Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North):
I was going to address my question to the Premier,
but he hasn't been answering any of my questions
lately.
I'm really pleased that you brought up Stephen
Harper, because my question is to the Minister
of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
Mr Harper actually does have a community safety
platform, unlike our other -- what's his name,
Paul Martin? He hasn't got anything. Stephen
Harper will get rid of the ineffective gun registry.
Interjections.
Mr Dunlop: You're talking about
Stephen Harper; let's talk about Paul Martin.
Interjections.
The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling):
Order. Could you now put your question in 15
seconds?
Mr Dunlop: This question is
for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional
Services. On budget day, it was bad enough not
to even hear the word "police" mentioned
in the budget speech --
The Speaker: You've run out
of time. If you choose not to do a lecture and
a speech and then ask a question, you may be
able to get through it.
Hon Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community
Safety and Correctional Services): I'm
having some problems, because I didn't get a
question. But I'll give you an answer, even
though you didn't ask a question. I'll try to
pick one out of four or five.
Why don't we talk about the budget? If you
take a look at the issue, you'll see that the
justice sector got $75 million more than your
government provided. You should also know that
there are fewer front-line officers in Ontario
now than when you were in government, as a result
of your fiscal policy. For you to stand up and
try to say that Stephen Harper has a particular
policy on crime --
The Speaker: Thank you, Minister.
You've also run out your time.
1510
Mr Dunlop: My question is very
simple. This government promised 1,000 new police
officers in their election platform, and I didn't
see the word "police" mentioned once
in the budget. I'm asking the minister, when
will we see one police officer mentioned in
the budget? This government, when we were in
power, put 1,000 new police officers on the
streets of the province of Ontario; 1,000 more
police officers. I want to know very simply
when the minister --
Interjection.
The Speaker: Order. The member
from Don Valley East, I'm going to warn you.
Next time I'll name you.
Mr Dunlop: I wanted to get
back to Stephen Harper, but I want to know when
we will see new police officers implemented
across the province by this government -- a
simple question.
Hon Mr Kwinter: I would have
hoped he would have got back to Stephen Harper
because I could have talked to him about it.
The fact of the matter is that when you left
this province as a government, there were fewer
police officers on the street than there were
in 1995, when you came here.
