Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What basically is happening is an individual is assessed and then the assessment goes to the alcohol and drug specialist in the regional areas. Therefore, they are getting an assessment twice. I'm not saying that it's not good but I think the alcohol and drug programs should still have the ability to say yes, this person is sincere, they do want treatment and I can tell that they are trying their best to address their alcoholism. I think they should have the ability to call the Yellowknife and Hay River treatment centres, or the Iqaluit treatment centre, for that matter, to see if they can find a time for that individual to take that program.

Right now, that's not happening. The assessment and the decision is at the alcohol and drug specialist level within the government. Sometimes, I think individuals even go to the alcohol and drug specialist to try to convince them they need treatment when their initial request went to the alcohol and drug worker. Instead of devolving the authority to the community level, which was the intent of these alcohol and drug programs, we're basically centralizing the authority in the government.

I think maybe if you can give that authority back to the programs, it would alleviate a lot of frustration on the part of clients and you would no doubt be able to fill up the treatment centres. It is my understanding that they're not at the full capacity we had hoped they would be. You would probably move a lot of people through the alcohol and drug program. That's something I would suggest to the Minister, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.