Alfred Moses

In terms of this program, do all communities in the Northwest Territories have access to this program and how often does this coalition go out to the communities that really need the support? I’ve been working with a family most recently who had to leave their community and head out of territory for a lot of work, and I’d like to ask the Minister if this coalition goes into the communities to do some outreach work or do foster parents have to go to the coalition to seek that help.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and they are in regard to foster parenting and foster families.

We have a lot of compassionate families out there who are willing to take kids in and give them a good upbringing, a good lifestyle. Sometimes in these cases, some of the youth and children that are taken in to foster may have some type of behavioural challenge or attitude challenge that does really affect the home and the support in the home, and the home structure and the family structure.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I would like to welcome all Members, Cabinet, staff and yourself back to what is going to be a very exciting six weeks of session here in our Fourth Session.

Last week I had a great opportunity to attend the very successful NWT Days in Ottawa. While we had many great ambassadors and excellent staff throughout the event, there is one particular group I would like to recognize, and that’s the youth ambassadors.

The Youth Ambassadors Program has been going on for a few years now and has been very successful. I have had the opportunity to see this program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to commend the work by my colleagues who brought this motion forward. There is some good wording in there, but the wording also needs to be looked at in terms of supporting it. I commend the work done by the staff here that got the information for us as well.

In terms of consultation, we did receive some letters from various groups in the Northwest Territories, but we didn’t receive letters, or letters of concern from everybody. We don’t know what’s on everybody’s mind, and to bring a motion forward today without getting everybody’s input and support...

When an inmate is about to get released, in terms of getting educated on possibly some of the issues and concerns that might have gotten them into the institution, what type of education programs do the corrections facilities offer to get inmates back, or what social skills programs does the department offer to get these inmates back into being a member of society and not going back out and becoming another repeat offender? What type of education programs are there in our facilities to get our inmates back as regular members of society?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to yesterday’s theme day when we were speaking about treatment programs throughout the Northwest Territories, I wanted to ask the Minister of Justice about some of the programs that they have in the corrections facilities.

Right off the bat, I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice what type of treatment programs specifically designated for addictions does the department provide in our correctional facilities currently.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just in terms of alcohol related crimes in the Northwest Territories and people who are suffering with addictions and treatments, I was wondering if the Minister knows what the percentage of crimes throughout the Northwest Territories are actually alcohol related. Does he have a percentage that he can let the House know of?

Speaking with the Minister of Health yesterday, and some of the answers that he gave us in terms of detox programs moving along the same lines, if anyone that gets incarcerated for a serious crime and does have to go to either a north corrections facility, are there any detox programs in place, medical services provided to the inmates that need that detox in our facilities currently?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today Members of the Legislative Assembly are wearing purple ribbons. These ribbons represent the remembrance of a very young, talented, gifted and special individual who was taken too soon from his family and friends, Paulousie Ittungna.

Purple was Paulou’s favourite colour. Sometimes our families, communities and territory lose special individuals far too soon and well before their time. This is just the case in the passing of Paulou.

Paulou was an exceptional young man, who excelled in sports such as soccer and volleyball, but he was more than that. He was a brother, a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to make reference to what the Minister said earlier, as well, that we need to get communities committed. Does the Minister not think these communities are committed after listening to the coroner’s report that alcohol-related deaths are at 49 percent, suicides are at 50 percent, accidental deaths are at 76 percent, or homicides? Those stats would make my community committed to getting detox and treatment centres in the communities even more.

Specifically to treatment programs, I would like to ask the Minister of Health what specific programs are not offered...