Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is about a multi-purpose facility O and M funding in the community of Tuktoyaktuk.
Mr. Speaker, northern communities like Tuk suffer from overcrowding, limited housing units, very few places to interact socially. The winter season sees an increase in domestic disturbances and depression. In the recent spring, the NWT Housing Corporation transferred a building to the community so that it could be developed into a library. Since then the community has looked into funding sources for start-up operations and maintenance costs of the building, with very little success. Also, the community has expanded the function of the house from a library and where community members could go and get a hot meal or someplace where people can talk to a counsellor for a wide range of issues, especially during the winter.
Many people in our communities go from one business to another, usually hanging around the entrance ways or hanging around the storage shed just speaking to each other. These are not appropriate places to go, Mr. Speaker. We must do more. We must help our communities in initiatives such as these to develop a safe, comfortable and reliable place to go.
This multi-purpose facility would be used for a drug and alcohol resources centre for people who have recently finished a treatment program. Too many times after a person finishes substance abuse treatment programs they return to the community with little or no support structure, workshops, counselling sessions or just a place where people can go read a book, talk to a friend or get a warm meal. This facility would offer these services.
I have recently been made aware of the O and M funding for a counsellors facility in Inuvik, which is supposed to be servicing satellite communities. Wouldn’t the money be used best in the community for the community? Capacity building progress with serious social supports, this is very critical that the
government commits to deliver the support required, not just deliver the rhetoric.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll have questions for the Ministers of Health and Social Services and Public Works at the appropriate time. Thank you.