Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Northwest Territories, the RCMP enforces impaired driving laws. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice. I understand that the RCMP uses a combination of practical technologies, like mouth swabs, and subjective analysis, like driver inspection by an officer trained as a drug-recognition expert, to assess a driver's level of intoxication and that concerns have been raised about the accuracy of these tests. Can the Minister describe for the House what the experience has been for drivers in the NWT with respect to the detection of drug-impaired drivers since legislation? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At present, there certainly have been efforts made currently to expand the use of drug recognition, both in terms of the field sobriety testing and in terms of devices. At present, I can say that, as of the current year, there actually have not yet been any drug-impaired investigations that yielded results of being, in fact, drug-impaired. All of the impaired driving continues to be alcohol impairment here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In August, the federal government announced funding of just under $1.5 million to improve drug-impaired testing in the NWT. How, specifically, will this money be used, and are our smaller communities included in this plan?
Yes, the Department of Justice has had an opportunity to make use of funding from Public Safety Canada. There is currently $1.45 million in funding that is directed here over the next five years. That is going to be used to help expand standard field sobriety testing training and to ensure that the officers remain current with that training. There are also going to be efforts for drug recognition experts so that they can be ready to support impaired driving investigations.
As far as supporting smaller communities, Mr. Speaker, I can certainly confirm that there are officers trained in 11 of the 20 detachments here currently: 20 in Yellowknife alone and several more in our larger regions, all currently certified to conduct standardized field sobriety testing in the Northwest Territories.
Has the RCMP conveyed any concerns to the Department of Justice about enforcement related matters, and if so, what is being done to assist the RCMP to better do their enforcement work?
At present, there have not been any concerns raised to the Department of Justice. I have had the opportunity to meet with G Division's headquarters, as well as to attend several of the detachments already throughout the Northwest Territories, and I have not been privy to any concerns. Obviously, our office remains very alive and very welcoming. If there have been other concerns raised, I would certainly want to hear about that.
As I have said, though, at present, what I have been told is that, although the officers are becoming trained in drug recognition and increasing and improving their ability to detect roadside alcohol impairment, at present, there have been very little in terms of drugs and no concerns raised following the legalization of marijuana.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of Justice confirm if reducing the levels of impaired driving is still on their business plan for the Department of Justice? Thank you very much.
Reducing impaired driving isn't a specific policing priority, but it certainly remains, obviously, a priority for the Department of Justice. I could certainly say that it would be ideal if every patrol vehicle in the Northwest Territories could be equipped with the relevant alcohol or drug screening devices and operating officers able to use them.
That may be a long-term goal. That is not a goal that is likely to be achieved in the short-term, but it is one that I believe the RCMP are alive to and working towards and one that the Department of Justice is alive to, and so we will be continuing to seek funding where it is available in order to realize a better goal of having better enforcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
