Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. But boards and agencies are not frontline workers and they push a lot of government paper. I want to ask the Minister if he would commit to consulting with the frontline people, not boards and agencies, that are on the ground to see if they need a residential treatment centre? I believe the answer he will get is yes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't consider the community representatives from the communities on any board that I work with in the authorities as just paper pushers. They are people that have jobs that work and live in their communities and are, for the most part, very knowledgeable about the needs in their communities. So I value their feedback and direction. But I take the Member's point. We are always very interested and we do take a lot of feedback and require a lot of feedback and benefit from the feedback of the frontline workers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Time for oral questions has expired. Written questions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

1. What protection do health care clients have when traveling in cabs on medical travel?
2. How are contract service providers such as cab drivers or companies trained in the fundamentals of picking up and taking clients to their destinations?
3. Will the department institute a policy that makes it mandatory for every elder over the age of 60 years to have an escort?
4. Will the department consider extending the Vital Abel Boarding Home hours of transportation services, instead of relying on a cab company?
5. Will the Minister responsible provide an explanation of high risk, moderate risk, low risk, non-emergent and non-urgent patient categories?
6. What assurance do communities have that their health care assessments will be respected and seriously considered by health care authorities?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Returns to written questions. Replies to the opening address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Aurora College 2004-2005 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to table a letter written by myself to all Members of the Legislative Assembly dated February 23rd, which is today. The subject title of this letter is use of electronic devices such as laptops in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, March 2, 2006, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that this Assembly reaffirms its motion of October 29, 2004, requesting that the government establish a centre dedicated to treating addictions to drugs other than alcohol, establish an addictions treatment centre specifically for youth and reopen residential treatment centres in Yellowknife and Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Notices of motion. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Motions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice earlier today.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to deal with the motion he gave notice of earlier today. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may proceed with dealing with the motion you gave notice of earlier today, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

WHEREAS this Legislative Assembly passed a motion on October 29, 2004, that this government establish a centre dedicated to treating addictions to drugs other than alcohol, establish an addictions treatment centre specifically for youth and reopen residential treatment centres in Yellowknife and Inuvik;

AND WHEREAS the government has not since established or reopened any treatment centres or identified any definite plans to do so;

AND WHEREAS many individuals, families and communities in the Northwest Territories continue to suffer from addictions;

AND WHEREAS during its pre-budget consultations, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight heard requests from several communities for culturally appropriate treatment options closer to home and family support particularly for youth;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that this Assembly reaffirms its motion of October 29, 2004, requesting that the government establish a centre dedicated to treating addictions to drugs other than alcohol, establish an addictions treatment centre specifically for youth and reopen residential treatment centres in Yellowknife and Inuvik.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? To the motion. Somebody called question. To the motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me quite an honour to read this motion into the record. The fact is that it is time that this government stand up and realize that the citizens of our Northwest Territories truly want these services. These services are basic. As we have said earlier, on a number of occasions, addiction treatment comes in various ways. But I think one of the serious delivery models that we can use as an effective tool to heal some of these citizens is through the treatment centre process. Our youth are falling through the cracks, Mr. Speaker, and the bottom line is we need something that focuses at our youth to help them with their problems. I said last week in my Member's statement, although the fact is that we have youth out there where parents are losing control, they need the ability to send them somewhere for treatment.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am going to allow the rest of my Members of this side of the House to comment. I just wanted to introduce it simply on the basis that this side of the government is yet again saying act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.