Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are living in an age of heightened public awareness and interests in police accountability and transparency. And rightfully so, because this is a matter of public safety. It is our duty as legislators to hold the government to account, and policing services falls within that purview. We must ensure that our justice system, specifically our territorial police services, are being run above board at all times. Therefore it is extremely important that our policing services have proper oversight, including financial accountability for public funds.
Mr. Speaker, policing in the NWT is carried out by the RCMP. The RCMP, however, is a federal police force and is guided by the NWT Territorial Police Service Agreement. That agreement was signed between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories on April 1st, 2012, and is set to last for 20 years, until March 31st, 2032.
Upon review of this agreement, I noticed some areas of concern that I find troubling and lacking. Firstly, Mr. Speaker, this agreement states each fiscal year the territories will pay to Canada 70 percent of the cost providing and maintaining the territorial police service. According to our 2021-2022 main estimates, policing services accounts for 36.1 percent of our total operating expenditures, amounting to $48.2 million. What I find problematic, Mr. Speaker, is that there are no requirements for the RCMP to provide public financial statements of this expenditure. The RCMP commanding officer's obliged only to provide the NWT Justice Minister with a multi-year financial plan for the territorial police service. However, there is no mention of any financial accountability to the Legislative Assembly of this expenditure breakdown.
Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, there is a contract management committee within the Territorial Police Service Agreement and it is not accountable to any public body. It is not obliged to submit any public reports of its discussions, there no mechanism for legislative oversight or transparency. It would be nice to know what our public monies are being spent on in this area.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, there is also the issue of jurisdiction of policing services in the NWT. Since the RCMP is a federal agency, its internal management and administration of police standards and procedures remain under the control of Canada. Thus, the Government of the Northwest Territories is very limited in authority over the RCMP. Our territorial Minister of Justice only has the authority to set objectives, priorities and goals of the territorial police service. This only furthers the lack of transparency and accountability of the RCMP in the NWT.
I will have questions for the Minister of Justice later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
