The recent police killings of two Indigenous people in New Brunswick sparked a discussion about police funding during a meeting of Moncton’s poverty and social inclusion committee on Tuesday.
Committee member Charles MacDougall believes Codiac RCMP are given too many responsibilities and some police resources would be better spent on social programs.
“We can look more into skills training and employment counselling and we can find different solutions… or the same solutions… and just fund them better,” he says.
MacDougall also noted how it’s unacceptable that all committee members are White and representation is needed from the Black, Indigenous or immigrant communities.
City councillor and committee chair Charles Leger agrees more diversity is needed.
He says committees are open to all citizens but very few people get involved.
Leger added how a discussion about police funding would be more appropriate for the Codiac Regional Policing Authority, which he also chairs.
