House of Commons Debates
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VOLUME 142
l NUMBER 009
l 2nd SESSION
l 39th PARLIAMENT
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OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD)
Friday, October 26, 2007
Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Hon. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, last week I asked the Minister of Public Safety what he was doing to ensure that the RCMP had clear procedures in place for the safe use of tasers. Since then I have had a barrage of calls and letters from irate and concerned Canadians who feel that the minister's answer was not good enough.
Can the minister assure the House that procedures will be put in place and that the use of tasers is safe?
Mr. Dave MacKenzie (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in fact, procedures are already in place for the use of tasers. The Minister of Public Safety will be receiving a report on the matter. Because there is an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.
Hon. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, timing is crucial. The mother of the Polish man who died two weeks ago lives in Kamloops. She is inconsolable and she gets no answers. Canadians need answers now before more lives are lost.
Can the government assure Canadians that the RCMP will be given clear procedures for the proper use of tasers and that tasers themselves are a safe form of restraint?
Mr. Dave MacKenzie (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, there are clear rules for the use of tasers throughout police agencies in Canada. This matter is under review. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further on a particular incident.
