ACT 'PROTECTS THE INNOCENT': EDZERZA

The Yukon has become the third jurisdiction in Canada to pass safer
communities and neighbourhoods legislation.

The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, Bill 67, passed through
its third reading in the legislative assembly Thursday.

The act targets properties being used for producing, growing, selling
or using illegal drugs, prostitution, solvent abuse and the unlawful
sale or consumption of alcohol. It is meant to provide a flexible and
responsive approach to dealing with substance abuse in the territory.
The legislation mirrors a similar law in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

It enables residents to use a confidential complaint line to report
their concerns to an investigative team that exists within the
Department of Justice and operates separately from the RCMP.

It also focuses on using civil law, rather than criminal law to end
the targeted activities.

The use of civil law allows the investigative team to collect
information that indicates a balance of probabilities that unlawful
activities which adversely affect the safety and security of a
neighbourhood are occurring on a regular basis.

In criminal law, the police would have to go to court against a
specific person charged with a specific offence and prove the
activities are occurring beyond a reasonable doubt.

The safer communities legislation deals instead with the property
owner or landlord of a rental unit.

"I am confident that we will see a decrease in the number of alcohol-
and other drug-related problems in our communities," said Justice
Minister John Edzerza.

"This bill is about empowering citizens, neighbourhoods and
communities. It's about protecting the innocent, the ones who aren't
involved with these activities. It's meant to minimize the fear, not
create fear."

People should not have to fear for the safety of their children or
themselves in communities or neighbourhoods where there are drug
problems, he said.

The bill received unanimous consent in the legislative assembly
yesterday and is waiting to get the Commissioner's assent and become law.

A $100,000 implementation cost will be put toward establishing the
office, which will have two investigators. Edzerza said the
department expects the investigation unit to have $340,000 annual
operating cost.

The safer communities' investigative team is expected be up and
running by the fall, but the process of implementation has already
begun, said Edzerza.

The NDP tabled a motion during the fall 2005 sitting asking Edzerza
to create legislation to deal with substance abuse in Yukon
communities and pass it through the house this spring.

The motion was eventually rewritten and tabled again by the Yukon
Party and received all-party support.

Since the legislation was tabled earlier this sitting, it has
consistently received unanimous support in the house.

"We never had any doubt that it was a good approach," said Liberal
Leader Arthur Mitchell.

Mitchell told the house he hopes the legislation will help curb
organized crime and the impact it can have on communities.

"This happens in all neighbourhoods. It's not only in the poorest of
neighbourhoods; it's not only in the city, but also in the
communities. Yukoners have had enough," he said.

NDP Leader Todd Hardy said he was pleased the legislation has finally
passed through the legislature.

But Hardy stressed dealing with substance abuse doesn't end with the bill.

Hardy had hoped there would be more linkages in the legislation to
include other departments, such as Health and Social Services, to
ensure those affected by substance abuse get the help they need.

"There is one thing I have tried to hold to through all of this, and
that is compassion. They're not aliens; they're human beings. The
people who have found themselves in this life, who unfortunately are
having a really bad impact on our neighbourhoods, on our children --
many of them are children themselves still -- are still human beings," he said.

The legislation is just a piece of the puzzle, Hardy added.

"Just closing the house down is not going to help them. There's a
need to surround them with the existing help that is already out there."

Hardy said he plans to continue to push the government to consider
other mechanisms to help those affected by substance abuse.

He added he plans to make an election issue the need for linkages
between departments and outside agencies dealing with the impact of
drugs on Yukon communities.