuss how we can best provide policing and bylaw services in that community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not familiar with the specific program that the Member is referring to, but I will say that obviously we have an RCMP detachment in Behchoko. We are working very closely with the community to improve community policing in the entire region. I also am aware and know that MACA provides core operational funding to communities. Some of them have chosen to establish bylaw officer positions. I believe there are about 19 across the territory. So some communities are using funding from MACA in that regard, and I'm not sure if that avenue is open to Behchoko but that...