Mr. Speaker, Return to written question 8-13(3) asked by Mr. Krutko to the Minister of Health and Social Services, concerning core funding for community based healing programs.
The position of the Department of Health and Social Services on community based healing programs is that people in the communities are in the best position to determine the priorities for their healing and wellness programs. This Government intends to move away from providing core funding to community based programs and move towards a system where each community receives its wellness funding in a block funding arrangement. This will allow communities to determine which programs they wish to support.
The Department is aware that the Tl'oondih Healing Camp will be closed for the next few months.
In 1996/97, the Department of Health and Social Services has committed to provide the program with $300,000 in funding. The Department has also committed to pay the Healing Camp a per diem for referrals made under the Extended Health Benefits program.
Over the past 10 years, the Department has made the following funding available to healing facilities that deal with addictions:
Northern Addictions Services in Yellowknife:$ 12,272,557
Delta House in Inuvik $ 4,695,124
Nats' ejee K'eh on Hay River Reserve (over 4 years)$ 4,080,529
Inuusiqsuirvik in Iqaluit (over past 4 years)$ 3,324,922