Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act was a groundbreaking initiative brought forward during the 15th Assembly in an attempt to deal with the drug trafficking and crimes devastating our communities. Although the SCAN bill died an unfair death, the problems it was meant to address still continue. Law-abiding citizens continue to be intimidated by crack dealers and bootleggers in their neighbourhoods and are frustrated by the inability of the police to shut down these operations, not to mention the time it takes to do that. With drug houses next to our schools, our seniors’ homes, et cetera, the days of it being a spectator sport needs to end. It’s time this government creates laws and enforcement tools that finally push back on this problem.
Mr. Speaker, the saying “taking back our streets” is certainly not new, but it deserves the recognition that this government needs to support that. Meanwhile, other jurisdictions, such as the Yukon, have had significant success using SCAN-type legislation that allows the authorities to close these drug and crack houses down and stop the other illegal activities that continue to destroy our communities.
Mr. Speaker, SCAN was a leap forward in protecting our citizens. It should come as no surprise to this government, to this House — to anyone — that for everyday people their quality of life is being stepped on, and they’re being taken advantage of. This government’s job, principally, is to protect its citizens and to ensure they are safe. But the image out there is that the government’s more worried about those creating illegal activity than those who are trying to live everyday, law-abiding lives. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories as a whole would benefit from a Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act. I would encourage the Minister of Justice to bring forward a bill at the earliest opportunity to finally put our citizens first.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.
