Bob Bromley

Again, I’m pointing out opportunities here and I just hope the Minister and his staff will take advantage of them.

The Minister of Health has announced that the community family resource centres will begin to be introduced as the local seat of early childhood development programming. Because healthy families are essential to healthy children and their development, will the Minister say how the development of this delivery model will facilitate the intake of parents into addictions treatment where needed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there are many important questions being raised today, and I think we would all benefit from further discussion, certainly, on a new treatment centre versus programs being put in place and, of course, why a 30-day period of sobriety is required before treatment.

My statement today dealt with the impact of substance abuse on early childhood development. As I pointed out, community-based early childhood development programs, pre- and postnatal programs, parenting workshops, mother and tot programs also provide a contact point for parents who may need to seek help...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will talk today on the tragic consequences for young children and their lifelong health when we have inadequate addictions treatment and prevention programs.

The permanent harm of fetal alcohol disorders are the two common results of parental addiction. Drinking during pregnancy causes a variety of mental, physical and developmental disabilities in children. Mental and cognitive impairments include brain damage, leading to learning disabilities, poor school performance, poor impulse control, problems with memory, attention and judgment. Physical effects include...

Thanks for that confirmation. I’ve just, by way of a question, the Minister is comfortable that the new federal legislation, which has been passed but we’re waiting for implementation, will provide a full opportunity for a credit union to be established in the Northwest Territories as an NWT institution under federal law.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This isn’t the first time that my colleagues have called on the government to take some real action on this issue. I have to admit that I have been very disappointed to the response to previous calls for action, and particularly I wanted to mention a treatment system that had been developed in the Yukon and was written off, as we heard in the response from Cabinet, apparently because it wasn’t fully carried out. They didn’t have firm evidence that it worked, yet it was based on common sense and it was a comprehensive approach. It was full of common sense and yet our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re 13 months into the mandate of the 17th Assembly, nearing one-third of our term when we meet next in February. Today I would like to expand on my earlier assertion that this is the Assembly that studies much and does little in hopes of reversing this fact.

On Friday the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation announced the beginning of consultations on a new Energy Plan. Once completed, this plan can be added to the Biomass Plan, the Energy Priorities Framework of 2008, the Hydro Strategy and, of course, Creating a Brighter Future, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister. Obviously, all of these could be important portals for addictions treatment. Not that they need to provide it in their own right, they have different objectives, but they need to be linked. I’m talking about linkages here.

My last question is: Have we developed and begun a curriculum that builds awareness amongst young teenagers, awareness of the consequences of both alcohol and drug addictions to both the realization of their full potential and to the well-being of their future children?

Thanks to the Minister for those comments. The Minister’s department is now embarking on the consultations and fact-finding of the new addictions forum. This forum should examine not just individuals’ needs but families’ needs, as well, I assume.

Can the Minister tell me whether the terms of reference for the new addictions forum include an examination of how better to use the health and social services system as a whole to make contact with those in need of treatment and programming in the area of addictions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to recognize my constituents from Weledeh, Dr. Ewan Affleck, Susan Chatwood, their daughter Anika working for us today, and welcome Andrew Chatwood, also visiting and with a history in the Legislature of Newfoundland, if I remember correctly.

The commission itself meaning the Legal Aid Commission, correct?