Mr. Chair, I as well would like to commend my colleague from Yellowhead for the incredible work that he has done not only in initiating this debate, but also in supporting the RCMP officers, their families and bringing this issue to the forefront as a priority for all Canadians.
In his remarks, the member touched on the resource issue, as did my colleague from Nova Scotia. There is a need to ensure that there are proper resources, that there is the necessary legislative support, that there are sufficient officers, sufficient support staff, sufficient technological resources. There is an increasing complexity in the job of an RCMP officer, of any peace officer in this day and age, in the time and effort it takes to draft warrants, to produce evidence, to go to court and prepare witnesses. It is a very taxing and extremely complex occupation.
As was highlighted by my colleague, this is not to mention the implicit danger every day when an officer, a man or a woman, gets up, puts on the uniform and walks out the door and responds to calls. More than anything else it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the necessary resources are there to ensure that there are sufficient officers on the front lines.
We have seen the withdrawal of the RCMP from rural Canada. In particular, in parts of my province and parts of my colleague's province of Alberta, the outer areas of Canada, detachments have closed. As was referred to by my colleague from Quebec, there has been a withdrawal of access to these officers from the communities that need their protection.
Does my colleague have any thoughts on this issue? Rural Canada in particular seems to be the recipient of the cuts. The minister who was here momentarily referenced the forensic laboratory in Edmonton. The closure of the forensic laboratory slows down the process. In some cases it jeopardizes the evidence that has to be produced in court to secure convictions.
Ensuring that convictions, ensuring that individuals who are labelled as dangerous, those who have been sentenced and placed on probation, ensuring that all those conditions are enforced comes down to person power. The RCMP, our police first and foremost, are those first responders. Those individuals put themselves in harm's way holding people accountable, enforcing the law.
I suggest that there is no greater task and responsibility of the government than to ensure that those men and women are in place and are properly resourced.