(October 7, 2013) - Thank you for coming tonight and special thanks to MLA Wendy Bisaro for agreeing to be our moderator this evening. I’d also like to recognize any MLAs present. I know that Minister Ramsay and MLAs Bromley and Hawkins wanted to be here this evening but are traveling on business right now and weren't able to make it back for this meeting. Premier McLeod also had another commitment, but is very interested in hearing from me about tonight’s discussion.
We’re here tonight because people want to feel safe in Yellowknife, and many don’t. I've heard it from constituents and in the media that people are scared. This isn't the feeling we want people to have in our community. I live here and I want the same thing you want. I want to be and to feel safe in my home and on our streets. I want my wife, parents, neighbours and residents to be and to feel safe in Yellowknife.
Community safety is a critical priority for me and for the Government of the Northwest Territories. People shouldn't have to live in fear and to be clear, victims are never to blame for the crimes that happen to them. Everybody you see up here and in the room tonight – the RCMP, the Mayor, Health and Social Services, myself, elected officials at both the territorial and municipal level – all have a role to play in making Yellowknife a safe, healthy community. While each of our organizations has a legitimate role, community safety isn't owned by any one person, group or agency. It is a collective responsibility that we all share together. At the end of the day, it isn't governments that make a community, it’s the people who live in it. We all need to find ways – as organizations and individuals – to work together to make our community a safer place. A safe community is one in which neighbours know each other and look out for each other.
In Yellowknife many crimes are crimes of opportunity. Together we can prevent crimes of opportunity. If it looks to you like somebody in your neighbour’s yard shouldn't be there, they probably shouldn't be there, so phone your neighbour or the police. Having said this, I also recognize that there are also many crimes that are more organized, more predatory. Regardless of the nature or type of crime, tonight is about exploring the issue and starting to look for solutions together. There is no magic wand that can be waved to remove these challenges that we all face. We need to clearly understand the problem we face if we’re going to be able to address it properly.
We've brought people tonight who can help us understand what’s going on in our city and help us learn about what makes communities stronger and safer. However, I’m not here to say “we have all the solutions and here they are”. Every community is different and every community needs to figure out the solutions that will work best for them. Yellowknife is no different. That’s one of the central themes of the Community Safety Strategy that the Department of Justice began piloting this past spring in communities throughout the NWT. We need to take advantage of the wisdom and experience of the community if we’re going to successfully address community safety.
I’m here tonight to listen and learn from you. As a note, the Community Safety Strategy is just one way the GNWT is working to create a strong, prosperous territory where our residents can thrive wherever they choose to live in the NWT. Several other Ministers are also working on initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of the problems that often hold our people back and which may lead to criminal activity. Giving our children the right start in life is critical to success later in life and Ministers Lafferty and Beaulieu have an Early Childhood Development strategy that will work towards the elimination of barriers before our kids experience them. When people do run into trouble later in life, initiatives like Minister Beaulieu’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy will work towards ensuring that people have the support they need to deal with their issues and get a chance to achieve some personal success. Economic wellbeing is a critical determinant of individual and social health. The GNWT continues to work to create economic opportunities for all our residents through initiatives like Minister Ramsay’s Economic Opportunities Strategy and Mineral Development Strategy.
As a government, we recognize that poverty is a complex problem with many causes, so Ministers, led by myself, are collaborating with Members and other stakeholders and partners on an Anti-Poverty Strategy that will help ensure the GNWT is taking a strategic, effective approach to supporting our people. Working on these types of issues will address some of the root causes of crime in our communities, including Yellowknife.
The GNWT is working to achieve its goal of sustainable, vibrant and safe communities. To be successful, we all must work together. Tonight is the start of a dialogue that our whole community needs to be part of, if we want to really make a difference here.
As I mentioned earlier, I know that many of you don’t feel safe in Yellowknife. Lately, Yellowknife isn't the kind of community many want it to be. I know that together we can and will make a difference. Working together, we can make Yellowknife a community where people feel and are safe. That’s the goal I’d like to work with you on. The fact that you are here tonight shows that you care about your community and want to be part of the solution.
I want to thank you for taking the time to be here and look forward to hearing from you tonight.