Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Could the Minister say as to when he will be able to get the information, because the reduction that is being suggested of possibly five members in Inuvik, has a very serious impact to what is happening. Could the Minister let me know when he can get back to me with that information?
Debates of Feb. 19th, 1998
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I would be, frankly, quite surprised if that is the level of reductions. I would expect the RCMP to inform us immediately if there were reductions that significant. We will immediately contact the RCMP for an update and, therefore, inform the Member within the next few days.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, in the briefing we received, at noon from the RCMP representatives, we were told the RCMP in consultation with the Minister of Justice allocate police officers to communities. Therefore, my question to the Minister is how could the RCMP reduce police officers in Inuvik by five members without consulting with the Department of Justice first?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. This is an unconfirmed report at this time. As I said earlier, I would, frankly, be surprised if there were reductions this significance. This is something that I would expect the RCMP to involve us in before the decision was made.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, this particular piece of information is disturbing to me in regard to my communities that do not have permanent police officers and have been relying on Inuvik to supply police services when and if they are required. Now, with that thought in mind and with that taken into consideration, as well as the points brought up by Mr. Roland, the Member for Inuvik, would the Minister confirm that he is not going to support this move to reduce RCMP in Inuvik by five officers?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. It is very difficult for me to give what my position would be on something that is hypothetical at this stage and which is something that is unconfirmed. What we will do is confirm with the RCMP what exactly is going on and try to find ways of assisting the RCMP to deal with a shortage. I would say, again, what I indicated yesterday is we are not reducing our contributions to the police contract. The net amount of money stays the same, but the RCMP, as with all government agencies is faced with increasing costs of doing business and I gave some examples earlier, the cost of travel. The cost of business in general has gone up, but the overall budget has not. The effect of that is you would have to deal with the budget as if it was reduced.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, the budget shows that in the last two years, the budget went up from 1996-97 to 1997-98, revised forecast of some $27.960 million to $28.015 million. There was an increase in the budget in the last two years. However, there is no increase for this year. Does that $28 million reflect this territorial government's share of the police services? Yesterday, we heard the Minister state that the territories pays 30 percent of RCMP costs. Does that mean the federal share is roughly 70 percent?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The figure you see in the books for 1996-97 of $27.960 million, they are actual expenditures, but the budget for that year and this year has stayed the same. The correct percentage for our share and the federal share is 70 percent of the RCMP expenditures are paid by the GNWT and 30 percent by the federal government.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, my question was, is the 70 percent of the feds included in the $28 million or is that over and above the $28 million?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you. The $28.015 million in the main estimates is the 70 percent portion that we pay, the 30 percent that the federal government pays is over and above this figure.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I thank the Minister for that correction. I had it reversed. We pay 70 percent. The feds pay 30 percent. So my next question, Madam Chairperson, in the past, the RCMP has supplied services to the government, in particular, I use the example of the Giant Mine issue that took place a few years ago, whereby the extreme costs to this government for RCMP services for mining. There is a suggestion, Madam Chairperson, that there is going to be an increased requirement for RCMP services in regard to diamond mining. My question to the department is, is that forecasted cost in this figure of $28 million?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, and I am sure the Member is correct that the Giant Mine incident and the required extra security and police that were required for that time were significant. I understand it was the GNWT's position then that was a federal responsibility. After discussions and negotiations, I believe the federal government did pay a portion of that extra cost. With the diamond industry, we do see a need for more security and police services. Here again our position is that it is a federal responsibility.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, my last question is in regard to the overall number of police officers who are in the small communities. We were given figures this morning of 225 officers, territorial-wide. Does the department have a break down of where most of those police officers are? Obviously they are not in the small communities. Where would the majority of the police officers be stationed?