Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement is in line with the Addictions Awareness Week. It is specific to the community of Lutselk'e but, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the issue is relevant in all of our aboriginal communities, in fact all of our culture. Mr. Speaker, some community members in Lutselk'e say they have been denied travel funding to attend treatment facilities in Saskatchewan. Mr. Speaker, they want to attend the Clearwater Treatment Centre, which uses the Dene program and the Denesuline language. For those of you who do not know Denesuline, it is Chipewyan. Many of our people are more fluent in Chipewyan than in English. It seems the policy for medical travel to a treatment facility does not support people who want to attend a healing program promoting their own culture and lifestyle, Mr. Speaker.
With this talk about community wellness, this might be a good starting point. Many community members do not like leaving the community to enter these treatment programs, never mind one that is not culturally relevant, Mr. Speaker. Since most programs are not offered in their community, it would seem that the treatment should at least reflect the cultural values and beliefs of the home community. Sometimes policies do not allow the flexibility to lead and to try to assist people.
These people who want to change their lifestyle habits, and it may have taken them a long time Mr. Speaker, to come to this point in their recovery, I do not think that roadblocks should be put in their way. In the long run, they may save the health care system money if they are getting help now, Mr. Speaker. In the healing journey, people have difficulty expressing themselves. This is compounded by the language barrier. If people can benefit from having a program offered in their language such as the Clearwater program, I do not see how this government can deny that to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.