We need to look at the medical travel escort policy again. We need to make sure it is meeting the needs of the northerners like many of the Tlicho elders.

I also have concerns about the provision of the medical escort policy, Mr. Speaker, that demands escorts stay with the patient until they are ready to return home. Just as an example, where an individual went along with a patient, a nephew, the nephew was operated on, was recovering from the surgery. At the same time, the escort had to stay with this individual until the patient had to return home. Mr. Speaker, that parent had 10 kids at home and the husband was working at the BHP mine. She was needed at home but couldn't return home until the patient had to come home. So I would have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Members' statements. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on the need for the radical thinking by the Department of Health and Social Services on treating our people in terms of the addiction of alcohol and cocaine.

Mr. Speaker, early in my life as a young man, I was told by an elder to go out on the land if you want to do any type of healing, or any type of recovery, or just to look at life. I didn't understand what this elder was talking about.

His name is Fred Andrew. He has passed away. He told me this. Not until after awhile, Mr. Speaker, that I went on the land did I really realize what he was saying and the wisdom of his words.

Mr. Speaker, our people are from the land. My auntie said that. If you know the land, you know our people. If you know our life, you know our land. Again, it goes back to our land being a wonderful opportunity. It doesn't cost us very much. It is here. We are from the land. We learn good values. I have seen, as the honourable Mr. McLeod has said, he has seen people in the communities who have gone to the land. You can see the changes that they have taken overnight with them. They are just wonderful people. Something happens when they come back into the community. They change back into another personality, Mr. Speaker. You see the life on the land, taking people who have a life. It sparkles in their eyes, especially young kids.

Mr. Speaker, as MLAs and as Members around this House, we deal with alcohol in our communities. Even today, I had to deal with that issue. It hurts when you view it very closely with members in your community or your region. You see lots of people who get very sick and who die because of the alcohol.

Mr. Speaker, I say that to this government, this Minister and this Cabinet, look at the simple solution. We don't always have to follow one method. There are people out there who know how to deal with this. There are elders, professors, trained people who already know this field. They know our people. There are young kids who are out there asking for help. There are families asking for help. There are young children who cannot speak today who are asking for help. We have to do something radical and different. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that this government has a heart, as the MLA from Nahendeh has said. Thank you very much.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak in support of the theme today and speak specifically to the importance of focussing on family network for long-lasting healing and sobriety.

Mr. Speaker, the people who are at the front line of this complicated field have been telling me for years that we need to make sure that we have a spectrum of treatment and aftercare services in our communities. I support that assertion, Mr. Speaker. The family and supportive network is a key thing in making sure that those who have made the important and difficult choices toward sobriety can stay sober and productive for the rest of their lives.

All people with addiction, whether it is of nicotine, alcohol or hard drugs, eventually come to the realization that becoming free from addiction for life requires changing their environment completely. They may have to change jobs, friends and sometimes even family members who are harmful to their quest for sobriety. It is a lifelong journey of choices and decisions that permeate every aspect of their life and relationships. For many suffering from addiction of all social strata in all walks of life in big and small communities, this is where the biggest challenge comes from. Because for those with severe alcohol and drug problems, their path of destruction and healing could take them to running into a criminal justice system, treatment centres, AAs or the Crack Busters Program and many other programs that deal with addiction treatment directly.

But at the end of the day, they have to learn to cope and live with all of the pain, suffering and aftermath of what lead to their addiction in the first place, and the consequences of their destructive action and behaviour during their addiction. For many, they do not, Mr. Speaker, have a healthy and supportive home and families to go to. I am happy to tell you that there is a group of prominent citizens and frontline workers who are working very hard right now to fill that gap in Yellowknife. There will be a new transition home for men in the city.

Mr. Speaker, I don't want to pre-empt the unveiling of this exciting adventure, but I will leave it to the organizers to do that. For the time being, I would like to strongly encourage this government to support this endeavour. I know that the Housing Corporation and the Homelessness Coalition have already provided...

Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that the NWT Housing Corporation and the Homelessness Coalition have already provided financial support for this. I urge the Minister of Social Services to do the same. Once again, I want to state that I do believe strongly that this will go a long way in filling the gap and the spectrum of services we must have to combat this highly complex and challenging problem we face together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, we all pay for this problem, some of us directly where it destroys your home, your life, it hurts your family, and all of us indirectly with the community and the problems that the drug trade brings to our locality. We are all aware of the social impacts that await our territory in the coming years that possibly, maybe, the pipeline will be bringing. We have already seen the effects fall onto our street. It is vital that we begin to properly prepare for what is going to take place and effectively deal with this problem that exists right in front of our eyes.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I see it as quite simple. If we don't start dealing with these problems now, we will certainly catch up with these people later when we are dealing with them through a treatment program in their jail cells. I don't think that is fair to wait until something terrible happens, if it does happen. So, Mr. Speaker, we have the chance and opportunity to act responsibly before anything negative happens. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my daughter Diedra Villeneuve up in the gallery, and her friend Roberta Sanderson.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure to introduce a constituent of mine, Mr. Bill Burles. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

It's okay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Phil Mercredi, my former CA that is in the audience. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize my constituents, Barry Sanderson's daughter Roberta in the gallery, and her friend Diedra. It is nice to see some young people in the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member from Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wasn't expecting to see him, but I'm pleased to see Mr. Byrne Richards. He's the leader of the Crack Busters Program and he's also a member of the team that's working to set up a transition home for men. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause