My question is to Minister of Health and Social Services. What funding has been allocated to each of the commitments and activities in the work plans? Thank you
Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the work plan hasn't yet been approved so I don't have a budget for it. Thank you.
The Minister talked about, okay, they're not renewing the contract with Poundmaker's, and there's five other options. Why only five? Shouldn't there be more if we're trying to help and work with the people? Because it is the people's choice of where they want to go, and Poundmaker's was the only one that we can think of that served the Indigenous communities. Now people don't have a choice. So I'm just wondering is the Minister consulting and working with the Indigenous government, the Indigenous people? She said there were some people at the meeting that she attended, but that's not good enough. Like, is she working because the OAG report states that. It says all over in the OAG report that to work with the Indigenous governments, consult with the Indigenous governments. And I'm just wondering, I don't think that is happening but I just want to ask that. Like, is she working with the Indigenous governments on this selecting? Like, who are part of the decisionmaking. Is it just the Department of Health and Social Services making the decisions? Are they working with the Indigenous government? Thank you
Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, one of the things that we committed to in the response to the OAG recommendations is to engage with Indigenous governments to identify barriers to people attending addiction services and take a look at our standards and policies for contracts to make sure that they are culturally safe. So this is work that we plan to do in response to the OAG.
But in the interim, I had a meeting with the NWT Council of Leaders, which included leadership from the Member's region, to talk about addictions and aftercare. That happened at the end of September, and another meeting is planned for the end of November. And so I certainly am looking forward to continuing the conversation about how to strengthen our system. If the Member has particular people she would like me to meet or talk to, I would welcome the opportunity if she would invite me to her community. Thank you.
Yes, can the Minister provide a list to us of how many people attended southern treatment program for drugs and alcohol since 2019; can she provide the list to us? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can provide that information.
Thank you. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.
Well, I still have one more question for another Minister. But can the Minister can she come with me on a constituent tour in Tlicho region? Can she come with me so she can meet and talk to the Indigenous government, to the people, to the elders, to the youth, on the addiction and treatment program? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a meeting arranged for the end of November with the Tlicho government and the chief of Behchoko, to which the Member has been invited, to talk about addictions and aftercare. So I'm looking forward to having that conversation. In terms of a constituency tour, I will repeat again that if she invites me and organizes the constituency tour, I am happy to come. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
