Debates of October 20, 2004 (day 24)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger, and it goes back to some of the things I alluded to in my Member's statement in that we have pieces of government infrastructure that are underutilized. The Somba K'e Lodge is one of those pieces of infrastructure. That building is not that old and it cost the government millions of dollars to construct and build, and it has sat empty I believe for a lot longer than six months, as I had mentioned earlier.

The question I have for Mr. Miltenberger is why his department isn't looking at taking over this building, the Somba K'e Lodge, and turning it into a treatment centre. Initially when it started out, it was designed to be a treatment centre, and that wasn't too long ago, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Return To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, almost three years ago now we embarked on a plan, a Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. We had three separate years in it that we were going to fund, and it focussed on the community getting in wellness workers, mental health workers, some supervision, and looking at trying to beef up the support at the community level where the most immediate good work has to be done. That's the plan that we've been working off of to date. There is no money in the plan for any new major facility development at this point. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the big dollar item is already on the ground there in the Somba K'e Lodge, and it was built as a treatment centre. Maybe the Minister can tell me why or what happened along the road that today we find it empty and not being used as a treatment centre, and it wasn't that long ago, Mr. Speaker. I'm just wondering what the reasons are for it not being used for its intended purpose. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if my memory serves me correctly, there was an arrangement in the days of old with the Department of Health and Northern Addictions Services. Then there was a move to an arrangement with federal Corrections Canada, where Somba K'e was to be used to provide services to federal inmates, and the relationship with the Department of Health and Social Services was severed. Somba K'e was used for that purpose and it wasn't sustainable, and that relationship ceased and there were other avenues explored trying to keep the facility alive. But at that point, there was no involvement with Health and Social Services. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From what I gather from the Minister, it's all about money. I guess the question I would have for the Minister is when are we going to try to find some money to get a dedicated treatment centre, whether or not it's in Yellowknife. That's a perfect piece of government infrastructure that isn't being used and that could house a treatment centre, Mr. Speaker. We cry the blues that we have no money, but we always seem to find money for this and that, and I think the health and the well-being of our citizens should be our number one priority, Mr. Speaker, and I can think of a lot of things that this government spends money on that isn't that important. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we can have the debate on where we should be putting a facility if, in fact, there was agreement to build one. If the Member is suggesting that we should scrap any further development at the community level and use that money for O and M for example, I think that would take some discussion. If he's suggesting that the Legislature is prepared to vote Health and Social Services new money, of course we would greatly accept that. But the debate on should we have more institutions as opposed to community infrastructure is one debate that we've already had, and we've charted out a course of action. There are, as I've indicated, no plans. I know that facility is sitting empty. We did look at it as a possible childcare site, and the costs were prohibitive for the money we had in the budget. When we looked at the possible conversion of that to a childcare facility, the cost was in the millions of dollars to bring it up to code and to make it suitable for use of children. So I don't know what it would cost if it was going to be restarted in a new capacity, but I do know that if it's going to be used for some new use, it's going to have to be brought up to 2004 code, specific to whatever the program use is going to be. If the experience we had on the child welfare side is any indication, it is in the millions of dollars on the child welfare side just to bring it up to code, let alone find O and M money. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we weren't really discussing a childcare centre, we're discussing an addictions centre. I think if the Minister adds up the cost that this government pays to send people south and the programming that they receive while they're in the South -- you know, the airfares and everything else that this government spends on addictions and sending people south -- I think they could come up with some dollar figure and try to equate that to operating this facility.

Also, Mr. Speaker, there has been some new money announced for health. Just as a final question to the Minister, is any of this new money in health going to be earmarked for addictions and addictions services here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 271-15(3): Somba K’e Lodge Use As Treatment Centre

Mr. Speaker, the detail of new money is not available to any of us yet. But I can tell the Member, as I indicated earlier in this House, that year three of the mental health and addictions plan is there on the books ready to be rolled out, pending appropriate funding being available. If there is money for addictions, the intent would be to look at that third year, as well as clearing up some of the shortfalls and inadequacies that are there and that we have identified in the first two years as we rolled out the program to do with office space and those types of things. So if there is money available, definitely on my list, addictions and mental health is very, very high; in fact, it's a top item for me. Thank you.