Mr. Chairman, members of the committee and residents of the communities that they represent are very concerned about the current state of addiction treatment in the Northwest Territories. It is apparent to committee members that the redesign of the addictions treatment program is ongoing. There is some question as to whether sufficient, dedicated program space will be available in the upcoming fiscal year.

Contrary to the understanding of committee members, based on discussions during the Interim Appropriation, it is possible that the Department of Health and Social Services will be unable to utilize the Northern Addiction Services (NAS) facilities in developing its Addiction Strategy. Members recall being assured that by the time the committee reviewed the business plans and main estimates there would be a viable territorial Addictions Strategy in place.

Members are concerned that in the overhead presentation one of the department's expected results for 2000-2001 was the development of a territorial strategy and action plan on mental health and addictions. No evidence was presented to the committee that suggested the department had an Addictions Strategy in place. Members must question whether any departmental efforts are being directed to actual addiction treatment support, or is the department concentrating on the development of their strategy and action plan.

Given the importance communities place on addictions treatment, it seems to committee members that, too much time has passed since the department has had an Addiction Strategy in place. This will be the second year that the department has operated in the absence of a territorial Addiction Strategy. This is not acceptable to committee members. Members are aware of the terrible toll that addictions take and believe that the time for action is now.

Committee members would like to see the territorial Addictions Strategy and action plan as soon as possible, so that they can offer comment and the department can implement as soon as possible. With NAS being successful in attracting federal corrections programming and funding to utilize the Dettah facility and the re-profiling of other addiction facilities, committee members must question where any programming under an Addiction Strategy, would take place. Members are interested in how the Addictions Strategy and action plan addresses facility needs.

In the case of the Franklin Avenue Detox Centre in Yellowknife, there is a viable proposal from four Yellowknife service providers to move the women's shelter to use this facility as part of a larger housing strategy. This would address emergency, transitional and hard to house needs.

Committee members believe the proposed strategy A Response to Housing Needs: Emergency, Transitional and the Hard to House prepared by the Salvation Army, the Yellowknife Women's Centre, the YWCA and the Side Door is precisely the kind of partnership with non-governmental organizations that is envisioned in Towards a Better Tomorrow. Committee members were disappointed to hear that there had been no meetings of the departments in the social envelope to discuss the proposal as of our meetings on the business plans and the main estimates.

Committee members believe that the previously mentioned organizations have taken the first step, they are co-operating with each other to meet a common goal. They have divided up responsibilities in this proposal to avoid duplication of services and in doing so avoid duplicate funding requests targeting the same client-base. This strategy may not save the government any money in the short-term. However, the organizations do anticipate that they will be able to do more with the funding that is currently available because of the division of labour.

In the opinion of the committee members, the example of the four social agencies coming together to formulate a strategy, utilizing and combining resources to meet a common goal should provide the departments in the social envelope the impetus to work in concert to respond to the proposal.

Members look forward to being informed of the resolution of the proposal by the four Yellowknife service providers.

Committee members also believe that the new mobile addictions units, while a worthwhile stopgap measure, should not replace community based mental health and addictions infrastructure. For healing to occur at the community level adequate permanent facilities are required. The department is asked to consider this in the development of its capital budget for the new Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.