Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ever so briefly, as the downtown Member of this Assembly -- and when I refer to downtown, that's Yellowknife Centre -- it's a very urban riding and it's impacted heavily by this. This is -- when I spoke to the neighbourhoods in the community, in the core of the city, you know, this was their number one issue. You know, it might be housing in a small community, and it might be health care on other people, but I can tell you the downtown core of Yellowknife, crime and the reduction of crime is foremost on their mind. There is, you know, nothing burdens them more than this, and I'm referring to en masse, Mr. Speaker. Obviously other issues matter too.
As said by my good colleague for the Range Lake, they are predators. I don't think we should ever give them any less of a title. I'd like to give them a meaner one, but we have parliamentary rules which don't permit me to describe them the way I really feel. They find ways to burrow themselves in communities, whether it's in a small community -- I won't name one because I don't want to single one out as a problem per se, but whether it's in the small communities or the regional centres, these people get in there, they rent, then they're gone tomorrow, they hijack lives, they steal souls from people because they prey on their addictions. The addictions of vulnerable are the other piece of this equation. Let us not kid -- you know, it's not a sales job in the context of they just show up. I mean, they are responding to a problem and the problem is they're showing up. Yes, that's a problem, but addictions are something else we need to keep foremost on our mind, that we need to support to give people better opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, this motion also lends to the sad observation that we've had more murders here than anyone can think of, and that is a tragedy in on itself. With this type of predatory behaviour, they bring other things, such as weapons and guns to name just a couple points. And the fact is it destroys a community, and it destroys people.
As I finish up here, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that families leaving some of the buildings downtown and walking in their neighbourhood have said the culture of the community has changed significantly. And I can say between the addictions and the crime, that is exactly what they're describing when they're expressing their frustration.
So I put full support to the motion. I acknowledge the Member for Range Lake for moving it. I acknowledge the Member from Mackenzie Delta, which I want to put on record, has been relentless on this issue about fighting for community safety. The Mackenzie Delta Member has, at every chance, pointed out that these are problems in his communities and region and the territory. So he isn't just fighting for his town; he's fighting for the whole people of the Northwest Territories and he's been a heavy advocate as well and deserves credit. So, again, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be fully supporting Member of Range Lake on this initiative. Thank you.