Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this motion. The second whereas of the motion talks about NWT rates of substance abuse. We are among the highest rates in Canada. It seems to me that we have been doing the same thing to deal with our addictions and our substance abusers for a very long time. Our treatment programs really haven’t changed a lot. We have
gone probably down in the number of treatment programs that we have over the last number of years. In my mind, we haven’t been successful doing the same thing over and over.
I think it is time to reconsider what we are doing. It is time to reconsider our drug and alcohol treatment programs. They certainly need to be increased in one form or another. I think this is a really viable alternative that we have to seriously consider. This motion asks for us to look at a different way to run our drug and alcohol treatment programs. It is interesting that Mr. Bromley mentioned common sense. I also feel that common sense says that pre and post support for any activity is necessary. That is, again, what I think this particular motion is asking for in its approach. We do it in our health care system. I don’t think anybody would contemplate an operation on their knee, for instance, without pre and post op support. Yet we don’t do that with our drug and alcohol treatment programs.
I want to mention a couple of things, give a couple of quotes. One is that addictions cannot be addressed in isolation. There are factors that affect addictions that run right through our community and it is a community issue. It is also a family issue. We can’t expect to deal with addictions without also considering the family and the community. This quote, “All the historic evidence indicates that significant community development takes place only when local community people are committed to investing themselves and their resources in the effort. This observation explains why communities are never built from the top down or the outside in.” I think this particular approach to treatment is not top down and it is not outside in. It does involve the community and therefore makes it successful. Addictions treatment is one of this Assembly’s priorities. I think that has been mentioned several times already today. This motion allows us to bring success to that particular priority. It brings success to the program users. I think it has to be noted as well that, if we get successful addictions treatment programs, that will eventually lead to safer communities. I think that is what we all want. It fits in with the theme today, bullying, safer communities, the whole issue. I think we are right in line with supporting this motion certainly. I urge all Members to do that, to support the motion. I would like to reiterate Mr. Bromley’s request that the Members across from me, across the floor, seriously consider being able to vote on this motion. Thank you.