Mr. Speaker, the member for Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre has asked what the government is doing to ensure that the RCMP has the resources and qualified personnel necessary to carry out its policing mandate, given that training was suspended at the Regina depot in October 1998.
As is well known, the government takes its financial responsibilities towards Canadian taxpayers very seriously. In order to be able to implement the plans necessary to be able to operate within its 1998-99 budget, the RCMP imposed a temporary freeze on discretionary spending earlier in the current fiscal year. Another temporary measure consisted in suspending any new training activities at the Regina depot.
Before resuming its activities, the RCMP decided to carry out a detailed review with respect to the alternative service delivery of all programs provided by its training centre in this division. This review enabled the RCMP to identify whether internal resources or non-members were more qualified to deliver the services now being provided at the training centre.
I am pleased to say that the commissioner recently announced that training at the depot will resume effective April 6, 1999. The RCMP will implement a more efficient cadet training program. This modified approach will allow the RCMP to attain its program objectives more effectively, while ensuring the high quality of training for which the RCMP is known the world over.
I myself can testify to this reputation. Whether at Interpol headquarters in Lyon or in Bosnia, it was brought home to me that, far from being an idle claim, this reputation was very richly deserved.