The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General:

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Mr. Speaker, the Citizens’ Crime Prevention Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is celebrating 30 years of serving our province by working to make our communities safe. I would like to thank the organization and their volunteers for their hard work and dedication.

This anniversary is an opportunity to raise awareness of this valuable collaborative and community effort. The Citizens’ Crime Prevention Association of Newfoundland and Labrador was formed in 1988 and comprises police officers and citizens. This dedicated group has invested a substantial amount of time and energy to develop projects and initiatives that aim to inform and encourage people to become involved in crime prevention.

Mr. Speaker, the group has a number of important initiatives. One example is the Rachel Project, which aims to spread kindness and compassion. This project was brought to schools to enforce anti-violence and anti-bullying with students and encourage acts of kindness. They have also launched the buddy bench, which aims to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. It helps spread the message of inclusion and kindness by placing a park bench where children can sit if they are looking for a playmate.

I ask all Honourable members to join me in congratulating the Citizens’ Crime Prevention Association of Newfoundland and Labrador on their 30th anniversary in the province. We thank them for their tireless work on behalf of residents and wish them all the best in the next 30 years.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker