Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)
I rise today to speak about community policing, as well. We expect a lot from our policemen and women. Of course, we want them to solve crimes and get criminals off our streets, all the while following a list of complicated procedures to the letter and avoiding the use of undue force. We want them to break up domestic and street fights; we want them to be running checkstops to get drunk drivers off the road; we want them to escort prisoners on remand back and forth between different communities; we want them testifying in the courts; we want them to do patrols to smaller communities within their own detachment; we want them to be in the schools educating our children about safety, the law and the dangers of drugs and alcohol; we want them to be consulting with leaders and working with community groups; we want them to be coming up with plans to deal with emerging issues like crack cocaine and crystal meth, which are making their way into the smaller communities. That is a long list, Mr. Speaker, especially when we don't provide the resources to make it happen.
Just looking at Fort Simpson where we recently lost an RCMP position, the need is already there for at least two more officers. The word is out that there are jobs in the Deh Cho and we are already seeing an influx of transients. Pipeline construction is set to begin as early as 2007 and we need to get a handle on this to protect our residents and keep our communities safe.
Mr. Speaker, I would urge the government to work with the RCMP, to take a good look at our policing resources and come up with a plan for what we are going to need to have in place to deal with the pipeline and other resource developments. We are running out of preparation time and I would hope to see a budget for more officers in Fort Simpson and maybe other communities as well, no later that the next set of draft business plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.