Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to have that debate about the best approach, the numbers, the need, and is it the best course of action and the best investment to build a separate, standalone facility, or is it best to look at expanding the service at Stanton, and what is possible in Hay River, Inuvik and Fort Smith. The money that is allocated in the capital plan is clearly identified for urgent capital projects across the Northwest Territories. We have yet to find out the final numbers of what is available from the federal government for the new health care money. When...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in one of my previous answers, I welcome this debate and discussion. If there is a concern with the plan that was agreed to previously in terms of mental health and addictions, and there is a need to amend it after two years of having it in place, then I am prepared to look at that through the work with the Social Programs committee. As all the Members know, we have to plan around any kind of capital expenditures that may be decided on or agreed to and look at the capacity of the current facilities and the resources and the manpower. So if there is a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the record, I would like to note clearly that we pay very close attention to the reports from the chief coroner, and in fact we respond in detail to all the recommendations that pertain to Health and Social Services, as I did on January 20, 2003, and July 14, 2003, in regards to the two inquests and the findings. Both those referenced medical detox. I welcome the debate in this House and hopefully outside of this House the discussion about addictions and the best way to deal with addictions. We have chartered off on a course of action through our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is a fairly broad question. If it is to deal with house construction, if it is to deal with actual program delivery, if it is to deal with specific client concern in the school, all would have access to different funding arrangements, different funding pots that may exist. There is also federal government money that may be available to do with the disabled as well. So there is a range of funding agencies out there that could be accessed by the community depending on what the particular circumstance is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a territorial organization for people with disabilities. In the communities, we have social workers and health care staff that work in the communities to assist people. We also have people in Income Support that work with people with disabilities. I know in housing-built units, they make them disabled-friendly where that is required in terms of ramps and such. I know when they designed the new seniors’ units, they are all designed to be disabled-useful and friendly. We have, across government, a number of services that are available for people...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a forum for debate, and, as Ministers, we often have to answer and respond to very often provocative and sometimes inflammatory comments, the way they are prefaced and the way they are laid out. We tend to do that in a measured way. The Member asked a question about the positions. I have committed in my last answer to finding out the detail. I will restate that commitment to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. In the North, we continue to, for example, consume and abuse alcohol at two-and-a-half to three times the national average. There is an increasing inflow of drugs from the South like cocaine and crack cocaine and probably crystal meth. Northerners have shown a prodigious appetite for those substances. It is not something that we have been able to turn around at this point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there were interviews held just recently, and the person being interviewed didn’t pass the interview. So they are re-advertising that as we speak. So hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll get some successful applicants interviewed and staffed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker it is unfortunate that there are no current services but, as I indicated, the process is already underway to re-advertise for the mental health position. I will commit to the Member to get more specific detail of the direct appointment of one of the local staff who is currently working at the health centre in terms of having her moved into the community wellness worker’s position. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the key pieces in the negotiations that are going to be underway. One of the outstanding issues, let me put it this way, is the issue of pensions. That has yet to be resolved. Thank you.