Debates of March 4, 2005 (day 49)

Thank you. I hope my answers aren’t like the ones that have been given to my colleague. Mr. Speaker, if I may, maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. My question is going to be for the Minister of Justice, who is also the Minister of Education. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I talked about crack cocaine and the programs that are being provided here in Yellowknife, which is called the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. My question to the Minister is, in the larger centres, they have programs like DARE, like in Yellowknife. Could I ask the Minister, in the smaller communities, what is the RCMP doing in terms of this type of program that is being offered in Yellowknife, in the smaller communities such as Gameti, Wekweti or Wha Ti? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The formal program DARE isn’t offered in the smallest communities. The resources aren’t there to do it, but, when the RCMP visits schools, and they often visit schools on community visits, they take the opportunity to talk to young people about making the right choices. That is certainly something that comes up. It is not a formal program, but it is something that is discussed. The other thing is that the school curriculum itself includes dealing with making the right choices starting as early as kindergarten. Kindergarten and Grade 1 is entirely focused on just that: making healthy choices. In grades 2 to 9, it gets stronger in the message. That is also where young people are exposed to the dangers of drugs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that they don’t offer the DARE program in the smaller communities, but a similar program or when the RCMP are visiting the smaller communities, they do, occasionally, as he said, visit the schools to talk in general about drugs. But, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the RCMP would make this into a regular program and go into the various schools on a scheduled basis, so that the students at the various schools could really understand the ugly reality of drugs in general. I wonder if the Minister would undertake to see if these kind of scheduled RCMP visits to schools could happen within the smaller communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government is really interested in making sure that kids are well educated in how to make healthy choices. If the Members will remember, earlier this week the Minister of MACA, along with the Minister of Health and Social Services and myself kicked off the program just about healthy choices. We will certainly continue to enforce the need for more education and active living. The Member has raised a good point. Certainly, in my meeting with the chief superintendent in a couple of weeks, I will raise the issue with him and see if there isn’t some way that we can expand the formal program DARE to more locales across the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason why I am questioning the Minister and requesting this type of service for the small communities is that I don’t believe that the good work that the RCMP is doing is not what the Minister is indicating. I believe that the smaller communities may be occasionally visited by the RCMP, but not on a regular basis. They don’t thoroughly talk specifically about this problem we have with drugs. That is real. I would like to ask the Minister if he can provide for me, my riding and maybe other smaller communities also, statistics in regard to how many times the police have gone into our small schools to talk about drugs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can certainly provide the Member with a listing of recent visits to communities. I will endeavour to ask the RCMP for the numbers of times that they have been into the schools for conversation. I expect that every time they are in a school that is one of the issues that they address. I think it is important to remember, as I said, that we have other initiatives. We have the Esteem Team that goes around to talk to kids about the issues like this and making healthy choices. This government isn’t taking just one approach; we are taking a number of approaches. But in answer to the Member’s question, yes, I will work with the RCMP to deliver that information.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to get a commitment from the Minister if he could, after he talks with the RCMP officials, implement my request as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have already committed to discuss the issue with the RCMP. There may be some cost implications that I might have to deal with, but I will certainly let the Member know the results of my discussion.