Debates of October 18, 2004 (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement earlier today I spoke about the issue of drug and alcohol treatment in the region. There are a number of unacceptable shortcomings in the way that addictions treatment is currently being carried out in the Sahtu; for example, the delay of allocating space for the community wellness workers in Deline and Fort Good Hope. My question to the Minister of Health and Social Services today is will the Minister of Health and Social Services provide this House and the Assembly with an update of the space allocation of community wellness workers in Deline and Fort Good Hope? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has raised an issue that we have discussed before, and I would like to inform the Member in this House that we are taking the steps and we are going to be planning to address those shortcomings. We’ve been working on it for some time. So I’d like to give him that assurance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Speaker, I find it unacceptable that this government has not made the drug and alcohol treatment in the regions a priority, given that the survey just reported in the news about the alcohol and drug issue that’s going to be a big issue with the development of a pipeline. I read in the 2000 report of the delivery of addiction services in the Northwest Territories, I was particularly interested in having a mobile addiction treatment centre taking into consideration the recommendations of this report, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to looking into a mobile addiction treatment centre program in the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there were some efforts made on the idea of trying to put mobile treatment into place in some communities, and I’d be glad to share that information with the Member and then we can take a look at it with the same information base and try to determine what is the best way to proceed. I agree with the Member that there is potential for mobile treatment, and that was the idea when we started those efforts some time ago. So I will get that information for the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister. Would the Minister commit to a time frame that we could work with the other regions in the Mackenzie Valley? I’m going to be asking this on behalf of the Sahtu, that we could come together and look at the possibility of looking at a mobile treatment program that they could foresee sometime in the Sahtu region in light of the potential of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline coming down. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we stand ready to sit with the Member. So there’s no confusion, Mr. Speaker, we stand ready to meet with the Member or the Social Programs committee to look at how we are delivering those services, and we do agree that there is a huge impact of resource development that is underway and we want to best be able to deal with that. So the offer is there and we would be happy to do that. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand ready, Mr. Minister. Mr. Speaker, I’ve asked the Minister if he would again commit to meet with -- I know he made some offers to the standing committee -- the Sahtu leadership in terms of gathering information. It’s a huge concern in our region in terms of making a commitment to meet with the RWED Minister in terms of the social impacts in the communities. Drug and alcohol programs are a big issue for our region, so I guess I would ask him if he would commit to also meet with the Sahtu leadership. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 235-15(3): Update On Space Allocation For Community Health Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d be happy to work through the Sahtu authority and the staff that’s there, as well as the Member, and look at the most appropriate way to deal with this issue. If that entails, as well, meeting with the leadership to talk more specifically about alcohol and drug concerns, then, yes, we will do that. Thank you.