Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have to tell anyone in this House today about the rising problem we have in our communities with drugs. We have an annual $22 million drug habit in the Northwest Territories and it's projected to get worse as we grow. In this House, we talk about the drug problems; we talk about the help for the drug addicts; we talk about catching the criminals who traffic the drugs, but we rarely talk about the citizens in our communities who are living next door to these drug dealers.

The local newspaper reported last year that in a Yellowknife neighbourhood, residents had to call police repeatedly over several years about what they considered to be a crack house. Mr. Speaker, because of the neighbourhood crack house, in one month’s time five neighbourhood residences had strung-out individuals gaining or attempt to gain entry into their homes while they were in them. The RCMP dispatcher actually asked the neighbours if they would consider moving, since they had called about the problem so much.

We do not want that activity in our neighbourhoods, Mr. Speaker. We do not need them affecting and bothering good, honest people. These are un-associated dangers that these people do not need to have happen around their home. We do not need to have these people operating drug houses around our schools or playgrounds for our children. We do not need to have drug traffickers strategically locating themselves near our schools just to infect those children.

I want to propose implementing the safer communities and neighbourhoods act. It’s legislation that exists in Saskatchewan. This program has been well received in Saskatchewan and in other provinces and territories. Presentations have been made to the Yukon and Nunavut governments by the Saskatchewan government. We need solutions today to get these drug dealers out of our communities. We need effective enforcement tools.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice in Saskatchewan says safer communities legislation will improve community safety by targeting and, if necessary, shutting down residential and commercial buildings and lands that are habitually used for illegal activity such as producing, selling or using illegal drugs, prostitution, solvent abuse or other unlawful sale or consumption of alcohol. Mr. Speaker, they are doing something.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will empower the citizens to take back their neighbourhoods by reporting problem residences and businesses to the RCMP or whatever enforcement agency. This type of legislation needs to become in practice now. This would allow authorities to take immediate action about this addiction plague. It is time to put our residents’ safety first, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Justice Minister at the appropriate time to see how we can move quickly on a discussion paper and possibly a bill to implement legislation like the one I have talked about, maybe even in this session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.