Thank you, Mr. Chair. During the pre-budget consultations in the communities we heard that more funding should be directed to the local justice committees.
During the business plan review in September, the Standing Committee on Social Programs was concerned that funding to community justice committees was not keeping pace with their increased workload. The standing committee recommended $50,000 in base funding for each justice committee.
Currently the Department of Justice is reviewing how they can revitalize community justice committees. One area they are looking at is their funding structure. The standing committee will be looking forward to reviewing the 2007-2010 Business Plans and seeing increased funding for community justice committees and programs.
Policing In Smaller Communities
The Standing Committee on Social Programs is concerned over the $200,000 reduction in the Police Services Agreement. During the last budget session, the committee supported the increase of $1.489 million to the Police Services Agreement. Now part of the increase the committee supported last year is being removed as part of a budget-cutting exercise.
During the business plan review in September, the committee supported the Minister making it a priority to increase police presence in communities without detachments. The Minister of Justice has since informed the committee that a joint RCMP/department strategic planning group has been formed, and one of their first priorities is to increase the police presence in smaller communities.
The committee is concerned that the proposed $200,000 reduction in the overall Police Services Agreement may make it difficult for the RCMP to increase police presence in communities where there is already minimal police presence, such as Sachs Harbour and Colville Lake.
The committee finds it difficult to see how the enhancement of police service through more frequent patrols, longer stays, and the support of crime prevention initiatives can be accomplished, when the department is proposing a $200,000 reduction. As a result, the committee does not support this reduction. At this time, Mr. Chair, I would like to pass it on to Mr. Lafferty from Monfwi.