Committee knocking on industry doors
Maria Canton
Northern News Services
Inuvik (May 04/01) - The Inuvik Alcohol Committee wants the oil and industry to help revive its 30-day treatment program.
"We've presented a bare bones budget (to the health board) with anticipation that oil and gas companies will offer money or some sort of donation to run the 30-day program," says committee chair Derek Lindsay.
The move is an attempt to thwart the legacy of social problems created from the town's last boom in the 1970s. A 30-day alcohol treatment program will provide a vital service that was offered in the region before funding was yanked in 1997 by the GNWT.
Since then, people seeking help for a drinking problem have been sent out of the territory for treatment.
Letters have already been sent to oil and gas companies asking for "collaboration and partnering," but Lindsay says they haven't heard back from anyone yet.
"What we're offering is a service for locals, people in the region and oil and gas workers -- a 30-day program with mobile service out to the camps for after-care and 12-step meetings," he said.
"It's a lot of (the companies') first times up here and we're just waiting to see what happens."
A $385,000 proposal has been submitted to the local health board to run the 10- or 12-bed facility from the Turning Point location downtown. An optimistic IAC is looking to treat clients as early as June.
According to at least one petroleum giant, such a request will be not be ignored.
"The (Inuvik) region is a very important operational area for us and such a request will be very seriously considered," said Chris Dawson, spokesperson for Petro-Canada.
Dawson added that the such requests take time to evaluate. The letter will be looked at by the community investment manager before a final decision is made by a committee.
Petro-Canada has contracted Akita, a subsidiary of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, to operate an oil rig outside of Tsiigehtchic.
Previously known as Delta House, the IAC moved last year to Ingamo Hall, allowing them to run a young offenders facility out of the Turning Point building at the request of the GNWT.
The contract ended just over a month ago and on Monday the IAC again set up shop in the building that housed them for more than 15 years, this time under the auspices of Turning Point.
Until the month-long rehabilitation program is re-started, drop-in alcohol and drug counselling and support group meetings are at Turning Point.
