Debates of February 10, 2006 (day 27)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister responsible for Justice. I read in the news I think it was just before Christmas about a nice little program to service the needs of Gameti where they would put two police officers, I think, for a couple of months because of the winter road opening. I kind of prided the uniqueness of this, of having an alternate program to offer policing service to the smaller communities. I just want to know, if it has begun, is it a pilot, and can we look at branching it out to other communities, as well, Mr. Speaker? Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 378-15(4): Policing Services To Smaller Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't tell the Member if in fact the RCMP officers have already taken up their posts in Gameti. I do understand they will be serviced and will be from the Yellowknife detachment, and it will be on a roving basis. So a number of different officers will be involved. Obviously the communities had some concerns about access to the community, increased alcohol in the community, and drugs, because of the winter road. This is something that the RCMP agreed that they would try this year and see how it goes. The idea was to really keep the presence in the community for the length of the winter road season. I could check, but I'm not sure if the winter road is, in fact, open yet. I could provide that information to the Member, though. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 378-15(4): Policing Services To Smaller Communities

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'll be interested in monitoring the outcome of this particular program, because when I first read about it I said, well, that's a pretty unique way of doing things of increasing service in the small communities. In fact, Wrigley, one of my communities, have always been asking for an increased presence of, actually, medical service. But the barrier there was that there had to be like a police presence, as well. Then if you get one police presence, then you need, like, another officer because there's another rule or guideline saying that they're not going to put in one-police detachments anymore for safety reasons. So just the fact that we're looking at putting RCMP officers in for a couple of months, it might have implications for Wrigley that we can have an at least increased service with regard to providing health care services. So if the Minister will provide me updates as we go along. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 378-15(4): Policing Services To Smaller Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can certainly provide updates. We do have a working group with the RCMP and Justice officials talking about the provision of service to small communities. There are, I think, 13 communities in the NWT without detachments. The Member is right; the days of single-officer detachments are gone, so we have to be more creative and look at ways that we can provide service to some of our smaller communities. Probably the smallest ones we will be hard pressed to ever see detachments, or for awhile anyway, because of cost pressures in the smallest detachments. But I still believe, and I've had this discussion with Member Pokiak about a detachment in Sachs Harbour. I think Wrigley is another obvious one where we could use a detachment. I think the pressures from development are going to increase. But is a matter, as Members know, of getting it into the federal government's capital plan. It is the federal government that pays for detachments; we share the O and M costs. So really it's about convincing the federal Minister. That is something I want to sit down and talk to the federal Minister about, and we'll do that. But I'll keep the Member updated on the progress that we see in Gameti. I do understand that the winter road is not open yet, but we will follow that for the couple-month period that it is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 378-15(4): Policing Services To Smaller Communities

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to that, as well. The other component is, of course, to begin discussions with the Department of Health to see if there can be a concerted effort of providing the policing services as well as the health services. If we pilot in the Nahendeh region, as well, I would suggest the community of Wrigley to increase the health services. So while the Minister also begins discussions with Health and Social Services, just to pre-plan it so we can do something maybe next year, Mr. Speaker. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 378-15(4): Policing Services To Smaller Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the concerns about the provision of health services back to my department for discussions with health officials. Obviously, the Minister of Health has heard the concerns, and that's something that I'm prepared to have a discussion with him about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.