Theft, assault, and the sight of SWAT teams in our neighborhoods have become all too familiar, leaving residents feeling unsafe on our streets and trails. This is unacceptable. I am committed to making Saskatoon a safer place for everyone.
Did you know that a small number of individuals are responsible for much of the violent crime? By enhancing policing to target these individuals, we can make Saskatoon safer—not only for the community but for their families as well. Too many people with outstanding warrants remain on our streets. To promote respect for the law, we must ensure that these individuals are arrested and held accountable. I am pleased to see that our new Police Chief has already begun taking action on this issue.
These measures will create positive change throughout Saskatoon. Residents will feel safer, local businesses will see increased foot traffic, and our youth will be freed from the influence of negative role models.
We all know that drug addiction is closely linked to crime and violent behavior. Tragically, drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for many Canadian men. While there’s no simple solution, we need to address this issue from multiple angles. Addiction is a health problem, and we must treat it as such.
An Effective Prevention Program is key. The current school addictions program often feels outdated, with too much emphasis on tobacco. We need to modernize this program to address today’s realities. Youth should be informed about the dangers of various drugs, particularly the deadly impact of fentanyl, which has become a major killer in our country. The city could further reinforce these messages with targeted advertising in high-risk areas. Even if we reduced new drug use by just 10 or 20%, it would free up treatment services, spare individuals from the severe health consequences of drug abuse, and create a supportive environment where peer pressure could help prevent further use.