Mr. Speaker, last Friday an RCMP officer came into my constituency office. He was exceptionally upset over the whole issue of pay raises. There had been quite a discussion at the police station about the issue of pay raises and how long they had been delayed. He said there was a tremendous resentment over the fact that the raises were so very small: 2% retroactive to January 1, 1998; a second increment of 1% on April 1, 1998; and an additional .75% on April 1, 1998. Basically he was saying that this put him in a position of moving from $50,508 up to $52,423, but left him in approximately 11th position against all other police members throughout Canada.
Bearing in mind what my colleague has just said, effectively the bill would give the judges an 8.3% increase over a two year period. It creates greater disparity between those who are attempting to enforce the law, already having a serious morale problem because of their wages having been frozen for as long as they have been, with a very meagre increase and the judges, who in many cases do things that end up infuriating the police officers, with an 8.3% increase in a two year period.
I am sure the member would agree the disparity that is being proposed by the Liberals simply should not stand. It sets out the judges in this special case while Canada's finest, Canada's RCMP, is not going begging but is certainly getting the short end of the stick.
I am sure the member would agree that this will lead to further morale and attitude problems on the part of the members of the RCMP who serve the country so well.