Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the newspaper clipping from the Northern Journal dated January 31, 2012. The article is “Matrix Program Fights Addiction.” It is a great story about the things that are happening in Fort Smith, Fort Simpson and Fort Providence about working on and combatting drug and alcohol addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have to take issue with that particular last point which is saying detox is available across the North. I’m sorry; that is not exactly true. As we all know, the only place with any detox treatment here is at Stanton Territorial Hospital. As I repeated many times over, Stanton is not defined as a detox centre. It is a central wellness for folks. We should be putting people with addictions in an addiction treatment centre for detox.

My point here is we need bold action. This government needs to wake up from its deep slumber and take some action. Will the Minister be willing to develop a plan to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to return to the issue of a residential detox centre required here in the Northwest Territories. I’d like to state for the record, of course, if you really care about this issue, even from a Yellowknife perspective, I want to emphasize it doesn’t matter where the building gets established, where we provide residential treatment for people who have detox needs. I mean, the fact is if we can put it in a regional centre, I would certainly support that any moment that that issue comes forward for any type of a decision.

On that note, a residential centre is much...

It’s no reason to give up, just because we don’t think we can solve the whole problem. I mean, that’s part of the reason why we’re here, to keep fighting this problem until we get it solved or we get the problem moved forward to a solution. One of the Sally Ann representatives talks about the types of addictions being treated here and he calls it, sort of, the stage two portion of the problem. We’re not focusing in on the root cause or the root solutions to the problem.

As many of us all know, due to research that I’ve done, the territorial addictions centre, the last one that closed down...

What’s stopping the Department of Health and Social Services from finally taking up action on this particular problem, getting their focus correctly on the issue and start planning for an addictions centre here in the Northwest Territories? It could be in any region, and the planning and execution of this plan could start in this government and be a hallmark by the end of this government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleagues, I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, a Yellowknife senior in the constituency of Yellowknife Centre, and at his side, as always, the true and vigilant, lovely Vivian Squires, and talented, of course. Finally, I’d also like to recognize a good friend. His name is Bill and he’s here with his wife. So that’s Bill and Helen McIntosh. They both hail from Belleville, Ontario. I’d like to welcome them to the Legislature. I believe they’re here visiting family. Thank you.

The Minister and I have spoken at length regarding this issue that the Northwest Territories requires a detox centre. As I’ve spoken to him, and sometimes I think he even agrees, that Stanton itself, by virtue of its design, is not a detox centre for people who have addictions. That’s the type of focus I continue here, and relentlessly want to pursue and see the government take on that challenge. Nats’ejee K’eh, with all due respect, does not suit that type of need.

When will the department start planning for an appropriate treatment centre, as I’ve discussed here today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to continue my Member’s statement with some questions on the issue of a territorial addictions treatment centre that is much needed in the Northwest Territories and as and I’ve talked to the Minister of Health and Social Services on a number of occasions. I’ve talked about although it would be nice to have one here in Yellowknife, the fact is if you’re behind this issue, which means you want to support this issue, a territorial treatment centre could happen in any region in the Northwest Territories. It doesn’t have to happen here. I mean, the criteria comes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The need could not be greater than now for a territorial treatment centre here in the Northwest Territories. As we all know far too well, drugs and alcohol continue to have a profound impact on Northerners’ lives. It’s time for this government to get behind a detox centre, which will help the drug and alcohol problem that many people suffer from.

I’ve come to see the drug and alcohol problem kind of like an iceberg. You know, you can look far off and see the surface of the problem, but you never fully realize the size, the magnitude, what truly lies underneath the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be willing to commit to getting me those numbers I asked about earlier, and at the same time would he be willing to provide me with a complete package of what people would use to fill out, whether it’s an application process or a package? Would he be able to provide that to me? Finally, if he could update the House as to do the staff at ECE actually support employers in filling out this probably lengthy package of information.