Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in my region are hard-working and self-sufficient. They would like to see more job opportunities so that they can support their families, grow their economy, and contribute to vibrant, thriving communities.

One of the key things this government can do to strengthen our northern communities is to invest in transportation infrastructure. Good roads enable the mobility of our residents, lower the cost of goods, and enhance food security. This is especially true for large infrastructure projects which support new investments, even more construction, and increased tourism. These are the kinds of benefits that the people of the Mackenzie Delta need. Tsiigehtchic in particular asked me to let this Assembly know how much they are counting on job opportunities that these projects bring.

Now that the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is completed, the GNWT must now turn its attention to securing funding for new road projects, especially more major projects like the Mackenzie Valley highway to Wrigley.

Right now, the majority of tourism spending and other big-ticket spending like people buying snowmobiles, trucks, and boats happens in Whitehorse. With more roads and projects, it could happen in our territory. Mr. Speaker, to celebrate the opening of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, the Minister of Infrastructure pointed out that expanding our transportation system connects residents to new social and employment opportunities and stabilizes the cost of living in the territory. It also increases our resiliency and ability to adapt to impacts of climate change and provides better access to natural resources. With all of these benefits, I would expect that Minister Schumann would be leading the charge to get the next big highway project underway. If he is having trouble coming up with a plan, I want to suggest that the GNWT could start with an ice road between Tsiigehtchic and Fort Good Hope. Later today, I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 7, acknowledgments. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talked in my Member's statement about the four treatment centres that the Government of Northwest Territories contract with. I am going to have some questions for the Minister for Health and Social Services.

My first question: can the Minister please explain how these four treatment centres were selected for the residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services made the decision to contract with these specific facilities based in large part on the recommendations of the Minister's war on addictions and community wellness which was initiated by the former Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu. In that report and based on a significant amount of public consultation, the four Members called for addictions treatment programs that are gender-specific, that are trauma-informed, that use Indigenous healing practices, are able to treat current disorders, and that offer lengths of stay and options for extensions.

In addition to those recommendations, Mr. Speaker, the department also made decisions to only use accredited facilities and to ensure that all the facilities that are able to offer a detox, including at least one option for medical detox and opiates, whether it is on site or remotely located but close. Taken together, Mr. Speaker, the four facilities currently under contract are able to provide a mix of these service options in order to meet the diverse and often specialized needs of the NWT population. They also ensure a high level of quality and focus on best practices and are commonly practised among the facilities that we are contracted with, so options, as well, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. I have to agree. Those facilities are amazing. I think that the department and the people who were consulted did a great job of selecting these facilities. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us: how does a resident select a facility that they wish to attend to address their addictions? So, in other words, with these four facilities, how do they select the ones that is best suited for them?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the Members of the House that the facilities are not the only option. There are community options available whether it is community on-the-land options or whether it is community counsellors or whether it is programs like the Matrix programs. However, facilities are the appropriate venue on some occasions.

When an individual needs a facility-based option, the counsellors will often work with them to explain all of the options and the pros and cons of the different facilities based on the needs of that individual. They will also look at availability. Is there room in that facility today? Is there not room in that facility today? Is there something within two weeks? Is there something within one week? They work together based on the needs, what is available in the different facilities. It is based on discussion and what the individual is comfortable with and what is appropriate at any given time.

I thank the Minister for that answer. That does help, and, yes, I understand we have the option of using local, and I think that is great, but this facility option is something for the other people moving forward. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain: does the department allow residents the opportunity to attend other treatment centres, and is the government going to pay for those facilities?

Mr. Speaker, residents always have choice, so they can choose to go to facilities that we are not currently contracted with. The difference is we would not be funding or providing financial support if they were to do so. Facilities that are not in contract or have not actually gone through a thorough scrutinization by the department may not be accredited. We do not know whether or not they are safe, and it would be a liability for us to support treatment at a facility that does not meet standards that have been set, so we would not be providing financial support in those situations. Our contract clearly outlines the specific expectations on the treatment of our NWT residents, such as building safety, reporting requirements, and treatment processes. We also develop a relationship with those facilities so that we can ensure that the follow-up treatment is organized through our staff and that there is a relationship between the facility and our staff. At this point in time, Mr. Speaker, we are contracted with four. Those are the four that we will fund. Residents can choose to go elsewhere, but there will not be financial support to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, these four facility are for adults. My next question to the Minister is: with our youth population and their addictions and as they move forward, is the Minister able to advise this House which facilities that we use contract to deal with our youth addiction issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to dealing with issues for youth, whether it is addictions or mental health issues, they are very complex, so they require a specific attention. Out-of-territory facility-based treatment for youth with complex needs, which may be addictions or it may be mental health issues are a number of facilities: we have the PLEA Community Services in BC that we utilize, the Wood's Homes in Alberta, and Ranch Ehrlo in Saskatchewan.

Youth attending an out-of-territory program are supported through Child and Family Services. The Trail Cross Treatment in Fort Smith provides some intensive individualized mental health treatment and therapy for youth 12 to 18 from the Northwest Territories, and their families. Treatment within this program is typically six to nine months, Mr. Speaker, in duration. We also utilize the Territorial Treatment Centre for Children for the ages of eight to twelve, which is operated by the Unlimited Potential Community Services from Bosco Homes, and that one is here is Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you can see that we are tag-teaming together on the topic of the addictions centres. As I mentioned in my statement, there are steps that I feel the Minister could investigate to help recovering addicts with their long-term recovery beyond the initial addictions-recovery stage. The first and most important, in my mind, based on the tour that we did is that people coming out of addiction treatment centres should not be discharged into housing. The Minister, I know, heard this point as well during our tour, so what is his take on the importance of housing to people returning home after finishing treatment? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did attend the tour, and I did hear exactly what the Member heard, and I agree with what the Member is saying. There is no question that we want a stable environment for our individuals to go to when they are returning. I will say that some people are returning to their homes, which may provide the environment they need, but we heard loud and clear that there are some individuals who are returning to couches, and that is deeply troubling.

We are working on a new addictions recovery action plan, and I am really looking forward to hearing the report from the Members on the tour and the recommendations they have because I would like to incorporate that into the addictions recovery plan to address the exact type of issue that the Member is speaking of. I look forward to getting their report. I look forward to working with them to address exactly this type of situation.

Thank you to the Minister for that response. I feel it is safe to say that this will be one of the recommendations of our report. I am wondering if the Minister can be proactive and commit to investigating this idea and presenting back an idea of the costs and benefits of ensuring that all of the people who are coming out of addictions treatment centres are discharged into appropriate housing?

Mr. Speaker, I'm not going to create the additional work of having two parallel activities happening at the same time. We were working on the addictions recovery action plan. I hear the Member loud and clear. I hear the Members loud and clear. I feel the same way, and this is part of the work that we are intending to do in the addictions recovery action plan. So, rather than duplicating our efforts, I would prefer to keep us on track to that particular plan and include the work that the Members are suggesting.

Thank you for that response. The treatment facilities that we visited provided a range of after-care. Some of it was on the phone. Some of it was online. Some of it was an invitation to return for sort of additional treatment.

Can the Minister commit to investigating what kind of options may be available from the treatment centres to support people in recovery in the small communities?

It was clear that after-care is one of the areas that is a challenge for our residents who have gone out for treatment. Whether it is an on-the-land program, whether it is a community-based program, it is the after-care that we need to make sure they are getting.

Not only did the facilities mention the programs that they are providing as far as after-care, which I am open and willing to and will be directing the department to include in our discussion around the addictions recovery plan, but there was also the suggestion that peer support needed some additional support. There is peer support throughout the Northwest Territories. It is supported by Alberta organizations like AA and others, but what I have already directed the department to do is to start exploring how we as a government could support or enhance or provide some incentives to these peer support groups so that they can be sustainable over the long-term because one of the things we heard is some of those peer support groups do not exist, and they are necessary. So, in addition to what the Member has said, I have also given the direction to move forward and figure out what we could do around peer support groups. I think there are some great models out there. The Yukon is doing some really creative things about providing additional supports to their peer support groups, and we are exploring that, as well.

Moving forward with the addictions recovery action plan, we want to make sure the best use of new models, new evidence, what we have heard from Members, what we have heard from communities, build upon previous action plans, and try to improve the results for our residents throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Member for Yellowknife Centre.