Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the closure of the Nats'ejee K'eh facility on the Hay River Reserve in 2013, many Northerners have been distressed with the lack of available treatment options here in the Northwest Territories. It is no secret that we have an unacceptably high rate of addictions in the Northwest Territories.

In fact, the GNWT's 2012 addictions survey found that 75 per cent of the population drank at least one alcoholic drink in the 12 months prior to the survey; 21 per cent have used cannabis those 12 months; and 22 per cent of NWT residents had tried an illicit drug in their lifetime, and hallucinogens and cocaine and crack being the most commonly used illicit drug. To give even more perspective to these numbers, Mr. Speaker, this only applies to a population at the time of 41,462.

Mr. Speaker, we have an undeniably concerning addictions problem in the Northwest Territories. It was a feature of the election; it's a feature of every election and every priority for every government in recent years and we need to ensure that we have real options here in the North. It's a shame that the closest place Northerners can receive treatment is 14,000 kilometres away in St. Albert, Alberta, at the Poundmaker’s Lodge.

Although I am certainly in favour of many of the supports that we see coming out of the Homelessness Action Plan for Yellowknife that does resolve to treat local addictions in local facilities, we need to do a better job at providing quality treatment that takes these rates down and supports Northerners getting well so they can go back, be productive in their communities, and be productive members of society and achieve the aspirations that they want for themselves and that we want for all the people that we serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.