Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Justice in regard to my Member’s statement in regards to policing services in the community of Tsiigehtchic. As we all know, there are some 10 communities in the Northwest Territories that don’t have policing services and yet there was a commitment made by this government and also the 16th Assembly to improve policing in the communities and improve on safety of our communities in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice exactly what are we doing to implement that decision and direction that was given by the 16th Assembly to improve policing services in all of our communities.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since the beginning of the 16th Assembly, there has been a goal that was set by the Justice department. We are following through with those goals to provide policing services. We may not have police officers in Tsiigehtchic, but we’ve hired an individual to be stationed out of Fort McPherson to look after Tsiigehtchic and provide more policing services. That individual is dedicated to Tsiigehtchic.
I have frequent meetings with the chief commanding officer in this respect. At every opportunity, Mr. Speaker, I have always pushed for more presence in the communities, because Mr. Krutko, the Member, is always reminding us that we need more presence. At every opportunity, Mr. Speaker, I provided that to the chief commanding officer. There has been some slight increase. I would like to see more as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, again, I think it is important that we do look at implementing some of these ideas, not just increasing the community visits but the RCMP and also the developing of programs, educating not only the public but the students, and also working with community leaders on exactly how they can improve not only policing services but ensuring that there are laws being abided by in their communities and working with the local bylaw officer. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me if there has been improvement in regards to the RCMP working in conjunction with the local bylaw officer to ensure that there is ongoing dialogue and also communication between those two individuals so they can have a system in place to communicate?
Mr. Speaker, I can’t say today, but I can certainly find out from the chief commanding officer to see what the status is with the communication dialogue. Also the Member raised the issue in the past about sharing some resources as well. There have been talks about mobile units, radios and so forth. Those are areas that we are exploring as the Department of Justice with RCMP ‘G’ Division. Mr. Speaker, I will follow through and I will inform the Member of the status. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, again, I think it is important that we do have bodies on the ground regardless if it is bylaw officer, special constables or trying to find ways to be motivated to get people on the ground in the communities. They may not have the training like the RCMP members, but at least give them the training, give them the tools that they can also do the jobs when the RCMP are not there. They can have some sort of a presence regardless if it is through a bylaw officer or a special constable. Is that type of a program being implemented in the Department of Justice working with communities to look at the special constable, sort of reinstate that program by working with the bylaw officer in the communities? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we do have three officers that are in training right now that have started the training at the depot. It is a Community Constable Program. Those are the areas that we explore with the RCMP ‘G’ Division and at the federal level. They finally listened. We are unique in the North so they gave us three positions. They will be graduating.
Mr. Speaker, this is an area of interest for us as well. We want to increase those numbers. We will do what we can, as the Department of Justice, to provide more information on this and possibly creating more similarities. The Member referred to the bylaw and other positions that may be workable with preventive measurement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I thought we were well on our way with the reinstatement of policing services in Sachs Harbour. We were hoping we can hit other communities, but it looks like that is not being achieved through this government.
I would like to ask the Minister if he would seriously bring forward any recommendations or suggestions by way of improving policing services or similar type services to those 10 communities that don’t have policing services, but improve the systems we have to give the residents of those communities some assurances that their well-being will also be taken into consideration when it comes to policing services through the bylaw officer or whatnot. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, there was a commitment made with two communities, Gameti and Wrigley. We did hire those officers out of the GNWT budget. Now we are waiting for federal infrastructure. We made a commitment. We followed through with it. I understand where the Member is coming from. I will follow through with the ‘G’ Division and the chief superintendent as well.
The important part is the Member also raised that there should be community meetings with RCMP and the chief in council. I fully support that as well. I will be sharing that with the chief commanding officer and other areas that the Member has raised as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
