Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to raise a couple of issues and also give the Minister and the government a pat on the back as well, I suppose. The improvements to community policing, such as in Wrigley, is very well applauded and the community is very happy about that and the establishment of even right now they are calling it a patrol cabin, but it is absolutely a start for the community of Wrigley. It is something that we have been looking forward to for some time. The return of professional services to a small town like Wrigley will certainly increase…I am looking at
the population increasing again, because a lot of people were actually moving out because of lack of services. This is one way that our government and the federal government are helping our community.
As well, in the budget, it speaks about the Deh Cho staffing in the community of Fort Liard. The staffing there is very welcome. Increasing the complement also means increasing the ability of the officers there to do their job. Often they get conflicted because there is holiday time and training time that members are out of the community, and having additional resources certainly goes a long way to community policing and the many struggles that the community does have. That is a big thing. I will thank him on behalf of my communities.
In the other small communities that don’t have detachments, the issues are still surrounding response time and the ability of RCMP visits. If I would say anything, in general, for me as MLA for the Nahendeh riding -- I have six small communities in my riding -- is that we are increasing patrols and public and also in the schools, some exposure in the schools, that go a long way in showing the community that community policing is alive and well. Just having a resource to get out to the communities goes a long way.
I’ve got one particular issue with Trout Lake. They wanted to actually sit down with the RCMP to discuss their particular policing needs. This is one community -- I am sure there are others throughout the North -- that has a community initiative of actually following traditional culture of banning individuals who are troublesome. They are looking for a way to do it. I have raised it previously, but due to mobility guidelines and federal legislation, it just doesn’t work. But I believe the Government of the Northwest Territories can provide means and ways of supporting our cultural aspect of actually not having people in the community that are disruptive or harmful and, in some cases, dangerous, because it does happen once in a while. I think it is the ability of the community to say, look, this is how we have always addressed it culturally and we would like to address it again. It is about addressing that concern that we really have to look at.
As well, the community justice as a whole in our small communities is still looking for support. They are looking for training opportunities and workshops about the role of our justice committees. I know, at one point, we put full resources behind it and now it is somewhat limited but still needed in our communities. That is something that I would urge the department is a concern in the communities. The communities are looking for the resources for their desire to make their community healthy. This is one of the justice committees that did work and they want it to work again. I continue to support
that. I’m glad to see that there are some resources, but not enough. In the coming new year, I would urge the Justice ministry to look at that and evaluate it and do their best with the resources that they have to assist the communities that do want to move on with their community visits.
I just wanted to touch on those few issues that are particular to my riding, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the Minister. I look forward to working through the budget. Thank you.