Mr. Chairman, in many areas in Canada aboriginal communities have taken on their own responsibilities of policing and training people in academies, but they still operate under the band or regional councils. I am not suggesting that the Department of Justice should be the prime player in regard to an alternative to the RCMP. We do have aboriginal organizations that are just as capable. In order for us to look at that new initiative, we cannot always involve the Department of Justice as the lead role because they have their own vision of what they see as the application of justice, and I am sure the communities have a different vision all together. If we hope to start that process, we cannot just keep stone-walling and pretending that it is not going to happen. It will eventually happen, but perhaps it is not going to be this government that will be burdened with initiating it. Perhaps it should be the Dene Nation or the Inuvialuit, but certainly the aboriginal people could carry out that type of initiative as well. I do not think we should be stopping them from doing that. In fact, we should be supporting them with regard to Kim Campbell's report that came out on that. The directions are quite specific with regard to who should be carrying out that new initiative, and it is not the Department of Justice. It has not suggested that at all.
Samuel Gargan on Committee Motion 77-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation 14
In the Legislative Assembly on March 2nd, 1993. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 77-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation 14
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 1st, 1993
Page 711
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
See context to find out what was said next.