Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the most recent civic election here, we heard a lot about the problems of downtown. I am sure it is no surprise for the Minister of Health, and that he knows that many people will go without having a place to go home at night and many people are in the throes of addictions. Thankfully, of course, we have a downtown day shelter, which I am very grateful for. The fact remains that it is still only one component of a larger problem here that is on the ground.
Over the years I have heard lots of concerns from parents, citizens and constituents, as well as downtown businesses, about the youth wandering streets late at night, all hours of the night. Some, as we all know, without family, have nowhere to go, and in sad cases, many can’t go home.
It is time this government came up with a creative solution like trying to find innovative ways to reach out to this particular sector. It is youth as well as adults who need help and someone to talk to.
What I have in mind is a suggestion about collaboration between social workers and the RCMP. This is a model that has been heralded with some success in Vancouver, is the Vancouver Police Department uses as an intervention opportunity. We could begin with a social worker out there as a ride-along with the police patrol on Friday and Saturday nights. A small pilot project could be a model that we could extend throughout the Territories here and to find out ways that we can reach this type of community, speak to them and provide solutions before particular problems.
All we need is a dialogue to build a better relationship with people. It would be kind of nice to be able to talk to them in advance of future problems. Perhaps that one time that you lent an ear to somebody was the time that they decided to go into another type of direction.
The reality before us here, before a proactive approach, we do nothing. It is time to solve potential future ills. Why? Because I think we still have a chance and should never give up on our young people and their potential behaviour. We can help steer them into a more positive direction, I believe, in talking to someone and maybe even listening to them, rather than waiting for the police to deal with a particular problem. Waiting for the courts to solve our social ills will never be the answer. Collaboration is the only way.
I have spoken with the RCMP about this, and they seem to think we could be onto something. The bottom line is we need to get people recognition and certainly good management by working together. There are a lot of ills out there. I would rather befriend them before we book them and into jails. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
