July 3, 2014
Province Announces Youth Cadets to Receive Support from Criminal Property Forfeiture Grant Program
THOMPSON—Cadet programs in three northern First Nation communities will receive funding to support their ongoing role in community outreach, healthy living and crime prevention, Justice Minister Andrew Swan announced here today.
“Community-focused programs like the cadets give young people an opportunity to belong, to learn and to channel their energy into something positive,” said Minister Swan. “We know this is an opportunity to help keep youth away from criminal activity. It starts as an investment in community safety today, but perhaps more importantly, it can lead to a more positive future for all cadets.”
Manitoba will invest more than $38,000 to purchase uniforms and healthy snacks for cadets in Nisichawaysihk Cree Nation Cadet Corps (Nelson House), Norway House and Cross Lake. Every year, about 160 young people aged 12 to 19 participate in these programs, which help the RCMP establish and strengthen relationships between police officers, youth, families and community leaders, the minister said.
“Our youth are our future, so it is important to take a look at how we can help change negative perceptions and behaviours,” said Assistant Commissioner Kevin Brosseau, commanding officer of RCMP “D” Division. “When the focus is on the people and making a community a safer place to live, we all win. The youth cadet programs are excellent examples of how the RCMP can partner with our communities to give our youth positive alternatives to negative behaviour.”
The cadets also participate in a range of community events, serve as role models for other youth, do volunteer work and benefit from the healthy, active lifestyle provided through this program, Minister Swan added.
Funding for these projects is part of more than $1.2 million in grants that will be distributed to Manitoba’s police agencies this summer through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund. Since 2010, over $8 million in assets have been successfully forfeited to the province and reinvested with police agencies and victims’ services.
More information about criminal property forfeitures is available at: www.gov.mb.ca/justice/safe/cpf/index.html.
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