Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges RCMP officers have across the country came as a consequence of the slaughter of RCMP officers a few years ago in the Prairies. RCMP officers must now travel by twos to calls that could be dangerous. This is more than understandable. The problem is the huge manpower deficit on the force.
The Government of Canada has said that it has put in some monies, but I would suggest that has been quite late in coming because it promised to do this years ago, and the needs of the RCMP are actually much greater. Also the monies are not there to pay for the RCMP officers on the ground to do their work. The RCMP budget does not cover the hours required to do the coverage. For example, in Sooke there is only 70% of a full complement. That 70% has to work more than 100% of what is required. Therefore, the officers accrue overtime, which is normal, fair and due to them, but it destroys the budget of the RCMP and therefore, the coverage declines.
Does the member not think that the government should forthwith put forward the resources to provide the RCMP officers the operating budget they need to do their work while they have a significant deficit in manpower?