Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister of Finance's budget speech, he mentioned there will be child and youth counsellors in the communities. I think that is an excellent initiative. I would like to ask the Minister of Health if those counsellors will be versed in addiction treatment. Thank you.

I would like to ask the Minister if any of that work is going towards trying to create mobile treatment possibilities or mobile treatment programs, whether it be out of Stanton or Nats’ejee K’eh or anywhere, just something that is mobile where counsellors can go into communities as opposed to the community members going into a treatment centre.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk about a major issue that we are facing in the North. Many people suffer from mental health and addiction issues in the NWT. These issues affect not only the individual, but their family, friends, co-workers, and the community. It is one of the leading causes of disability affecting more than 6.7 million Canadians. It is also very costly to the justice, health, and education systems in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, we do not have a northern addiction treatment facility in the NWT. Our members have the option to attend treatment centres down South, either in...

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I speak today about the passing of Elder Violet H. Beaulieu of Fort Resolution. Violet was raised in a mission school, where she lived until she married Jonas on January 12, 1953. Violet was a very loving, dedicated woman who raised a family of nine. She also was involved in various community-focused and youth-oriented initiatives, and she worked on both committees and councils in Fort Resolution.

Violet was born in Old Fort Rae on April 5, 1932, and, sadly, passed away on October 20, 2017, at age 85. Violet was a very healthy elder, but, unfortunately, she...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Chair of Committee of the Whole leave his chair and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am seeking unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Justina Black, Tyler Smith-Tsetta and Catherine Lafferty from the Dechinta University. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for that. Financial support, I think, is something that the families need. It appears as though, when individuals are on income support or if they are having trouble with the justice system, that is not quite enough money to be able to provide all of the things you need to provide for children. At the end of the day, one thing leads to another. I don't think it is coincidental that the poorest people are the ones who have their children apprehended. That is not always the case, but that is often the case. I am wondering if...

I am sort of hearing that the Department of Health and Social Services is sharing information with other social departments. I would like the minister to confirm that. Are the social departments, Housing, Justice, and the Department of Education, sharing information with Health and Social Services on the clients? Those specific clients I am referring to are people who have children in care or children in foster care.

That being said, I also recognize the value of what foster homes provide and the outstanding service that dedicated foster parents provide as well. It is not to say that we do not need foster homes as they can provide a positive aspect in child development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.