Debates of March 2, 2005 (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask some questions today to the Minister of Justice. I am sure the Minister of Justice is aware of an article that appeared in the Edmonton Journal on Sunday, February 27th, and the fact that it painted a very negative picture of Yellowknife. The title of the article is, “Big City Drugs Plague Northern Capital,” and actually made reference to 50th Street here in Yellowknife as a little Hastings. I am wondering if the Minister of Justice is aware that we only have three, that is three, full-time drug squad members in Yellowknife. I would like to ask the Minister what his department plans to do to address the drugs that are on our streets and the impact that these drugs are having on our families and our youth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 526-15(3): Addressing The Northern Drug Trade

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I attended the session earlier this week with Crack Busters and the article that the Member refers to was passed around there so, yes, I am aware of the article and I am aware of the issue in Yellowknife. It was quite a dramatic presentation that we received from Crack Busters.

Mr. Speaker, the enforcement of high level national or international drug targets is the responsibility of the federal policing, whereas street and mid-level targets fall to the province or territory for enforcement. So we work with our partners in the RCMP to provide them with the funding to go after the street level or mid-level targets.

I have no doubt that there are probably in the range of a number of members of the RCMP working in Yellowknife, probably around three. I am assured that the RCMP are working on a plan to address trafficking in the Northwest Territories and all drug activity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 526-15(3): Addressing The Northern Drug Trade

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest that there is very little evidence that the RCMP have the resources and the manpower to try to tackle the problem that is hitting our youth, hitting our families and destroying people here in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if he has had discussion with the RCMP with regard to the drug problem that faces the Northwest Territories. What have those discussions been? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 526-15(3): Addressing The Northern Drug Trade

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I have spoken to Chief Superintendent Summerfield about the issue of drugs in the Northwest Territories. Much of our discussion in the past year has been about working with the federal government to make sure that all of the federal positions are filled in the Northwest Territories. The Government of the Northwest Territories is responding to the resourcing request that has been put in by the RCMP and some of that is in this year’s budget. I am hoping to follow through and complete the numbers that they have requested in next year’s budget. I have talked to the Standing Committee on Social Programs about how that will be coming forward in the business plans.

Mr. Speaker, all three of the highway traffic resources that are included in this year’s budget proposal will be, I have been assured, cross-trained by a program called Pipeline, which the RCMP says makes them as effective or more effective in dealing with drugs, particularly since they will be working on the highway that brings most of the drugs into the southern part of the NWT.

We have also worked with the RCMP to make sure that in this year’s resource allocation, there is funding for a dog. The dog will be cross-trained and will also be used for drugs and will be used in different areas. As I said, there are other plans that are afoot that I have been assured by the RCMP, but they have not shared the details with me because they don’t want them to become public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 526-15(3): Addressing The Northern Drug Trade

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the bottom line is that people out in the communities or small communities have an indication of who the drug dealers are, where they are selling the drugs, where they live, and they don’t see anything done about it. That’s the problem that is facing people here. Where is the action? I know the Minister stood up in the House last week and said the two new traffic positions were going to Hay River, but according to the RCMP they aren’t going to Hay River. Again, and I asked this question last week and I will ask it again today, is Hay River getting two new RCMP officers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 526-15(3): Addressing The Northern Drug Trade

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To speak to the Member’s first allegation that people know that there are people who are dealing drugs and there is no action taking place, the RCMP can’t do it alone. They need to have witnesses, they need to have people tell them they are prepared to go to court and say this person is dealing drugs. I would encourage anyone who knows that sort of information and has it, to report to the RCMP that that will happen.

In terms of the allocation of traffic positions, the RCMP had started a pilot project in Hay River that put two positions into places that would have gone at the end of the pilot project. What we are doing with that allocation in this budget is turning those into permanent positions. There was a pilot project to see whether or not there was an effective allocation of personnel that was funded through different resources within the RCMP and the positions won’t remain there if this allocation isn’t approved in this year’s budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Time for oral questions has expired. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.