Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, I would like to talk about healing. I'm talking about our constituents, people in our area. People in my region have talked to me. That's one of the reasons why I'm asking. People want to have a healing centre so people can talk about healing. [Translation ends]
[Microphone turned off] ...in May that three-quarters of those 200 southern referrals return sober. That sounds like a major success story, but it is not because, sadly, while they might step off the plane sober, they do not remain sober because of the failure of the southern treatment. They fall off the wagon again and again and again. Mr. Speaker, I already spoke about a constituent who received treatment in the South, returned to the North, received zero after-care, fell off the wagon and sadly was discovered deceased here in Yellowknife this past summer. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you again today to tell this House that my region lost another beautiful soul to addiction over the weekend.
Here we are today, still debating whether or not we need a treatment facility here our territory. This is far too real, Mr. Speaker, we need a northern-based treatment centre, one that respects where our people come from, one that respects who we are, one where our language is a part of our working language, a treatment centre linked to the land, linked to our culture, linked to our elders. Otherwise, our people will continue to backslide when they step off the airplane. Northerners demand an end to this sad state of affairs. Northerners demand healing for Northerners by Northerners in a northern setting. Northerners want an annual sum of $2 million to be spent here in the North perfecting administering our own home-grown programs, developing our own home-grown counselling professionals. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minster of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time on this particular very important matter to me. Masi, Mr. Speaker.