Mr. Speaker, for the past several years, Members have indicated to me, and to past Ministers of Justice, that they wanted to have either a member of the R.C.M.P. stationed in their community, or they would like additional members posted to their region to assist with police services.
Although many of us would like to have more R.C.M.P. officers stationed in our communities, there are practical financial limitations placed on this demand. Under the N.W.T. Police Services Agreement, this government pays 70 percent of all our policing costs. In our 1992-93 budget, this figure amounts to approximately $23.9 million. For the R.C.M.P. to carry out their current operational requirements this year, the numbers of police, or established strength of the force, must be restricted.
At the same time, I acknowledge that, as with such basic services as nurses and teachers, residents of the north are entitled to some form of policing service in their communities. For this reason, I have instructed my officials, in concert with R.C.M.P."G" division headquarters, to develop a program in which ordinary citizens, and possibly, some by-law officers, or other volunteers, might be trained by the R.C.M.P. to work with them in policing our communities. Although the details of the plan still must be prepared, and approved, by the Commissioner of the R.C.M.P., it is envisioned that these part-time members would receive an honorarium and uniform, and be trained to a basic level of R.C.M.P. policing standards, in order to deal with a range of matters under territorial and, federal statutes.
We will be seeking financial assistance from the Solicitor General of Canada under the Aboriginal Policing Program, which was announced last fall. This program stipulates that the federal government would pay 52 percent of the costs of aboriginal policing initiatives, and the government of the Northwest Territories would pay 48 percent. If a funding package is arranged, we will identify one community in the west, and one in the east, to establish two pilot projects to examine, and test this proposal.
Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged by the possibilities of this approach for improving police services through the N.W.T., and I will keep you advised of progress throughout the year.
Thank you.
---Applause