Check against delivery
 

Mr. Speaker, last year the Department of Justice committed to swiftly introducing public safety legislation that would help residents in the Northwest Territories feel safe in their communities.  Today, I am pleased to provide an update about how we have delivered on the 20th Legislative Assembly priority to make residents and communities safer.

We committed to developing three public safety bills, and to ensuring that the Trespass to Property Act, Civil Forfeiture Act, and Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, respond to concerns raised by residents. The introduction of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act this session will mark the introduction of the last of the three public safety bills that the Government of the Northwest Territories committed to developing during this Legislative Assembly. 

Mr. Speaker, over the last several months I have visited communities across the territory and repeated my commitment to strengthening public safety laws so local enforcement have the tools they need to shut down drug houses and deter crime.

Residents from across the Northwest Territories have consistently highlighted that they know where drug trafficking and other illegal activities are happening in their neighbourhoods, but they do not know how to provide this information to authorities so they can take action.

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP continues to do good work to keep our communities safe; but last year, I asked the Department to develop and deliver legislation that would outline a complementary civil, complaints-based process to address properties where illegal activities, like drug dealing and trespassing, are occurring.

In the last sitting, we also introduced civil forfeiture legislation in this House because we needed more tools to disrupt the flow of money linked to criminal activity. The purpose of civil forfeiture is three-fold: prevent people engaged in unlawful activity from profiting off it, reduce the likelihood that people will engage in crime, and recover money gained from, or instruments used to, commit crime.

Mr. Speaker, I want crime to be unprofitable in this Territory. Following successful forfeiture proceedings, the GNWT may: receive refunds for costs incurred during the proceedings, compensate eligible victims, and support initiatives or institutions that make communities safer.

The Trespass to Property Act, which received assent in this House on March 6, 2026, makes it illegal to trespass on private property and sets penalties for anyone who does. It outlines how people should be notified to stay off certain lands and when law enforcement can make an arrest. If landowners or occupants suffer losses in certain situations, the Act simplifies the process of recovering money.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that legislation and enforcement alone cannot address the root causes of crime, which we know include other challenges like low income, addictions, lack of housing, mental health problems, and the legacy of residential schools. These root causes require long‑term and collaborative, trauma-informed solutions. While the GNWT continues to make progress on those solutions, we need action now to help address the rising drug‑related deaths and crime linked to the drug trade. 

Mr. Speaker, our public safety legislation, and especially these three bills that we have developed, will help enable the Department of Justice to act through civil processes, providing more avenues to disrupt harmful and unlawful activity. We need more ways for the territory to step in when illegal activities harm residents or make them feel unsafe.

There is no one answer. Drug use and crime are complex issues, requiring a range of programs and services coordinated across all levels of government to solve. However, public safety legislation is a key tool we have right now that we know will make our communities safer. That is why this has been a priority for me as Minister of Justice, and that is why I am pleased to report that the GNWT has now successfully delivered on our commitment to bring these three bills forward within a year, providing a suite of public safety legislation that supports safe communities for Northerners.

Maarsi, Mr. Speaker.