Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, Members will recall our concerns about the adequacy of salaries and benefits for alcohol and drug workers in the Northwest Territories. Specifically, as I had recently informed the Minister of Social Services, there are serious problems being encountered by the board of directors of the Baffin regional treatment centre in recruiting suitable candidates to begin an eight week training program this month under the auspices of Bellwood Treatment Centre, in order to be trained in time for the opening of the centre in Iqaluit in April 1994.
I wrote the Minister on several occasions, with my concerns on this issue and included a resolution passed on January 14, 1994 at the Baffin leaders' summit, urging the Minister of Social Services to identify extra funds and housing, in order to be able to attract employees to staff the long-awaited treatment centre.
The chairman of the board of the Baffin regional treatment centre, Mr. Mangitak Kellypalik, also informed the Minister, in a letter dated January 16, that the lack of housing, adequate benefits and salaries had discouraged qualified people from applying, given the high cost of living in Iqaluit.
Madam Speaker -- and I am pleased to start the session off on a positive note -- I am pleased to report to the House that yesterday I was informed by the Honourable Rebecca Mike that significant steps have been taken towards addressing this issue. A retroactive salary increase of $2,500 to April 1, 1993, and the provisions of settlement allowance, which in the case of Iqaluit amounts to $4,484 per year, has now been approved for alcohol and drug treatment centre staff. This is progress on this issue, Madam Speaker.
Since I have not hesitated to be critical of the Minister and the department in the past, I want to be the first to acknowledge this and to thank the Minister and her staff for this action.
Having said that, Madam Speaker, I must still point out that the challenges for this Minister are not over by any means. There is still no housing available for the staff. That is the next issue which must be solved if the centre is to open on time. Also, the Minister must soon deal with the question of wages and benefits for alcohol and drug workers, in fact, wages and benefits for staff in women's shelters and senior citizens' homes. There are also urgent issues like food allowances for social assistance recipients and responses to the report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services.
So, Madam Speaker, the honourable Minister still has many pressing and long-outstanding issues she must work hard to tackle. However, I think we should allow her to pause for a moment, only a moment, today and accept our acknowledgement of the steps she has taken on this issue. Qujannamiik. Thank you.
---Applause