I will be supporting the motion. I think, if anything, we can enhance programs by using federal money and our own dollars, and deal with justice issues, and allow the communities the ability to deal with systemic problems in our communities, from youth and justice, to issues in regard to apprehensions and around the whole community decision-making process, to allow communities to be in the decision-making process of Justice — not to leave it up to the courts, but trying to find solutions in our communities to deal with the criminal matters that we see systemic in our communities.
We’re seeing more and more drug-related crimes in our communities. We’re seeing more and more young justice issues coming forward. If we can deal with these issues in our communities, trying to solve the issues at the front line, I think it will go a long way to saving government money in the long term. Also, it gives our communities the feeling that they are part of the justice system, by way of developing programs and services that meet their needs.
Every community is unique; every community’s different. I think it’s important that we do change the way we deliver justice in the Northwest Territories, and this is one of the ways that we’re looking at for doing that.
I, for one, would like to state that any time we get federal dollars, we’re able to enhance our programs, not cut our programs because we assume we're going to get federal dollars. Everybody knows, with the federal government having an election looming around the corner, that money is here today, gone tomorrow, and it all depends on what happens in Ottawa. So I don’t think we should put much hope in those dollars actually falling in our lap any time soon.
Again, I’d just like to state that I’m supporting this motion. But I think, if anything, if we can enhance justice in our communities and allow communities the ability to develop programs and services that improve the quality of life for the residents in those communities, we should do everything we can to assist them.