Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can confirm that no beds are specifically designated for detox at any hospital in the Northwest Territories.

No revamping yet. The percentage is about 46 percent capacity right now.

Yes, I am willing to discuss the possibility of a treatment centre with my Cabinet colleagues. Thank you.

No, I don’t think there is a better use for that right now. I think that this is the best use of the money, the $300,000, and that’s the reason we’re moving forward on it. I think we want to do the right thing in addictions. We don’t want to do the quick thing in addictions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government is looking at the current residential treatment facility. It will look at the youth treatment and how we handle youth treatment across the territory. It will look at community-based addictions programming. We’re going to look at traditional healing. We’re going to look at current addictions programs and how effective they are. We’re going to look at best practices not only across the NWT but across the territories and across the country. We’re going to determine what needs exist to support those individuals with addictions and mental health. We’re also...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No plan at this time to do that, because we think the communities may say something different. Initially, although I haven’t visited all 33 communities – I have visited 12 communities in my role as Health and Social Services Minister – initially that’s not what they’re saying. Initially what the people are saying, the elders want to go on the land with the people, with the youth and they think that’s going to address their issue. The communities where the greatest impact exists, communities where there’s low employment, tremendous social impacts in the communities from...

Yes, I believe that’s the direction we are going. I felt that at the very beginning of my term a year ago, that this is something we have to deal with first. Alcohol first and then the other things will fall in place.

I’m hoping that this is the type of information that can be brought back from the alcohol forum with the community indicating that they have high incidence of alcoholism in the community, and this is how they hope to address the issue. I would like to see the work of the forum before I can say that this is what I’m going to do.

Thank you. First, it’s existing infrastructure. If we’re going to build a treatment centre, if we’re going to develop a treatment centre, rather, we’re going to use existing infrastructure. There is no plan at this point to put a treatment centre anywhere. Number two, the treatment centre we do have is not used to full capacity. We’re going to try to use that treatment centre to its maximum capacity before we add more treatment centres. Thank you.

As one MLA said today in the House, can we afford to do nothing about addictions? I think that was the reason I, as Health Minister, began the job. I could see that the first job that needed to be done that impacts everyone, that impacts every community, that impacts the economy as some MLAs said, we need to do this work. I will be a champion to make sure the work gets done on addictions.