Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member's statement from Tuesday, March 11th, 2025. In my Member's statement, I referred to the illegal drug trade within the community of Tetlit Zheh and other small communities throughout the Northwest Territories.
The Voice of Denendeh met is one of their stories, and it was placed on social media. I've received a lot of feedback from people throughout the NWT in my efforts to find ways to combat this criminal activity that is happening right within our backyard.
Mr. Speaker, people from all walks of life gave me feedback on what they are witnesses within their own communities and what struggles they are facing in trying to combat this crisis that we are facing. One young lady in particular, who has all the potential in the world to pursue anything she wants to and has a lot to offer her community, has reached out and expressed the hardship that she is enduring in trying to overcome her addiction to this drug. This young lady is looking to take a treatment program to overcome her addictions, and she has my full support.
Mr. Speaker, the RCMP, the local housing authority, and other agencies that are in place to protect our residents, cannot protect us because of policies and procedures. When a person tries to call the local RCMP, they are directed to the Yellowknife detachment and has to go through numerous questions before they hear the complaint. By this time, the individual who is trying to give the authority a tip feels frustrated and hangs up.
Mr. Speaker, the local housing authority has absolutely no authority to what is happening within their own public housing units. The public housing units are being used as a place to conduct these illegal drug activities. The local housing authority has been approached to assist in combatting this activity but, again, there are policies and procedures that are in place to seemingly protect the criminal. The communities' hands are tied. They are fighting a losing battle.
Mr. Speaker, going back to the young lady who wants to see the community heal from this crisis states that more local community resources have to be made available. Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement, please.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, going back to the young lady who wants to see the community heal from this crisis states that more local community resources have to be made available. Those resources are our own people, not people with fancy degrees. The local residents of our community know who needs help so we, as a government, should provide financial support to the smaller communities to help heal themselves. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
