An Announcement of National Crime Prevention Centre Funding for Halifax

Notes for remarks by
The Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety

January 23, 2007
Halifax, Nova Scotia
As delivered

Thank you so much, President Dodds.

A congratulatory note to you, sir, for the incredible leadership you've shown at Saint Mary's University through the years.

I can assure people here, if they're not already aware, that the work of this institution and the work under the great leadership of President Dodds is known not only here locally, but also across Canada and around the world. This work is also known in a few impressive outreach forums around the world, and as far away as West Africa. President, you should also be commended on the outward-looking view that you take here at Saint Mary's.

This is part of the motivation behind my announcement today. It is the primary responsibility, I believe, of any level of government, to provide for the safety and security of its citizens. And it's something that all levels of government face.

This Government has made tackling crime one of its five priorities. We are determined to keep communities safe for everyone.

As we look at the issues related to crime around our country, it's important that we have a parallel, two-sided approach. We think of the long arm of the law that has to be present as a deterring factor. We also need a prevention factor. That's why we announced in our budget last year that there would be money to begin this process at the federal level. An example would be hiring 1,000 RCMP personnel across the country to help with federal policing issues in all jurisdictions.

That's also why on the enforcement side we have changed a number of our laws. We have brought in new laws dealing with serious repeat dangerous offenders, and for those who commit crimes with firearms, there would be mandatory sentencing.

There also has to be what we call the open arms of the community, which looks at the prevention side, especially when it comes to youth crime. There are young people in every community across our country who are at critical moments in their lives where the wrong choices could have serious consequences for them. We learned from a variety of social institutions and families that there are groups out there getting involved to prevent those wrong choices.

The level of youth gang activity in our country is on the rise. Crime related to drugs and the illegal use of firearms are areas of huge concern in every community across the country. The Government of Canada made an announcement last week that $16 million will go towards programs at the local level. Programs that would reach out in meaningful ways to young people and their families-in a way that would help prevent crimes from happening.

We will not go into your communities and tell you to use this or that particular program. I understand that local problems need local solutions. In each local area, there are unique challenges and unique opportunities.

That's why we want to make this funding available. Each group will be evaluated because we want to find out “what works.” “What works” has to be what drives us. And there are programs that work in some areas that don't work in others.

Today, we are announcing funding of $342,000 to Saint Mary's University and their PALS (Positive role models and mentors; Academic tutoring; Leisure and physical activity; and Social and life skills development) program. This is a program with great promise and the funding will support the hard work that you do to move toward preventing crime among youth in our community. I want to congratulate Saint Mary's for this initiative.

I can appreciate the energy and the thinking that has gone into this. Reaching out to a certain number of young people, a very ambitious number I might add, requires not only the professional component, but volunteers too.

I am convinced your efforts will make a difference and the Government of Canada is proud to support your initiative.

Thank you.