Mr. Speaker, the department at this time has only expressed some initial interest in flushing out some thoughts in that area. It is nowhere near the point where we can say substantively that we've done any work on it. Only that some initial thoughts have started to focus on the area and the need for it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. Since the Minister indicates that it is very early on in the process, I was wondering if he could advise the House if he has plans to insist that the department make this a priority and try to move the process along during the life of this government.

Mr. Speaker, there are many areas that I, as a Minister, am interested in exploring and investigating. Much of the department, at this time, is working flat out with the present workload, just trying to get the business done for the government on issues that are current and work that we are trying to finish up. Somewhere in there, we can say that it is a priority because of our work in trying to move towards community-oriented justice and policing initiatives. Specifically with regard to a police act, we have not done substantive work. As I say, we have 1,000 priorities and it is in there somewhere. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, several provincial jurisdictions that I am aware of provide for the appointment of auxiliary or special constables in their police acts. Since the Minister has just mentioned the need for community police resources, can he tell me if there are any other mechanism by which a police auxiliary or community patrols could be authorized, other than a police act?

Mr. Speaker, a police act, as I understand it, would allow for mechanisms and ways in which this government, municipalities and regional groups can provide for alternative policing than what we have presently. There is no act, just a contract for the RCMP to provide overall policing for the whole of the Northwest Territories. A police act would allow for that present scenario to continue and possibly with provisions for aboriginal police forces; for instance, the Yellowknife police force, which is a municipal police force. It would allow for regional or territorial police forces. So you may look at a police force for a particular region or the whole of a certain territory. At this time, as I said, we have looked at it and there has been some initial thought given to it, but we're not at the point where we can say with any certainty that we will get beyond that.

As Members know, we have an intensive amount of work to get done in the course of this session and before the next government, but we will, in our discussions with Yellowknife Members, perhaps be open to more discussions in order to flush out our thinking on it. We are prepared to consider a preliminary discussion paper for consideration of the next government as part of the transition paper, if that is what is being called for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister appears, in his answer, to agree that some action may be necessary. For certainty, I would like to ask the Minister if he would not agree that the appointment, training, qualifications and administration of civilian or community patrols engaged to assist the RCMP in surveillance or neighbourhood watch activities, would best be set out in legislation rather than an agreement. Legislation could then set out duties, responsibilities, authority and jurisdiction in addition to legal liability. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I can't give an opinion on that, other than to say that is a consideration to be evaluated in the course of discussions. At this time, we are looking positively at the merits of a police act, but we are not yet at the stage where we could give any substantive arguments for or against. Therefore, it is at a very preliminary stage. Thank you.