Mr. Speaker, I wish we had the resources to meet everybody's needs and everybody's expectations. I think there are some 42 alcohol and drug treatment groups across the Territories. To this point, I think there are only about half a dozen that have yet to submit their 1992-93 requests for funding. There are other communities, however, Mr. Speaker, that want to establish an alcohol and drug treatment program within their communities.

There are a number of considerations to take, of course. There is the ability of the group to really come to grips with the problem in their community, and the ability of the community to pull a group together. I think when these factors are made known -- the department is working with those communities that are requesting the establishment of an alcohol and drug treatment group, working closely to advise them on what to do and how to do it, and we are also advising them the amounts of dollars we have available.

There is always, as we are unfortunately well aware, a shortage of dollars, and it does prevent, perhaps, establishing in each and every community. I may be over-optimistic, but I am very hopeful that at some point in time, Mr. Speaker, all the requests for alcohol and drug treatment groups can be established where there is need.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point in time we probably have more requests than we have dollars for. I do not have any additional moneys yet; however, Mr. Speaker, if tomorrow rolls around and there is a lack of acceptance by some communities, I think it is going to free up a few more dollars so that we may be able to provide additional funding on a one-time basis to look after some of the very tragic need of these communities to have people go to these treatment centres. There is a desperate cry out there, Mr. Speaker, for additional dollars for additional treatment, and I am contemplating very seriously that as the door closes on the acceptance of some of these resources, I should redistribute them to the communities that are showing active participation, Mr. Speaker, and support the intent and the spirit of the program.

Mr. Speaker, there have been many opinions expressed one way or the other on this, and I think it always comes down to the issue of rights, and they quote chapter and verse of the Constitution and of the Canadian Human Rights Act, and it goes on and on and on. But nowhere have I read where a person has the right to drink. You have rights to many things, but there is nothing in there that says a person has a right to drink. I do not think it is a right. It is more of a privilege, because this government dictates where you can drink. It dictates many things dealing with alcohol. It is, therefore, no longer a fundamental right as is being quoted from these many documents that are referred to, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the department has no intention of invading people's privacy.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope there are no closet drinkers within the alcohol and drug treatment program. I hope that the people who signed the agreement adhere to the agreement and recognize its benefits much more than its ability to test one Minister's right or one government's right to set conditions in trying to help the people in the North with the very serious problem in the North. I think we all here, Mr. Speaker, recognize the tragic consequences that alcohol has brought on to the people of the Northwest Territories. This department, through the former Minister and former government, has embarked on an undertaking to conquer a very serious problem by trying to convince people that...