Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, it's good to hear that, you know, government is looking at it. And, you know, unfortunately, you know, I don't think the movement is fast enough because people are, you know, dying around us.

Mr. Speaker, this government is using and taking advantage of NGOs as a form of cheap labour to deliver healthrelated services for the department.

Mr. Speaker, as this government is clearly reliant on NGOs to administer and provide some of its healthcare services around addiction support and recovery, I then ask the Minister if increased compensation and multiyear...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we were talking about detox and aftercare recovery, we are talking about the difference between life and death for some. This reality may not resonate with those that have no ties with the people in communities, but for us that are born and raised here we have family and friends throughout the NWT, and some of them are looking for our help. That is why this issue is so important.

Mr. Speaker, on the department of health's website, it states that the establishment of transitional sober/recovery housing for individuals returning from addictions treatment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, talk is cheap so I'm kind of hoping that I actually see some money hit the floor at some point, and sooner than later.

Mr. Speaker, no detox beds and no aftercare facilities. Without those two components, we can only expect more people to die, and those deaths will be on us. Mr. Speaker, with the federal government offering up additional healthcare funding for the NWT, will the Minister of health confirm that there will be a shift in her department's assessment when it comes to address the front and back end of treatment which are detox and aftercare beds or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad to hear that there's some movement there, and I'd like to see it happen a little faster, though.

Mr. Speaker, this government is no doubt the leader when it comes to inefficiency which is apparent by the number of public housing units and other buildings sitting empty or being unutilized. Mr. Speaker, what discussion has this Minister of health had with her colleagues around the use of, or repurposing empty or underutilized infrastructure for detox, aftercare treatment, and transitional sober recovery housing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about addictions, we are talking about individuals who are primarily Indigenous, marginalized, and have been traumatized by residential schools and the 60s Scoop.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to substance abuse, we have mainstream programming available, along with access to on the land programs and treatment centres, albeit the treatment centres are in southern Canada. Yesterday I spoke about the need for detox beds. Today I will focus on the need for aftercare and transitional housing supports.

Except for warehousing individuals in day and night...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I talked about detox beds and the importance of them in all communities, not only Hay River. You know, just before we came into the building here, I had a call from somebody who was, you know, asking me if I could take them to the health centre in Hay River because they wanted to detox. But whenever I you know, I've done it in the past, and whenever I do it, it's usually, you know, we don't have a bed, or they don't have they don't seem to have the qualified staff there. So we need a mechanism, I guess, whether it's through legislation or something to...

Mr. Speaker, Hay River has, and continues to have, its fair share of substance abuse issues which has been driven home by the number of drugrelated deaths in the last year.

Mr. Speaker, for those who are no longer with us, we grieve; for those who find themselves fighting a losing battle, we hear their cry for help. But are we as government listening? That cry is becoming louder, and it is not more studies they are asking for, it is not more reports they are asking for, and it is not more discussions they are asking for. What is being asked for is a safe place to detox with proper assessment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me whether these positions will be under the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority or under the NT Health and Social Services Authority? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, that's my understanding that they were reprofiled and that the positions are probably only going to be for one year maybe. And I'd like to see, I guess, multiyear funding for it. So I'm hoping that, you know, the Minister will look at that, and I'd ask her if the department is actually looking at funding for those two positions so that they are ongoing and multiyear. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I guess when we're talking about people who are, you know, crying out for help, we have sort of the middle component. We have a lot of programming. You know, I don't dispute that. And, you know, and I try and encourage people to you know, to take some of that programming or talk to counsellors. And we also have access to treatment centres, albeit that they're put from down south; they're not here in the territories, but we do have that. What we don't have is the front end which is the detox centres or beds. We need something for these people...