A Funding Announcement for Crime Prevention Projects

Remarks by
the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety

Montreal, Quebec
July 4, 2007
As delivered

Thank you very much for your introduction. I want to thank the Black Community Resource Centre for allowing us to make our announcement here. I'm also grateful for the co-operation of all groups, not only those here in Montreal, but also those throughout Quebec working very hard to reduce crime.

This morning I met with the Director General of the Sûreté du Québec and the Director of the Association des directeurs de police du Québec. I'm proud to stand here with Guy Ouellette, a man with over 31 years of police experience and extensive expertise in fighting organized crime.

I am pleased to announce this morning that $6.8 million in funding will be allocated to 27 local projects across Quebec designed to prevent and reduce crime, particularly among at-risk youth.

It's important for our government to send a clear message. We do not intend to dictate what programs should be implemented in a province or municipality. It's important for local groups to identify the pressures they are facing in their communities and the results their projects could achieve. By establishing clear criteria, we can work together to achieve positive results.

I often remind the public servants in my department that there are two very important words for establishing programs that yield results: "what works." It's very encouraging for me to announce this morning that 27 projects here in Quebec are going to be receiving $6.8 million to set and fulfill this objective.

There are criteria in place to let us see concrete results. We want to implement programs that target families at risk. Our key priorities in this area include street gangs, drugs and at-risk youth. We also want to set up programs that aim to reduce repeat offences, particularly involving more vulnerable individuals. Lastly, we also want to promote crime prevention in Aboriginal communities.

I'm very proud to see that all the programs receiving federal funding today seek to give positive choices to young people who all too often have to deal with criminal gang activity. Law enforcement and prevention are both critical to the protection of our communities.

Thank you once again for the invaluable work you have been doing in cooperation with various associations and in partnership with individuals from your communities. I also want to thank the law enforcement officials who work tirelessly day and night to protect us.

By preventing crime and reaching out to young people and other at-risk individuals, we will see a drop in the problems that concern us all and the development of initiatives that are so important to us.

Thank you for your attention and for being here today.