Evidence of meeting #37 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was work.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Minister, you've been in government for 11 years—
Liberal
Rebecca Chartrand Liberal Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
I also want to point out that we supported 1,500 harvesters last year.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Minister....
I have a point of order.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
This isn't her time; it's mine.
I know she doesn't want to answer, because there is not really a good answer for northerners.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Sheehan
Mr. Zimmer, let me speak, please. Thank you.
This is another question. Is that correct? Are you going to your next question?
Conservative
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Minister, your government's been in power for 11 years, and things have gotten worse, based on promises of the previous prime minister and the current Prime Minister. More promises make people feel better, but they don't fill their stomachs. I know that northerners are expecting the Prime Minister to fulfill his promise, and I hope that's forthcoming.
Minister Alty, according to Statistics Canada, the Northwest Territories' crime severity index, which weighs crimes by seriousness, rose to 526.9 in 2024. That's up 35% from 389 in 2019. It is the highest crime severity index of any province or territory in the country.
The Auditor General reported in March 2026 that the Northwest Territories RCMP division carried a vacancy rate of 22.9%, which is the highest in the country. One in four policing positions in the Northwest Territories is empty.
In the same supplementary estimates (A) that we are examining today, the federal government is spending $203 million to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding Canadian firearms owners, who rely on these firearms to feed their families or for protection in the backcountry.
Minister, do you personally think it is a good use of police officers, police resources and $200 million to go after law-abiding firearms owners' firearms?
Liberal
Rebecca Alty Liberal Northwest Territories, NT
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I haven't heard concerns from the RCMP regarding their workforce's working through the compensation....
However, I would like to thank the members for their service across the Northwest Territories.
We are working to fill the vacancies.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Minister, with respect....
Maybe I'll ask you this personally, because you're from Yellowknife. You see people who hunt and go into the backcountry—
Liberal
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
They are, actually. There are hunting rifles being banned. Your predecessor Michael McLeod, after one of these committee meetings, came to me and said, “I know.” He said that they're banning some of the hunting rifles they hunt bison with in the Northwest Territories. Your colleague previously voted against this legislation.
I'm just asking this for the people of the Northwest Territories: Are you willing to do the same? Are you going to stand up for law-abiding firearms owners in the Northwest Territories?
Liberal
Rebecca Alty Liberal Northwest Territories, NT
The compensation program is available for those who would like to return any licences that are currently deemed prohibited. However, the ones that are—
Conservative
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
She's not answering the question, though.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
You're not. I asked you personally.
Liberal
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Okay. Personally, you're not going to stand up for your constituents, as your predecessor Michael McLeod did. He voted against this legislation. Even Brendan Hanley, who's sitting with us today, voted against this legislation. It basically targets law-abiding firearms owners.
Are you going to stand up for your constituents and oppose this gun confiscation program, yes or no?
Liberal
Rebecca Alty Liberal Northwest Territories, NT
Our focus is on getting the 3-D guns that are on the streets. Those are the ones we're focused on.
The RCMP are doing their jobs in the Northwest Territories, and I would like to thank them for their service on that.
