Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also rise in support of this motion. As the first whereas indicates, alcohol abuse, and I believe drug abuse as well, place a really heavy toll on our communities and on our people. I think that we don’t have enough infrastructures at this point to help our people deal with that problem.
We do have one treatment centre in Hay River and we’ve heard very often from Ministers of Health and Social Services that we have a treatment centre that people should be able to just go there and get the treatment that they need. That requires them to go out away from their community and away from their families.
This is a novel and unique approach to a treatment centre which goes to the people who need the treatment. They can stay basically within their community and they also will be able to be on the land. We’ve heard very often from many people and from many different perspectives the value that being treated and being out on the land has, and how beneficial it is to us as individuals and to our peace and our well-being.
I feel really importantly that not only do we need another treatment centre, whether it be mobile or not, but we also have to ensure that any treatment option that we put into place allows for after-care. I think it’s one aspect of our treatment for drugs and alcohol which is not given enough weight. I think it’s something that we gloss over and we treat people, and then put them back into their community without any supports.
As mentioned by Mr. Bromley, one of the biggest things we heard when we were travelling for the Child and Family Services Act review was the need to provide supports in the communities for those people who are dealing with alcohol abuse, drug abuse, any number of abuses. We have way too many of them.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to say that I feel that it’s really important that this particular option, and the possibility of this option, be considered within the parameters of the mental health review, which is apparently ongoing at this time and we should see some sort of results from that review within the next few months. This is something which needs to be
considered in light of a review of any of the mental health services that we provide as a government. It’s an option which can provide success for our people and I hope that the government does not dismiss it out of hand. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.