Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to address an issue that is prominent within the Northwest Territories: mental health and addictions.

At the beginning of this Assembly, Members received a transition presentation from the Department of Health and Social Services. It was presented that their number one key strategic health status driver was, indeed, mental health and addictions. During my campaign I was asked what I thought was the number one concern in the Northwest Territories and in Inuvik, and after considerable thinking about what it would be, the conclusion was mental health and addictions. All the issues that we do face in the Northwest Territories all lead to some type of mental instability that can lead to further issues within our communities. It is no surprise that this is the number one concern within our communities across the North and contributes to the largest department budget within our government.

Currently, in the community of Inuvik, the waiting list to get into counselling is very long. Although I cannot speak for other communities, I’m sure it is the same. In some cases, individuals who need the counselling are put on a waiting list that can take up to three months. In that time most people will give up on themselves, give up on the process and give up on the government. Mr. Speaker, this needs to change.

With program requirements through Housing and ECE, clients are asked to seek counselling in order to be eligible for certain programs. However, not all people who need that counselling are going through the process just to access assistance. This puts a backlog on the people who truly need those services. When people are not getting the counselling that they need at an appropriate time, often it results in addiction use, increased mental health issues in the home and in the community, and in most cases, more serious cases, it can lead to suicide. With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission coming to the North there also has been an increase in counselling services that, honestly, are already being over exhausted. We, as a government, cannot continue to neglect those needing counselling services and, at the same time, burning out our own human resources.

The government needs to take a collaborative approach that includes Health and Social Services, Justice, Housing and ECE to address this problem.

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

---Unanimous consent granted