Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re continuing to work and advance the agenda for addictions and mental health, as I’ve lain out. There was a motion in this House and the intent is to improve the services and we’re working on that. The Member indicates that we need two or three or four new facilities and I’m saying that our energy and funds are better spent at the community level. When we can quantify and demonstrate that we will have facilities that will be fully used and we won’t need any other southern resources, then I’ll be happy to move forward with the project in putting it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have public information that deals with right personal choices, active living, healthy choices, not to use alcohol and drugs. We don’t have anything tailored specifically yet to the new drugs, specifically the one the Member referred to, which is crack cocaine. I also attended that meeting, which I found very informative. We are also intending the target part of $1 million for further prevention with youth in terms of an awareness campaign that focuses on substance abuse, alcohol and drugs, as well as the ambulant concerns that have also been raised...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the specific issue of youth at night, especially on the weekends, and being on the streets, we’ve been dealing with this under the issue of homelessness for the short term. We’re working on a longer-term homelessness strategy as I’m also the Minister responsible for the homeless. I’m working in conjunction with my colleagues, Ministers from the social envelope, and we’ve put together a short term budget that is before this House now in a supplementary and we intend to come forward with further planning. In Yellowknife we want to continue to...

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been involved directly or indirectly in this business dealing with alcohol and drugs now for over 20 years, and I’ve been involved that long in trying to advance the agenda dealing with alcohol and drugs. As Minister, I’ve been here for over three years and made significant strides, especially moving from the Chalmers report and we’re going to continue to do that. We have a plan and we intend to stick to it and it’s not just a case of banging up residential facilities all over the place when we know that a few years ago we did that and we ended up...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as was indicated yesterday by the folks that did the presentation from Crack Busters, they have a program that’s not residential-based. Its success hinges on being able to be in the communities, responsive to people at the community level where they can work through their issues and their support groups that are there to assist them after the 22-week Crack Busters program is completed. Mr. Speaker, I still share the same conviction that our focus has to continue to be working with the communities at the community level, which is why we’ve invested money in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will confirm in writing to the Member what I’ve just said in this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member asked for a ministerial commitment to continue to work on this issue with the SideDoor and Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority past the end of the fiscal year. I’ve indicated that, yes, we are going to continue to do this. It is an issue that’s not going to stop April 1st. So, yes, we are going to continue on this. I do not make these commitments lightly. There are people recording the proceedings of this House in Health and Social Services, so we will be moving on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before we launch into the pressing housing issues of the day, I’d just like to take a moment to pay tribute to a relationship of love and commitment that has stood the test of time. On February 24, 1945, Albert Bonnet met Febula Heron in Edmonton and married her and, shortly thereafter, he took her to Fort Smith where they reside to this day. They have brought into this world seven children and they are now, as well, proud grandparents 15 times and great-grandparents eight times over. Today, Mr. Speaker, they’re celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

--...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, when dealing with individuals, often assumptions are made based on behaviours. There are times, depending on when alcohol was ingested by the mother, when there may be some clearly visible features that are indicative of an individual with FASD which would be a clear indication of what may be at issue with this individual. But the Member is correct that there are assumptions made that the high number of FASD people are individuals that there may be in the Northwest Territories, but there isn’t a lot of testing done.

On the time frame for the partnership to...