Yellowknife (Feb 27/06) - Territorial MLAs are calling on the government to re-open addiction treatment centres, and establish new ones for crack cocaine users and youth.

Health Minister Miltenberger: "We have enough beds."

The legislative assembly approved a motion, almost identical to one passed in October 2004, to that affect Thursday.

Their demands follow on the heels of an interim report on mental health and addictions released in January.

The report completed by Saskatoon-based Chalmers and Associates recommends the government build no new treatment centres due to the Territories' low population base and a lack of clinical expertise. That doesn't sit well with regular MLAs, who say addicts should be treated in the territory and not shipped south.

Right now, the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre in Hay River is the only full-time detox centre in the NWT, although some services are provided by the Salvation Army and the women's shelter in Yellowknife. Last year, 236 people were referred to Nats'ejee or further south for treatment.

"We don't need more big, fancy building's," said Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Robert McLeod.

"But what we should provide is a simple, on-the-land camp whose primary goal would be to help those in need."

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay chided Health Minister Michael Miltenberger for his reliance on consultants' reports. The Chalmers report is second the government has had written on addictions within the last four years.

When Miltenberger was a regular MLA in 2001 he blasted the government for "tripping over consultants," but Ramsay said Miltenberger is doing more of the same.

"I guess he doesn't want to rock the boat too much," said Ramsay.

He also took aim at the continued closure of the Somba K'e Healing Lodge near Dettah, which has remained unused since 2003. The government is paying approximately $100,000 a year in maintenance and utility bills to keep it mothballed.

"I think it's an embarrassment that the government has a facility like Somba K'e sitting empty, sitting idle, and not taking advantage of it," said Ramsay.

He said the government, meanwhile, spends $4.5 million a year sending addicts for treatment south of the NWT.

Housing Minister David Krutko said his government has been shopping the facility around to other government departments, but hasn't found any takers.

Chalmers' interim report gave the government relatively good grades, unlike a 2002 report that heavily criticized the government's efforts in treating addictions.

With its title, "Stay the Course," the reports makes 37 recommendations - most of them encouraging the government to continue community-based prevention programs and counselling. The government set aside $7.1 million for this last year.

Miltenberger reiterated the report's position that building new treatment centres is not the answer. He said the needs of addicts are often varied, and not compatible with each other.

"We have enough beds," said Miltenberger.

"The issue is we have a small number of people who require, often times, different needs and we can't afford to build a facility for every need you can think of.