Kevin A. Menicoche

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago we had a public meeting with the RCMP. One of the officers did indicate that they hate to be proved wrong or proved right. I, too, hate to risk the lives or risk a major incident that will threaten the safety and wellbeing of our constituents that they were wrong in doing this. I believe it was a wrong decision, I maintain that, just for the mere fact that some of the changes in the community affect the outlying smaller communities like Wrigley, Jean Marie and Nahanni Butte. One of them was the government liberalizing the alcohol rationing system in Fort Simpson...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the RCMP have determined that the need for police officers in the Nahendeh riding has decreased, and given that the number of police officers working in the NWT has increased, can the Minister determine precisely where in the NWT has there been such a significant increase in the need for police services? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to offer the report on the review of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Annual Report 2002-2003.

The NWT’s Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act -- ATIPP -- came into force on December 31, 1996. The purpose of the act is to make public bodies more accountable and to protect personal privacy by giving the public a right of access, with limited exceptions, to records held by the GNWT and related public bodies, and by preventing the unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of personal information by the GNWT and related public bodies. The act...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituents and I continue to be very concerned about the plan to reduce the number of police officers working at the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment. I first raised this issue in the House in May of this year. At that time, the elimination of one of the staff positions in question was only proposed. Since then, the plan has been implemented and we now have one less police officer in the Nahendeh riding. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, even though the change has been made, we still have not received a full and comprehensive explanation from the RCMP as to why...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Certainly I’m really pleased to see some of the updates and some of the achievements of our visions that we had when we began the Assembly, that we developed in January and February; in particular with regard to the challenging needs of our health and social services needs of all the communities and our whole territory. There was also some progress on addressing our formula financing needs. In particular, I think one of the best things that we’ve achieved so far to date, of course, is balancing our budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. That was quite an...

I move for a break.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I thank the Minister for his response. So far, the only explanation that we have received for reducing the police services in the Fort Simpson detachment is that it was made based on crime statistics and other indicators. Given that this decision will affect the safety and wellbeing of everyone in my riding, can the Minister of Justice determine precisely what factors or indicators were considered in making the decision so that we in the Nahendeh riding can determine what must happen in order to have the position returned to us or even, indeed, maintain our...

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. My question is for the Minister of Justice. Given that the total complement of RCMP officers in the NWT was increased in April of this year, and given that the total complement of RCMP officers at the Fort Simpson detachment was decreased at the same time, can the Minister of Justice determine why there has been such a significant relative decrease in the need for police services in the Nahendeh riding? I’ll just rephrase that. Can the Minister of Justice determine why there has been such a significant decrease for the need of police services in the Nahendeh...

I would like to thank my honourable colleagues for allowing me to conclude my statement.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that in April of this year, the total complement of RCMP officers in the NWT was increased by 7.5. To have the number of officers in the Nahendeh riding decrease at the same time presupposes a significant decline in the need for the police services. We must assume a significant increase in the need elsewhere. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we have been given no indication or assurance that this is indeed the case. I believe my constituents deserve a full and...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Minister's Statement 49-15(3) be moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you.