Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as with several Members this sitting, I would like to highlight the words of Frame Lake's Youth Parliamentarian this year.
So, Mr. Speaker, I am here today to speak up for people experiencing homelessness in Yellowknife who are dealing with unsafe and often violent conditions. Yes, we have shelters, but how can support services actually help if both residents and staff don't feel safe inside them? There have been reports of staff stepping into fights and ending up with serious trauma and concerns about how some RCMP interactions are handled.
This problem within shelters has been a major issue and concern for a long time. We need to implement the right and proper training for both the staff and RCMP so that these situations can be handled in the best way possible.
Mr. Speaker, the 2024 Point in Time report shows 74 percent of people experiencing homelessness in Yellowknife, which is 226 individuals, were reported with substance use. This can increase aggression and impaired judgment, contributing to community violence. While plans mention addiction services, current options often require leaving the territory or relying on phone support. Why must people leave their families and culture to get help? With 50 percent of funding going to housing and only 4 percent to services, we're not breaking the cycle. We need stronger local addiction and mental health support in Yellowknife. Enforcing the idea to build a facility for Yellowknife results in a safer environment, especially downtown, for people including the future generation. There will be a higher chance of a decrease in violence due to substance use. Furthermore, the stress of choosing to go into rehab would be reduced significantly, and there would be no need to think about relocating. I believe that this is especially for public safety and a long-term solution.
So I wanted to thank my Youth Parliamentarian for raising these concerns, Mr. Speaker, and read them into the public record on their behalf. Thank you very much.