This is page numbers 605 - 630 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was communities.

Topics

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 220-13(7): Closure Of Northern Addictions Services
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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department, just to clarify, did not undergo an initiative to close down a facility. The department, previous to my time was working along with the Northern Addiction Services Board to try and come up with a reasonable level of programming that could fit the residents of the Northwest Territories. It was with our disappointment from within the department we were informed that, in fact, the board had decided to pursue another avenue and they are continuing to work in the area of Justice Canada to try and run a program that would treat their clients. That being the case, we have decided to not continue the existing arrangement we had with them, but instead we are looking at what services we can provide out of the existing facilities that are available to us at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From my understanding of the situation, there was some type of a plan to reprofile the Northern Addiction Services Rehabilitation Centre, so that it would no longer rehabilitate alcohol and drug addicted persons. The Minister has indicated that there was no move to close the centre for this type of work. I would like to know what was the plan? What were they going to do with Northern Addiction Services, which made the board of directors take such a drastic step? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have said, initially there was no plan to close the facility. We were looking at reprofiling the facility and that work has been going on for some time with the board. In the area of looking at repatriating some of our children's services that are performed on behalf of residents in the southern provinces and looking to bring back to the North and trying to make a child work along with children and families, as I have said, unfortunately, we were informed that was not the area the NAS board saw the facility moving in. They went on to contact Justice Canada to work out an arrangement and we were informed of that a number of months ago.

I also sent a letter to Members to inform them as to the situation as it is today and my deputy met with the board last week and tried to clear some of the issues that have gone on because there were a number of letters that have been written, and unfortunately, put the shadow over what was ongoing and we have tried to clarify that situation. At present we are aware that the board is continuing to try and secure a contract with Justice Canada and ourselves as the Department of Health and Social Services have been looking at reprofiling our existing facilities that we have existing to us to try and ensure that no one is left out in the cold when it comes to receiving services when it comes to alcohol and drugs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last time I walked or drove through the streets of Yellowknife at night I could see dozens upon dozens of people staggering around that were either drunk or on drugs or both and that is just one community. What I would like to know, Mr. Speaker, is what was the department planning on doing with all the people that normally go through Northern Addictions if they were going to reprofile that to a youth facility bringing people back from the south. Obviously, all those children have different afflictions and maladies and things that are bothering them where you need all different kinds of specialists for those kind of people, but that is another question. What would they propose to do for all those people who would normally go to rehabilitation? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are ongoing with the reprofiling exercise that was started some time ago in trying to better utilize our facilities and provide the level of service that is required to residents of the territories. We were looking at a number of initiatives, for example, gender specific programming that would be available at different times of the year. For example, at a facility out of Yellowknife we were looking at providing women's treatment for a number of months and then switching to men's treatment and providing a service to that level of degree.

Unfortunately, when the NAS board informed the department that the Dettah facility was no longer available for what was ongoing in the reprofiling exercise we have had to do some shuffling within our existing resources and facilities to try and come up with that and it has delayed somewhat what we are hoping to implement, but the work is ongoing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am getting a little bit confused here. I thought the Minister had indicated that they had planned to use NAS to repatriate children from the south. What facilities were to be used for this gender specific rehabilitation for adults for drug and alcohol? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are

a number of facilities that the department uses in the city of Yellowknife that run existing programs. There was the detox centre on Franklin avenue. There was the Rycon Building, I believe it is, that was used for a group home and I think there is a territorial treatment centre and we are hoping to reprofile those facilities to take on different workloads that we could better support those people who are in need of treatment programming. Mr. Speaker, to add to this, this was not an initiative that was started by the department on its own. There were concerns that initiated this from the boards that used the services of the Dettah facility. There were some concerns and we tried to work through those and unfortunately to this date we have not been able to come to a successful arrangement. Needless to say that we are still open to opportunities of working with them if they would like to revisit their decision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. There are approximately 50,000 logs sitting in the community of Fort Resolution in the sawmill yard. When will you be sawing those logs? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 221-13(7): Fort Resolution Sawmill
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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been having discussions with the community as well as some private sector people to see if there is any substantive interest in advancing proposals to us in how to go about that. We have currently received two and we are trying to clarify some of the different elements in the two proposals. One which seems to have received favourable support from some of the community members. I am not sure if we can get that reflected officially. We are missing some information on the different elements of the proposals. I met with the president of the Development Corporation yesterday and he is seeking to meet with members of the community sometime this week trying to get further information to then be in a position to advise myself which proposal he may be supporting. He would then probably go to the board of directors for approval. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister provide to me a briefing note of what you are doing to date, what will happen, the schedule, and what the proposals are? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Yes, I can provide the Member with a letter that would inform him as to what we have been doing with the operations in Fort Resolution and what state we are in at the present time and what we are proposing to do during this week to try to conclude the efforts we have been making in regard to the milling operations. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Question 222-13(7): GNWT Addictions Treatment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

July 25th, 1999

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My colleague from Yellowknife North has just referred to the thousands of people in the territories that are addicted to drugs and alcohol. Besides the provision of drug and alcohol treatment after a person is already addicted, what would the Minister indicate is the primary focus of this government in their efforts to prevent alcohol addiction? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.