Debates of March 2, 2005 (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger. During a recent information session with Crack Busters on Monday, there were a few items that the addictions counsellors and Dr. Wheeler, who was there, had brought to our attention that I believe the government should be paying close attention to. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services a few questions. The first question is what type of public awareness and education is this government doing specifically to address the pitfalls of drug use? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

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.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister didn’t mention the fact that the government had anything specifically dedicated to drug use and the troubles that drug use brings to our youth and our families here in the Northwest Territories. The other item that they mentioned is what are we going to do as a government to address the long-term residential care that’s needed and the treatment that’s needed for these individuals? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

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 community wellness workers, mental health workers, clinical supervisors and why we intend to proceed with year three of that program to get further resources at the community level. As well, we still have the resources, which we are trying to work on and improve at Natse’ Ejee K’eh, and access to southern treatment referral if you need it. We also have arrangements in Yellowknife with the Salvation Army with the program that they offer. As well, we’re going to move ahead on doing a better job and bringing on line a medical detox facility at Stanton. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year the Regular Members on this side of the House brought forward a motion in regard to reinstating treatment centres in both Inuvik and in Yellowknife and I would like to ask the Minister today what progress has the government made on addressing that motion that this side of the House made last year. Has there been any progress made and when are we going to see residential care and treatment centres finally addressed by this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

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 into the capital plan, but you would have to get in line with other capital projects. But at this point, I can tell the Member that if we built three or four new facilities, they would all be underutilized and we don’t have the numbers to quantify the need for that number of capital projects. I want to maintain, Mr. Speaker, if I could just reiterate, the focus, in my opinion, has to continue to be at the community level to get resources on the ground, working with families, with individuals, with other groups in the community to get people to make the right choices and not just build bricks and mortar and facilities to deal with them once they’ve got an addiction problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need to work with community groups, yes, I agree with that. That type of work should happen, but we’re here today and we still don’t have treatment centres. How long is it going to take for the government to work with the community groups to get us the treatment centres that our communities are demanding and the residential care that our communities are demanding? How long is the work going to take? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

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 closing most of them because they were underutilized. We have not yet focused properly on prevention at the community level on getting people to make the right personal choices and to invest the resources at the community level, and not just have centralized facilities that are going to take up all the staff and resources we have. Thank you.