(Toronto, ON) – Progressive Conservative Community Safety and Correctional Services Critic Garfield Dunlop today called on the McGuinty Liberals to address the Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s police service’s severe funding shortages.

“The way the Nishnawbe Aski Nation are being treated by the McGuinty Liberals is unbelievable,” said Dunlop. “This First Nations community and their police service deserve the same kind of resources and overall respect that every other community in Ontario receives.”

Dunlop added; “Police officers who are forced to do their jobs under these circumstances aren’t being given the resources necessary to safely enforce the law. Many are policing remote areas by themselves with no support or back up.”

Dunlop’s calls came after NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy, Mushkegowuk Tribal Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit and Kashechewan First Nation Chief Jonathan Solomon held a press conference granting the McGuinty Liberals 30 days to address the policing crisis. The First Nations’ community has already been forced to close two of their policing detachments as a result of the Liberals’ neglect.

“When this Liberal government has enough to arbitrarily hand out $34 million in slush fund money, there is no excuse for this type of neglect,” said Dunlop. “This should act as a wake-up call for the McGuinty Liberals to step up and resolve this very serious issue instead of neglecting our First Nations in the same way they neglected the Don Jail guards and the citizens of Caledonia.”

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For more information:
Garfield Dunlop, MPP
705-327-4500 (cell)