Wednesday, November 23, 2005

MEMBER'S STATEMENTS

Unedited copy - not official until printed in Hansard

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Mr. Merv Tweed (Brandon—Souris, CPC): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Auditor General released a report that stated that this Liberal government is underfunding the RCMP. In Manitoba alone the government has cut 25 officers from the highway patrol unit.

Last Friday a local business woman from my constituency of Brandon--Souris had to call three RCMP detachments and wait five hours before an officer showed up following a robbery at her rural grocery store. She stated that she felt very frustrated as they helplessly were forced to watch thieves take off with their goods.

In light of the Auditor General's report, the increasing street crime in Canada's cities and the lack of police manpower in rural communities, I call on the government to admit its Liberal soft on crime approach has failed Canadians and to state that a new Conservative government will end the useless long gun registry and give more support to our front line officers.

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