Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, Mr. Dent, I would like to talk about the rising crime rate in the Northwest Territories, especially here in Yellowknife. For the last few years, I, along with other MLAs, have talked about the rise in crime; the increase in the use of drugs and the numbers of break and enters in Yellowknife. We have made many statements about the problem. The Minister has told us many times that the problem is being studied. We have projects in a few communities regarding community policing.

The Minister has also made a commitment for more police in this year's budget. As my colleague has said, what we would really like is the Minister and the department to look at some innovative approaches to community policing that don't cost a lot of money. We need more police and the Minister has committed to more police, but at some point in time, at $150,000 for an RCMP officer, that won't be the only way we are going to solve this problem. The Minister has committed to sit down with the Yellowknife MLAs, the mayor and the police. Before that meeting, I would like to have the Minister take a very serious look at some of the options that have been put forward; changes to the police act, auxiliary police, enhancing Crime Stoppers, et cetera. A concept I have put forward a number of times is trying to find some kind of a program in cooperation with municipalities to cost-share clerical support for the police. It would be a lot cheaper than hiring new police officers.

The point we are making, as the Yellowknife MLAs, is the problem is serious. People in this town are taking it very seriously. We recognize that dollars are limited, so we really ask the Minister to sit down with his staff and really crunch some numbers and some of these suggestions we have made. When we get together in this meeting, we can go forward with some concrete approaches. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause