Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will definitely try to keep our comments within the ten minute limit. I think we all recognize that this department has a very difficult task. The social problems in the Northwest Territories are immense. The number of responsibilities that the department has are very widespread. I think everyone has to recognize the challenge that the department faces in trying to carry out its duties. Since the last time the Legislative Assembly met, there have been improvements. I think the Minister and the deputy minister are making efforts to bring together the various elements of the department. I like the concept about the income support initiatives. We had a very good briefing by the deputy minister. I think the cooperation between the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the Department of Social Services will be key to that. I made some comments today about some of the opportunities that are out there. I can only encourage the department to ensure that coordination with other departments is there, and that the department moves very aggressively in coming up with some new and innovative programs.
The area that I have the most concern within the department's approach and the government's approach is the area that was covered in the Standing Committee on Finance's report. It was on how we are actually, as a government and as a department, dealing with the social problems that face us. The one thing that we have tried to say as a Standing Committee on Finance is that we want to see, from the government, some basic philosophies put forward and government policies and decisions which are based on those philosophies. We have heard the Minister of Economic Development talk about where we can get a return on our dollar, and what businesses and industries to support so there is a good return on our dollar. It has always been my premise that you can look at the whole area of Social Services the same way. When we had the Department of Justice in front of us, I made the point to the Minister that, in a time of limited and diminishing resources, as a government and as departments, we have to priorize. That means some very tough decisions have to be made. To me, if we have a situation where we have to make those tough decisions, which we do, it is going to get worse. I don't think people of the Northwest Territories should delude themselves. There is not going to be more money forthcoming in the future. I am convinced we are going to have to do more with less. Then it comes down to a matter of choices.
I think, along the line, we, as politicians, have to have the courage to decide that we have to make choices, that we decide that youth is our priority. That is where our efforts should be. Any new dollars that are freed up, that is where it should go. That is where, I think, you can get your best return on your dollar. I am convinced that if you spend a couple of thousand dollars, $5,000 or $10,000 on counselling for a ten year old, you are going to save yourself $100,000 in corrections, court costs or whatever in the future. At some time, I would like to hear from the government and from the department that they are going to priorize and emphasize youth, that any extra money we have we are going to put into youth. That will mean that as far as adults -- and there is no doubt adults need lots of help and there are many people with drinking problems -- we are probably not going to have as much for the older generation to spend as we did. We probably won't be able to do as much for them as we have in the past. I think we have a responsibility to put our dollars where they are going to have the most impact. I am convinced they are going to have the most impact if you put those dollars with youth. Anything you could do in that area, I know I, for one, will support it.
The Standing Committee on Finance made the point that if the government -- and the government has -- comes forward with a policy about zero tolerance for violence, it raises expectations. Very shortly, if not already, the government is going to be asked to demonstrate what, in concrete terms, that means. It is nice to have flowery phrases that we all agree with, but when we read some of the statistics that are coming out, some of the most recent reports where the violence, sexual crimes and sexual violent crimes in the Northwest Territories are up to ten or 15 times more prevalent than they are in other jurisdictions, people are going to ask, what are you actually doing?
When we look at your budget this year, what I don't see is extra resources for sexually abused children, family violence or family counselling, for instance. What is always going to happen is that this department, as all departments when they are competing for scarce resources, is going to have to make some hard choices. They are going to have to make the point. I think it is an obvious point that if you don't deal, for instance, with the whole issue of child sexual abuse, -- where, I believe, we have just seen the tip of the iceberg now and if you don't deal with that very aggressively, it is a compounding problem, generation to generation. The statistics are horrendous about the number of children who are abused who become abusers, and about the number of people in the community who are affected when a child is abused. The fact is that you have multiple victims of abusers.
I have seen some very positive trends in the last five years where we have made it easier and we are more supportive of the reporting of these types of crimes. But what that means, though, at the same time as we have become more aware of it, we have a responsibility to put more resources to deal with the problem. I would hope that between now and the next year, in the fall supplementary estimates, we will see some significant increases in funding in the areas of family violence and child sexual abuse. I think it can be justified. I think the government now has even a greater responsibility to do that since they have come out very strongly in support of zero tolerance against violence.
So I want to conclude my remarks. The chairman is looking at me. I can see that my time is coming to an end. But I want to leave you with what is, for me, a very strong message, and that is that I very strongly believe that, as a government, we have to deal with these areas, we have to deal with them very aggressively. It's going to take more money and I, for one, am going to be looking very closely at this department in the fall session and I hope to see some supplementary estimates coming forward so the department can deal with these very serious issues. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.