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Legislative Assembly briefs
Treatment programs needed: MLA

Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Monday, Oct 22, 2012

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Addictions and mental health issues dominated discussion during the first week of this fall's sitting of the legislative assembly last week.

On Friday, Alfred Moses, Inuvik Boot Lake MLA, attempted to bring the matter into perspective by pointing out that every community in the NWT deals with the repercussions of drug addictions and untreated mental health issues.

"We all have to work together to find solutions for these problems of homelessness, addictions, mental health," said Moses during his member's statement Friday. "But we can't forget about the regional centres and the communities when we're dealing with issues like this."

There are many services and facilities in Yellowknife to deal with these issues that don't exist in other communities, said Moses.

He said when it comes to implementing new services such as detox and treatment centres and homeless shelters, people want to hear a real commitment from the government and not a "maybe yes, maybe no," answer such as Health Minister Tom Beaulieu gave to Robert Hawkins in response to a question regarding funding to Yellowknife's day shelter on Thursday.

There is a working group of 14 people tasked with visiting communities to determine the needs that exist to support those with addictions or mental health issues, Beaulieu said.

"One of their mandates is to determine what type of treatment will be required in which location," he said Friday.

Beaulieu said there had been speculation new treatment centres in the Beaufort Delta and Yellowknife may keep patients from having to travel so far for treatment.

Wildlife Act

Michael Nadli, Deh Cho MLA, asked for a status report on the proposed Wildlife Act changes on Friday.

Public consultations were held during the spring and summer, yet some of his constituents remain concerned changes to the act could affect their treaty rights, said Nadli.

A major gathering is planned for early November when working group members, government representatives and aboriginal leaders are scheduled to meet in Yellowknife to discuss issues raised to date on the proposed changes and come to a consensus on the way forward, said Michael Miltenberger, minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

"The intent now is to be able to conclude the work and be able to come forward with this bill in February," said Miltenberger.

Concerns about Deline school addressed

Recently, flush toilets were installed for the first time at Colville Lake School. Norman Yakeleya, Sahtu MLA, commended the minister responsible for public works and services Thursday for getting this project done, but raised concerns about pilings at Ehtseo Ayha School in Deline.

Minister Glen Abernethy replied that, as far as he was aware, work to fix issues with the pilings had been completed in 2008 and no issues had been reported since then.

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