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 different than what the Minister is describing as an on-the-land type of program. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services provide information to this House that defines and explains why an on-the-land program would work in cases when someone is suffering from cocaine, crack, hallucinogen addictions, things along those lines where you’d need defined medical treatment and support? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The program that I was referring to, on-the-land, that was requested by many of the small communities. The small communities refer to on-the-land treatment as a more holistic treatment that is to address all of the issues, mental health, addictions and the whole human being. Regardless of what type of addiction the individual is struggling with, they feel that specific program would work on the land for the small communities. Thank you.
I’m not going to deny the need for spiritual connection both within one’s self and certainly with the land on a lot of people. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. We cannot shoe horn everybody into the on-the-land program and call that a solution. What facts does the Minister have at his hand or with his arsenal defined as the department that he can provide this House and say and show that an on-the-land type of program would help people who suffer from things like crack, heroine, speed and other types of problems that require medical support, not just spiritual support? Thank you.
Detox is a program, not a building. What we are saying is that the health and social services authority is spending about $6 million across the board on mental health and addictions. Detox is a part of that and can be in any location. It is a program. It is available right across the North and certainly available in Yellowknife if needed. Thank you.
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 develop a detox centre here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
In the past in the Northwest Territories on Franklin Avenue there was a detox centre. That was shut down for one reason or another. People needing detox at this time do seek detoxification through various avenues. The department is there, like I indicated. Health and Social Services is spending over $6 million in the various health authorities to address that issue, mental health and addictions. Detox is a part of addictions and, yes, we as a department are more than willing and are prepared and want to be involved in helping people detox from drugs and alcohol. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
I like the last phrase the Minister said, which was he is prepared to be part of something that goes forward here. I am going to offer a quick pro quo to this particular subject. If the Minister is willing to do something, I will stop nagging about it every session. What I am asking for now is that he diverts some of that $6 million and develops a plan. Just because he shut down the detox centre, it didn’t shut down the issue. The people are suffering from these particular things. It didn’t just magically go away. The reality here is simply this: Would the Minister be willing to divert some of that focus of the $6 million he keeps talking about for drug treatment, to work on a plan to develop a detox centre here for Northerners so they can get residential treatment when we suffer from the drugs that I have talked about?
A part of that money that is being spent by the health and social services authorities is for addictions. That is for treatment. It is for detox. Yes, during the upcoming business plan we would be willing to talk to the MLAs and discuss the possibility of moving more money into detox. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
