We have a serious drug and alcohol problem among our youth in Yellowknife and throughout the territories. It appears that we have a gang that controls the drug trade here in Yellowknife. We have an unacceptable level of break and enters in Yellowknife, and an unacceptable level of physical and sexual assaults. I think we all agree this must stop.

Our government and our Minister of Justice have provided some leadership in this area with our stand on zero tolerance to violence, which I think was an important first step. The police here in Yellowknife are doing a tremendous job, but they are undermanned; and the Giant strike for the last year bled off many police person years so there weren't the resources here on the streets in Yellowknife to deal with crime.

I want to thank the Minister. The Minister has publicly promised that in his budget we'll have some relief here in Yellowknife. But there's more to the solution than just more police. There has to be a community-based solution. I think the community -- in cooperation between the city and the territorial government -- has to look at improving the Crime Stoppers approach; have a look at neighbourhood watch. I've brought the possibility forward to the Minister of some program where the municipalities and the territorial government can jointly provide some clerical support for the police, because it's a lot cheaper to provide clerical support than to have policemen who cost probably $150,000 a year doing their own clerical work.

I think the time has come where the community needs a logical, coordinated approach.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.