Mr. Speaker, following a meeting with the director general of the City of Montreal police service, I was informed that the Eclipse squad, which specializes in fighting street gangs in Montreal, was likely to be disbanded because its funding of $35 million from the police officers recruitment fund was going to end.
Last year alone, the 46 Eclipse police officers made 540 arrests, including two for murder, and 42 weapons were seized.
This expertise will be lost. Furthermore, this is a disaster waiting to happen for public safety in Montreal, especially since the city with the highest number of street gangs is Montreal.
Will the Minister reverse his decision to eliminate this funding, as the National Assembly and the police forces have asked?