Thank you very much, Mr. Menicoche. Earlier in the day I spoke about being upset about the RCMP detachments in Gameti and Wrigley being postponed indefinitely. I`d like to ask the Minister of Justice, what is the nature of our new contract for RCMP services with regard to infrastructure? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in 2007, when it was contemplated about building detachments in Gameti and Wrigley, we were under the old policing services contract. The federal government was responsible at the time for capital costs of new detachments in the Northwest Territories. In 2012 we signed a new Police Services Agreement where the Government of the Northwest Territories was 70 percent responsible for those same capital costs. Back in May of 2012, my predecessor at the Department of Justice, Minister Abernethy, had written a letter to yourself outlining the changes in the new policing services that we have, the agreement we have with the feds, and outlined we are in a different set of circumstances when it came to new detachments in the Northwest Territories. That was outlined in that letter, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
I would like to thank the Minister for that clarification. The needs are still there, Mr. Speaker.
What is the plan to ensure that Wrigley and Gameti RCMP detachments make it on the 20-year capital needs assessment? How can the Minister and what can the Minister do to ensure it at least makes that 20-year capital plan?
We’d have to continue to work with the RCMP on making that determination. When I was recently in Gameti last week with Minister Lafferty, we discussed ways to enhance the level of service for the community of Gameti. We are very much interested in looking at ways the RCMP can continue to work with the leadership and community members across the Northwest Territories on community policing plans, identifying priorities in the community that are important to the leaders and the members in that community and carrying out the work of the RCMP in those communities where we can enhance services, and that’s what we talked about with the residents and the chief there last week, how we could enhance and look at possibilities of enhancing service.
I understand the members that are based out of Fort Simpson service the community of Wrigley on a weekly basis and overnight in the community a couple nights a week. We need to continue the dialogue with the community of Wrigley and, Mr. Speaker, if the Member likes, like I did in Gameti, we had an opportunity to go there and explain to the leadership of the community what we were doing with the RCMP and the department of Justice in providing that service to the community to the best of our ability. I’d be more than happy to travel to his community of Wrigley to explain that to Wrigley as well. Thank you.
I would certainly welcome the Minister to the riding and we can work on something about that.
The news article also spoke about these facilities costing about $11 million to $13 million. I think in 2007, when we were discussing the possibility, we were looking at a portable and a much smaller facility. At least it had a holding cell when the RCMP were there.
What kind of facility and what kind of plans is he talking about if he wants to spend that much money for a facility? It seems quite excessive for the needs of the community. Thank you.
A new detachment does come with a lofty price tag. That’s why, with the resources that we do have, we have to try to find a way of moving forward with improving the level of service. In the case of Gameti, we talked about a holding cell being provided in the community. If we get into Wrigley and Wrigley leadership identifies that as a need, that’s something we will continue to work on.
We always need to be moving the yardsticks forward, Mr. Speaker. In the case of providing service, we are going to do that.
Again, I look forward to travelling to Wrigley and I can explain that to the community myself. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think back in the mid-‘70s when they had an RCMP detachment in Wrigley, they were talking about developing a road and pipelines. Some of those same issues are coming up again with the development that’s happening in the Sahtu.
Can they start planning and see the need to establish an RCMP detachment in Wrigley to be prepared for the development that’s going to happen? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
That’s a discussion that, yes, we can certainly have with the RCMP. As we move forward, I did want to mention, as well, the policing plan for Wrigley and the highlights for that, combatting domestic violence and violence in relationships, combatting substance abuse and related crime, youth and community crime prevention and also community policing and Aboriginal wellness. Those were the needs identified by the community of Wrigley, something the RCMP continue to work on with the community. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
