Mahsi, Madam Chair. I also want to state my support for the motion that's on the floor right now for referral to the standing committee for all the good reasons that all of my colleagues have stated here today. So I'll just be brief with expressing my reasons for support.
One, most importantly being that the general public in the NWT is not really ready for this type, or prepared, I guess, for this type of legislation to be thrown on them along with the new Liquor Act and all other kinds of legislation that we've been passing here in this House. However, I have to really commend the Minister of Justice also and just as much gratitude has to be brought to the Social Programs committee for putting this type of report, a comprehensive report that it is, together to address the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act and the extensive consultative process that they went through to get this report together. I really have to commend everybody for all their work. Just to let it be known that I don't think all this work is going to be in vain because we're just referring it to the next Assembly and just like my colleague Mr. Ramsay has stated, the chair, that the 16th Assembly will be putting something in place that will address the issue of drug abuse and substance abuse here in the NWT. I do agree with him that we do have to take some action. It's a definite no-brainer that we know that, but I don't think we can take actions that will infringe on basic human rights of freedom and liberty here in the NWT and I think this is what the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act will do now as it stands.
I hope, and I'm confident, that the next Assembly here will put this Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act very high on their priority list. I'm sure a lot of Members here in the House will be returning and this is one piece of legislation that will be right at the top with the other ones that we have referred back and haven't even brought to the House yet. With that, again, I'd just like to say that I do support the motion here today and I do support the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, but not today.
---Laughter
I hope to see something, I hope it's tweaked, it's revamped, and fine-tuned, and the public is well aware of what they're going to be supporting or not supporting. We've got to get more information out there before this legislation comes back to this House for passing in this House. I think the general public in the NWT will let us know when it's time to do that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.