Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, the community feels that it is very important that we have full-time officers in the community. I would like to ask the Minister: how many times since the fall have the RCMP stayed over the weekend in Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can advise that, in the 2017 calendar year, the RCMP conducted 22 overnight patrols and 67 day patrols, and in 2018, the RCMP conducted 19 overnight patrols and 76 day patrols in the community. I don't have a seasonal breakdown or a breakdown by month, but I know also that, in December of 2018, there were 14 day patrols through Tsiigehtchic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is nice to have day patrols, but like I said, the community prefers when the RCMP stays the weekend; though, actually, a full-time station would be preferred. Will the Minister do a cost analysis to have an RCMP station in the community of Tsiigehtchic?
I don't think we are in a position, really, to examine such an idea in that kind of detail. I do know that setting up a new RCMP station would be extremely expensive, but certainly I would be prepared to have a conversation with the Member opposite about this matter. I have some idea about the overall cost of setting up a new RCMP detachment, and it is very high. We would have to decide if there was a need, first of all, before we examined it further.
The department has come up with those numbers in the past. As we work toward self-government, the community will be looking at having their own station. It is always better to have in place before those agreements are in place. Maybe as a pilot project, will the Minister and his department take a serious look at having a special constable, at least, in the community of Tsiigehtchic?
I thank the Member opposite for the question. I don't think that we are contemplating such a move at this time. If the Member opposite is contemplating having a situation in which there is one member in a community, I understand that generally we don't do that anymore, but I certainly would be able to consider this matter further. Again, the cost of setting up a full detachment would be very high, as I have mentioned previously, and I don't think we are contemplating it at this time. However, we certainly would be willing to look at the statistics for the community as a preliminary matter.
Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that the department always is looking at Aboriginal policing. I know we don't have a very much of an intake in that initiative that the department is trying to do, but the department always talks about the cost. You know, you might be looking at $5 million. We already have housing in place for the officers, so it is just a matter of putting up a station. Will the Minister at least get a rough cost estimate for having a station in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As the Member opposite has mentioned, there is now a housing accommodation for the RCMP in Tsiigehtchic, which I think is a marked improvement to the situation which existed prior to that. I don't think we are looking at setting up a detachment in the community at this time. Thank you.
Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
