Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I moved this motion because I believe the program described is too good an idea to ignore. Debates in this Assembly in recent days, throughout our term to date, and throughout the previous term indicated the priority placed upon effectively treating the plague of substance abuse that causes such sorrow to our people and harm to our economy and cultures.
Combating addictions is a specific action item in the Believing in People and Building on the Strength of Northerners priorities adopted by the 17th Assembly. This program approach appears to offer an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of our current addictions treatment programs in a culturally appropriate way, possibly with little increased costs and maximizing the effectiveness of the resources currently being devoted. The dramatically higher success rates described in program reports on pilot projects are extraordinary.
The program is straightforward and based on that rarest of talents: common sense. In a nutshell, rather than having individuals go through treatment isolated and alone in their community with nobody available that can relate to what they are experiencing, it begins by grouping them in two or three or four people. Weekly meetings would be held for a couple of months prior to the group entering a treatment program during which they would learn about and explore what will happen during treatment and how they can maximize their benefits as they go through it.
The group would then attend the treatment program together, then return to the community with a by now closely-knit support group with the same experience to share. They would again go through 10 or 12 weeks of weekly meetings to provide mutual support and to be available to each other for support as they reintegrate into the community in a healthy way. Community wellness workers seem well situated to provide support during this process.
As we look for ways to avert the anticipated upsurge in costs anticipated from the passage of federal Bill C-10’s regressive measures, we must urgently pursue programs that not only treat sufferers more effectively but divert offenders from the policing, courts and corrections route.
This motion does not call on the government to incur immediate costs. Rather, it provides a program free of infrastructure and well adapted to meeting spaces readily available in our communities. It can potentially be delivered through community wellness workers with a simple addition of a coordinator to begin to evaluate the program. This recommendation only looks at the possibility of introducing similar programming ideally based on some analysis and testing.
It’s been developed and tested in the Yukon by Mr. Wade Meszaros, who now happens to be a resident of Yellowknife, and undoubtedly would be approachable to discuss this work, should this Minister of Health and Social Services and/or Justice, whoever wants to take this one, be interested. Those are my remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I will be asking for a recorded vote, and recognizing the fundamental and ubiquitous NWT-wide nature of this issue, I think it would be really great for the Premier to enable a pre-vote for Cabinet members on this motion and drop the policy of Cabinet solidarity for this instance. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member asked for a recorded vote. I’ll give Mr. Bromley closing remarks. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member has asked for a recorded vote. Question has been called. All those in favour, please rise.
Mr. Bromley, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Dolynny, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Moses.
All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.
Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. McLeod – Yellowknife South, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. McLeod – Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Results of the motion: yes, nine; abstentions, seven. The motion is carried.
---Carried
