I understand that approximately 12,000 of some 18,000 regular members of the RCMP have been trained and are therefore authorized to carry the device. Obviously they don't all do that; we have some 2,600 CEWs in our inventory.
If I could take up the honourable member's suggestion to comment on his remarks, I appreciate the concerns he has raised, first of all, for the safety of our members, and second, with respect to the burden of paperwork. I agree wholeheartedly that we need to properly balance the need for proper accountability with the demands on our officers for paperwork and other administrative functions.
With respect to the overall safety of our members, I would agree with comments made today. Certainly I, as commissioner, and the force are very concerned about the safety of our officers, but that is not our primary concern. Our primary concern is the safety of the public; otherwise, frankly, we wouldn't send our men and women out on shift. They undertake risks every day. They rush into situations where the public is running away. So the very nature of the job means they are asked and voluntarily take on risks that members of the public do not. Public safety is our raison d'être and our first priority.