NCPC Announcement

Remarks given by
the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety

Winnipeg Police Service
August 23, 2007
As delivered

Thank you, Vic [Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board]. Ladies and gentlemen, Chief Zacharias [Menno Zacharias, Acting Chief of Police, Winnipeg Police Service]—thank you for performing your duties to move this along. Joy [Joy Smith, Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul], thank you for being with us.

It's easy, and accurate, for me to say that there are probably no two stronger advocates for the issues that impact this city and province than Minister Toews and MP Joy Smith. Joy, your past experience as an educator and researcher in these areas; past nomination as Woman of the Year; and, your present work related to human trafficking is very, very critical to what we're doing in the whole area of crime prevention. And Minister Chomiak [David Chomiak, Manitoba Minister of Justice and Attorney General], great to see you here and taking part. As Vic has said, I know you share these concerns.

We see it as a prime responsibility of any level of government to provide for the safety and the security of its citizens. We do that in a number of different ways. At the federal level, we have certain responsibilities that we have pursued with vigour, and in a robust manner. Our Prime Minister wants us to be able to reach out in these areas of safety and security for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

When it comes to safety and security, there are a number of things that we have to be doing. On the enforcement side, there's the very presence of police officers, the men and women in uniform who put themselves many times in harm's way to provide protection for us, for our children, for our citizens. Along those lines, you are probably aware that we are following through with our commitment of 1,000 more RCMP personnel throughout the country.

That has already started with $161-million investment in our budget. Another investment is expanding training facilities in Regina at Depot. We want to make sure the uptake in the recruiting is going to be matched with more officers coming on the streets.

We also made a commitment that we would eventually see 2,500 more municipal officers on the streets right across our country. I've engaged in discussions with my counterparts, the Solicitors General and Attorneys General across the country.

The federal government is assuming one hundred percent of the costs for the one thousand RCMP positions, but the other municipal police initiative is a cost-shared program with the provinces. I think, Dave, that's one of the things you'll likely be speaking to on your agenda in our meeting later and I will be listening with keen interest to your observations there.

That's the actual issue of personnel on the streets and being out there doing the job. There's also the legislative side, and Minister Toews certainly has led the way I believe in Canada on this as Justice Minister — key pieces of legislation that will help our police officers perform the duties they need to and help the judicial system.

For instance, we have on the table legislation related to dangerous offenders. We all believe in rehabilitation. We believe a change can happen in a person's heart to turn them away from a life of crime or criminal activity. But, you know, we also believe that somebody who has committed violent offences numerous times should simply be kept off our streets.

We believe when it comes to reducing crime with firearms that there should be mandatory jail sentences, especially for repeat offenders. We have that legislation working its way through the system. We believe that when it comes to serious repeat offenders that there should be an onus on the person who's been charged with a serious repeat crime to show a judge why they should be allowed out on bail pending their trial. We know at times with dangerous repeat offenders they can repeat their crimes while they're out on bail. Citizens have a problem with that.

We also know that when it comes to the exploitation of young people that the present age of consent between adults and minors, which is 14 years old in Canada, is one of the youngest limits in the world. Police officers tell us that they could make great headway in tackling issues related to exploitation of children on the Internet or human trafficking and human smuggling. We're talking about adults and kids, and that age should at least be raised to 16 years old. We have legislation working its way through on this.

There's also the preventive side and that's the specific goal of our presentation today. Prevention has to be out there; it has to be a very clear component of what we're doing. We have to reach out to young people — especially to young people.

Through our National Crime Prevention Program, we announced a few months ago funding of $16.1 million that is going into communities at the local level, to groups and organizations working on the street that know what the issues are right in their area. They have the programs and we've come up with two words to define which programs should get funding, and it's quite simply "What works?"

What works? What are you doing that you know can work to reduce crime, and especially, youth at risk?

We use certain criteria for which of those particular programs get that type of funding. We want it targeted toward families and youth who are vulnerable, and therefore at risk. We want to target the area of gang activity and drug activity. We want programs that look at reducing recidivism rates. And we're looking for programs that meet the needs of the Aboriginal communities.

Those are the types of programs that we are looking to fund, and we know those programs can work. We're not coming in at the federal level with a program saying here's how to do it. We're saying you folks who operate these programs in your local areas know the specific and unique pressures in each of those areas and we want to deliver those funds to you to be able to help you to carry out those programs.

We've got what we call the "long arm of the law:" men and women in uniform working for our safety and security. And we have the open arms of the community: those organizations, along with police forces, who offer the types of programs where we can see, and where we believe we will see, a reduction in crime.

Vic, you introduced other areas of concern — street racing. My heart goes out to the family of James Dwayne, a cyclist killed by somebody who was driving recklessly in a stolen vehicle. That's the second time in about three months in the north end of the city that an incident like that has happened.

All of what we're announcing today will work in the hopes of reducing those types of tragedies. Minister, I don't know if there are representatives from the Manitoba Justice Corrections Division here other than yourself but certainly you're here. Are the people here from the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council? Yes. Thank you for being here. I appreciate that. And the Ginew Wellness Centre. Great. Nice to see you. Thank you. The Crossing Communities Art Project. the Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. Thanks for being here. Appreciate that. The Building Healthy Shamattawa community. The Four Arrows Regional Health Authority. And also the Rolling River Community Healing Project.

I'm proud to announce funding of $2.4 million for their eight projects, which are going to serve the vulnerable, those at risk in our communities and especially youth, offering them other choices, offering them alternatives. I believe as we move ahead with programs like this that we will see safer communities and healthier communities.

Thank you so much to each of you from these organizations for being here. Thank you for the work that you are doing. Thank you to my colleagues as well. Strong and healthy communities make a strong and healthy nation.

Thank you for being a part of that.