Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take this opportunity, once again, to speak in support of the COP program in Yellowknife, otherwise known as Citizens on Patrol, which has been running in our community for the past three years. Mr. Speaker, this group rose out of a meeting back in a 2001 where hundreds of Yellowknifers showed up to protest and resolve to work towards some concrete actions together to move back the tide of ever-increasing violent crimes and the epidemic of drug use, drug trafficking in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, this happened when the community said out loud that we have had enough and we are not going to take it anymore. Mr. Speaker, in many ways, we have seen much progress since then. There have been a number of significant RCMP arrests that really put a dent in the criminal and drug trafficking elements of the community, but the RMCP cannot be everywhere all the time and this is where the COP volunteers come in. They are there to cover the gaps in communities, but they
remain highly under-resourced, overworked and under-appreciated. They do their job by driving around in gas guzzling surplus vehicles, but often they have to pay for their own gas and equipment. They also spend a lot of time looking for sponsors to cover their expenses for training and equipment.
Mr. Speaker, I believe very strongly that what they are doing for our community is very important and their work should be applauded and supported and, at minimum, they should not be put in a place of having to fork out their own money to cover very basic essential expenses that they need to have to run this very important program.
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that this government has supported this program. They've understood the importance of it in the past and I would urge the Minister and the government to continue to do so. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, these cops do not bite. Thank you.
---Applause