Brendan Bell

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member I do it more than once a month on an ongoing basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first indicate to the Member that certainly the community and this Member have convinced me of the need for a detachment in Sachs Harbour. One of the most pressing reasons is the distance for service from Inuvik. I was in Sachs Harbour, talked about my desire to see RCMP officers on the ground in the summer of 2007. We wouldn't have a permanent detachment by that point. We would have to send a detachment up in '08 in the summer season. So sometime in fall '08 the detachment could be operational.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government will come up with the...

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s best that we sit down with the community and talk about some options. Obviously the concern is after hours and we need to come up with some sort of 24-hour mechanism in order to do it in a cost-effective manner. We have looked at solutions like this translation service through the telephone. I am not sure that that would be adequate. It’s possible we can work with other departments and talk about the need maybe at the health centre. Potentially there is translation there that we could borrow. Mr. Speaker, I will say that this is a problem. We can’t go by the number...

The Member is correct, Madam Chair.

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...

Mr. Chairman, thank you. With me today, Mark Aitken is the director of legislation, Department of Justice. Thank you.