Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a follow-up from my statement. The Minister of Health and Social Services mentioned that there will be a lot of on-the-land programming. Has the Minister been working with the Gwich’in to offer programs at the Gwich’in Wellness Centre? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have. We’ve met with them. We had some discussions. The deputy minister went up to Inuvik one time when I was not able to go and also had some further discussions with them. I met with the vice-president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council here in Yellowknife about two weeks ago, I would say, and we talked specifically about the use of that facility. He recognizes, and the Gwich’in recognize, that it would just not be able to be completely a centre used for only treatment, but that that centre could be used for other things. It could be seasonal. So we’ve had that discussion and we’re willing to work with the Gwich’in to use that facility for something.
Thank you. I believe this facility is ideal, as there are no distractions. I’d like to ask the Minister, can we expect to see programs offered this winter. Thank you.
Thank you. That is my hope, but I don’t have the information here with me on the treatment options that we’re moving forward with at this time. But I do believe that we’re definitely looking at something with the Inuvialuit further north and we’ve had these discussions with the Gwich’in. So I’m hoping that something can come out of this this winter and I can certainly update the Member on that, if that is the case. Thank you.
Thank you. I realize it takes time to develop the proper policies to operate this facility. I’d like to ask the Minister again, will we see programs offered at the Gwich’in Wellness Camp within the next year. Thank you.
Thank you. If the Gwich’in are able to line up some other uses for the facility. I recognize that they have talked about the other departments that may be able to use that facility and then it becomes feasible for them to operate. At that point, they said that that building could be available for a treatment program or two. So if they’re able to run some other programs and I can’t remember specifically, but he mentioned that they had worked with ENR, they’ve worked with Justice to make that a possibility. If that place is operational and we have a program developed, we certainly want to put a program in there, certainly before the next year is up. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just from what the Minister has said, it sounds like funding is an issue here. If this is a focus of the department, will the Minister agree to help the Gwich’in to take care of the maintenance of the building? Thank you.
Thank you. I think what we would rather do, I suppose, is to get into a contract on the number of people who would be taking the treatment and then pay the rate for that treatment as opposed to agreeing to pay for the operating costs of the facility. So I think that is probably the way we would go, certain costs for a certain number of people that are in treatment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
