Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again I rise to talk about the lack of RCMP detachments in our communities in the Northwest Territories. Presently there are 10 communities without RCMP members. The RCMP serves these 10 communities from a larger detachment. For example, in Tsiigehtchic the RCMP from Fort McPherson serve that community; in Gameti the Behchoko Detachment serves that community; Colville Lake is served by the RCMP Fort Good Hope Detachment. It has been a long-standing issue with the communities that do not have RCMP members in that community. It at times can be very frustrating. It can be very painful for some of the members in the community when they need protection, and they need to ensure the safety of the buildings and their lives, that there is an RCMP in that community.
Because of the isolation of our communities some of my communities are not hooked up on all-weather road systems. Sometimes the weather is bad. Sometimes when the community is asking for help, the RCMP is not able to get in there as quickly as they want. Sometimes it takes days; sometimes longer. Sometimes the requests to have RCMP members in their communities are questioned, like they have to go through a screening process to see if there really is a need to have a Member there. The communities are getting frustrated because sometimes they’re seen to not be taken very seriously, or if the issue is not taken to the extent that they need an RCMP.
I want to ask the Minister, in light of his meeting with the federal Minister, what this government is doing to ensure that people, like in Colville Lake, can rest assured that they can have an RCMP member there or some form of law enforcement to ensure that older people and younger people can live and have some safety there.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
