Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my colleague, as well.

Guthrie House

Guthrie House is a residential treatment program known as a "therapeutic community". It operates within the British Columbia corrections system and is administered by the provincial Department of Justice. It is not a treatment facility under contract with Health and Social Services.

Nevertheless, the committee's visit to Guthrie House was informative. The men-only treatment program offers continuous intake, but caps enrolment at roughly 50 residents. To participate, inmates must either self-identify or be recommended, and must meet established criteria, including having a minimum of four months remaining on their sentences, being in open or medium custody, and participating in an entry interview. Although Guthrie House is on the site of the Nanaimo Correctional Centre, residents are housed separately from inmates. The program is abstinence-based and day-to- day operations are managed almost entirely by residents who advance in responsibilities and duties as they progress through the program. The committee learned that those men who completed Guthrie House programming reoffended at a rate roughly 45 per cent less than those who remained in the traditional corrections setting.

Both staff and residents emphasized the importance of peer support and peer accountability, both in the program and in aftercare, as well as resident-led programming and the availability of housing upon release. To address this, Guthrie House also contracts an aftercare worker through the local branch of the John Howard Society. This aftercare worker collaborates with residents, corrections staff, local governments, and community organizations to ensure that residents are not released into homelessness. The committee was also struck by all staff's dedication to this challenging yet vital work, as well as the residents' openness in sharing their stories.

Challenges and Opportunities

The committee has heard from many residents that the government must build a treatment centre in the Northwest Territories, rather than continue to send Northerners to southern facilities. Indeed, some Members have previously put forward the same proposal.

However, the current use of southern residential placements provides three critical benefits. First, it provides residents with the opportunity to leave the site of their addiction, a need often brought to our attention during our tour. Second, it provides residents with a wide range of immediately available options for treatment: individuals may choose the facility that best suits their needs and preferences for gender-based services, cultural and spiritual services, peer or clinical support, and more. Third, it provides the greatest value for money. Drawing on our research, our engagement with our constituents and with the Minister, and our work during this tour, the committee believes that southern residential placements will continue to serve the Northwest Territories well, provided that the Department of Health and Social Services and its partners strengthen complementary services at home.

While our tour demonstrated for us the effectiveness of southern residential placements, we also identified the need for significant improvements in public communications, aftercare, family supports, and trauma-informed practices. Notably, these themes previously arose in recommendations made in Healing Voices, the 2013 report of the Minister's Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. These past recommendations included "develop a communications strategy aimed at informing the public about territorial treatment options and how to access them," "provide inclusive treatment options that include families," and "offer affordable housing for low-income individuals and families to provide them with stability and security."

The committee recognizes that this work is not simple. Altogether, Healing Voices made 67 recommendations, and it is clear that the Minister of Health and Social Services and his colleagues in the social envelope departments have made significant advances. We again thank the Minister for joining us in this tour and for his willingness to collaborate, most recently demonstrated in his commitment to Members to explore alternatives to the 12-step model as well as new pharmaceutical options for dampening cravings.

Now we must work together to continue our progress.

Mr. Speaker, I now turn my reading portion back to the Chair, Mr. Shane Thompson. Mahsi.