Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Sometimes I just call the page so we don’t forget where we are. It doesn’t mean I don’t have other people on the list. Page 12-17, activity summary, mineral and petroleum resources, operations expenditure summary, $19.349 million. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to follow up on the assertion from the Minister again, that there was very little interest or uptake in the Aboriginal Constable Program, which was an opportunity.

I’d like to ask who led the effort to recruit and generate interest in these positions. Was it our government or was it the RCMP?

Agreed, thank you. Page 12-17, activity summary, minerals and petroleum resources, operations expenditure summary, $19.349 million. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Vician. Activity summary, minerals and petroleum resources, operations expenditure summary, $19.349 million. Mr. Yakeleya.

I’m not suggesting it should be available, that level of policing should be available across the Northwest Territories. I’m suggesting it should be in the communities where there is no police presence at this time and where the RCMP cannot operate with a single member detachment and all those other rules that go along with the RCMP. I’m not suggesting all communities; I’m suggesting only those communities that do not have a police presence now.

Could we create a made-in-the-North for-the-North group of officers to serve in those communities?

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Activity summary, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, $8.451 million. Agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Vician. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In no way am I suggesting that the contract we have signed with the RCMP is not a good thing for the Northwest Territories. I believe that they provide a wonderful service and that should continue, but because of the regulations that came about, partially due to some of the unfortunate incidents that took place, one of them in Hay River and another one in Nunavut, the rules around having single-member detachments changed greatly. So we are bound by the rules that regulate the RCMP.

I’m not suggesting that the RCMP be replaced in any way. I’m talking about how we can get...