Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good day, Minister. As we begin a new year, I'd like to welcome you here once again. I'd also like to extend greetings to my colleagues. We have been together for two or three sessions now.
Mr. Nicholson, I'm hoping that you can shed some light on a particular problem. Organized criminal networks are currently operating. Of course, we all have our own definitions of what these networks are: street gangs, the mafia, and so forth. In reality, these criminal networks are involved in drug trafficking. Thousands of tons of drugs are pouring into Montreal. These networks engage in the trafficking of persons and in prostitution. They practise extortion and use virtually every single dock and airport to make money. They strike fear in the hearts of Montrealers, in the hearts of our fathers and mothers.
The problem is that even though they are responsible for a lot of the drugs that come into Montreal, it's impossible for us to apprehend all of these criminals. People have the impression that there is no crime in Montreal. Yet, thousands of Montreal youth become totally dependent every day on drugs. We're not able to apprehend the criminals, and yet people are being led to believe that crime rates are dropping.This week, the pimp of a young woman who had been abused and forced into prostitution for two years was arrested. It didn't happen overnight. He was able to go about his business for two years as if nothing was amiss, even though he was committing a crime every day.
Minister, organized crime networks pose a serious problem, domestically as well as internationally. This type of activity knows no borders. It poses a threat to the Canadian and Quebec economies and a threat to public health and safety. What measures do you intend to bring in to reassure members of the public? Just because the statistics don't show it doesn't mean that crimes are not being committed every day.