Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to also talk about the critical need for a drug treatment centre in the NWT. This grave concern I have is not because of the numerous calls I have received in regard to this issue, it has also developed into something more personal now. This epidemic is becoming increasingly more visible in our everyday lives with close friends, relatives and families becoming victims to this crisis in only a matter of a few days or weeks, Mr. Speaker.

We are all aware that the migration patterns reveal a distinct urbanization trend toward larger centres and more noticeably by aboriginals. With these changes, the communities are faced with increased pressure on health programs, education and our housing programs, but we cannot forget about the increase in violent crimes, Mr. Speaker, which is now five times our national average; and the property crimes going up every month it seems, is 40 percent higher than our national average.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage our government to initiate an action plan to address this public concern before we are faced with a full-blown epidemic, which gets totally out of our control. We need a plan which involves all governments and community organizations, a plan that encompasses goals on support programs and preventative activities for our youth and adolescents to treatment and aftercare of adults and families.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that this issue is not something that can be resolved overnight, but I do know that we have a responsibility to our northern residents, and especially our youth, to take immediate pro-action so that we are not left so far behind that we can no longer assist or provide the needed help that our residents require. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I rise to speak on the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik highway. The deputy mayor of Tuktoyaktuk and I invited a number of MLAs to meet with the Minister of Transportation recently, and I thank them for attending. I also thank the Minister for hearing us out.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the Tuk-Inuvik committee are planning to revitalize the committee. There is strong support to make this road a reality, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a report by Ferguson Simek Clark in 1997, I know it is sort of outdated but, in the report, Mr. Speaker, a service road may be completed over time. The estimates of the annual cost of the road being done in five years, $7.2 million annually; 10 years, $3.6 million annually; and 20 years, $1.8 million annually; for a total of $40 million. However, this estimate may raise the cost of the amount in 2004. Mr. Speaker, this government has always put the onus on the federal government. I understand this is the case. However, we should take the lead role to make this service road a reality in order to travel from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation should work with the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik committee, and together

they may be able to put this partnership forward. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Transportation to immediately contact his federal counterpart to discuss this project about the Tuk-Inuvik service road. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are well aware the toll that addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling is having on our people and our society. The problem is getting worse every day, Mr. Speaker. We are also aware that the toxicity of the new drugs, especially crack cocaine on the street, is getting more intense and very unforgiving to those who come in touch with it. There is almost no second chance, Mr. Speaker. I believe we are also aware, Mr. Speaker, that we need an agreement that so much needs to be done by this government if we are ever to make inroads into what we are facing. Otherwise, I don't believe it will be too long before this monster destroys most of our social, political, educational, and correctional infrastructures at a cost that no government can bear.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago, I attended an unveiling ceremony of the new drinking and driving legislation sponsored by the Minister of Transportation. One phrase that struck me there was coroner Percy Kinney's description of alcohol addiction as a slow-motion, silent killer. Mr. Speaker, I believe we are now dealing with a bundle of slow-motion silent killers in addictions. We have a monstrous and multi-pronged addiction in alcohol, drugs, and gambling that our people are battling with. This government has to become a much stronger partner with the service providers and those who are suffering from these addictions.

Mr. Speaker, the third week of November is designated as National Addictions Awareness Week. The theme is to keep the circle strong. I have placed a beautiful hand-beaded ribbon on each Member's desk this morning. These ribbons are made and designed by Nechi Institute in Edmonton. I am hoping that the Members will either wear it or keep it close to them to remind us of the task at hand that we need to deal with and to really wrestle the monster down for the good of our territory and for our people who are suffering. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I talked about the people with disabilities in our small communities and larger centres. My question today is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. In larger centres, there are support groups and NGOs that provide services to disabled persons. The same cannot be said for small communities. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services tell me what services are available for disabled persons living in the smaller communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a territorial organization for people with disabilities. In the communities, we have social workers and health care staff that work in the communities to assist people. We also have people in Income Support that work with people with disabilities. I know in housing-built units, they make them disabled-friendly where that is required in terms of ramps and such.

I know when they designed the new seniors' units, they are all designed to be disabled-useful and friendly. We have, across government, a number of services that are available for people with disabilities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister listing off a number of services and programs available for people who are disabled in the smaller communities. Mr. Speaker, I understand that in some of the smaller communities, the staff is so limited and possibly so overworked that they have very little time to look after the needs of people who are disabled. Can the Minister tell me specifically as to how much time is given to the people who are disabled by the Health and Social Services staff? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the amount of time is obviously going to be dealt with on a case-by-case and need basis. There is no set formula that indicates an amount of time for specific concerns or issues or problems. So there are also the efforts that are going to continue on in terms of trying to expand the homecare services that are available to assist people to stay in their homes longer and more comfortably, but there is no set formula that dictates any given time. It is based on individual case need. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that the homecare services will be expanded and looked at in the small communities. Can the Minister tell me what funding is available to local governments and NGOs that deliver programs and services to disabled persons at the smaller community level? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is a fairly broad question. If it is to deal with house construction, if it is to deal with actual program delivery, if it is to deal with specific client concern in the school, all would have access to different funding arrangements, different funding pots that may exist. There is also federal government money that may be available to do with the disabled as well. So there is a range of funding agencies out there that could be accessed by the community depending on what the particular circumstance is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me whether the recent review of the disabled services in the Northwest Territories investigated the delivery of services at the community level? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was a strategy that was done, an action plan for persons with disabilities, and the response has been worked on by the government across departments that are involved in education, health, housing and MACA. That response has been built into the various business plans of the departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.