Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot for his question. The reference he made to the four RCMP officers who were killed gives me an opportunity to extend my condolences to the families and the community that have suffered this loss. I think that we are all affected by it.
In my opinion, this incident shows how dangerous it is to weaken the network of RCMP detachments in the field.
Earlier, I heard my colleague, the hon. member for Rivière-du-Nord, rejoice over the fact that the detachment in Saint-Jérôme will remain open. I am happy for her. However, I believe that Joliette also is a regional capital and that the Lanaudière region would deserve to have the RCMP detachment in Joliette remain open.
The proposal made by RCMP management was to send the remaining officers—and very few remain—to Saint-Jérôme and Trois-Rivières. This will mean no RCMP officers in the Lanaudière region. I do not think that, without this physical presence, this region will be properly protected.
Also, as the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot said, we have corn plantations but also tobacco plantations. There are still a few. These provide excellent opportunities for squatting. This is an everyday reality.
I would like to stress one point. We are fighting here for the nine RCMP detachments to remain open not only in their present locations, but also with a sufficient number of officers. I was pleased to hear the hon. member for Anjou—Rivière-des-Prairies say that, on the Liberal side, they shared the same concern. The strength of the detachment in Joliette, which should normally have been at 12, and that is a minimum, was down to just two or three.
Little by little, the communities were being put in front of a fait accompli, just like this Parliament right now. The government has a responsibility to bring RCMP management back into line.
I could quote testimonies from school principals, even private school principals, saying that, with the RCMP gone, drug trafficking in school yards, in high school, will increase dramatically because they have neither the means nor the expertise to control that. There is a serious storm brewing.