Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, during question period, I had asked the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions about something that has come out in the news recently. That was that obesity rates are at historic levels, specifically for the Maritimes but even more so for the Northwest Territories.

That got me further into research and I found that in 2004 red flags were raised, and yet nothing was done. The Member did mention that they did start a program in 2003, yet we are still at these historic rates today.

I did a little further research into how we can address this or look...

Thank you. He got me excited there when he said he signed off a letter and just for the ‘13-14 year. I thought it was going to be longer years. That kind of just tells me kids going into Grade 10 this year. I mean, if we don’t continue it and we do split up those students that do need it from the three different levels that one teacher might have to teach in the classroom. If we get one student next year that’s taking advanced courses in Grade 10 and the program stops, because the Beaufort-Delta are actually utilizing this funding, then that means the teacher is going to have to go back to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Really quickly, you’ve heard a lot of really good comments on this side of the House, and I just want to let you know that I will be supporting this motion. Speaking for the harvesters of the Northwest Territories, especially those on the coastal communities that have to go out hunting and trapping to make a living, who don’t have regular jobs, the high cost of gas is really reflecting that. I just want to thank Mr. Menicoche and Mr. Hawkins for bringing this motion forward and I will be supporting it today.

We all know that there’s a high cost of living in the Northwest Territories, and the further you get up and the further the food has to travel to get to the communities, sometimes when the fruits and vegetables get there they’re already turning brown. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about agriculture, learn about growing their own food, create some type of mental wellness as well as create some active living.

Would the Minister be willing to look at putting this in part of some type of curriculum for the students, that it becomes part of practical work in one of the courses...

Thank you. In regard to hearing from our vendors and the subcontractors, what would be the right way of getting that input from our subcontractors? Is there a complaints process or is there a process for concern, either on the webpage or a file or application that they would have to submit to government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. He did mention working with Education. Our Minister of Education has mentioned trying to bring elders into the schools. Would the Minister of Health and Social Services look at the options of possibly bringing fitness instructors into the schools to create some type of fitness programs that can be done during lunch times, before school or after school? Thank you.

Thank you. That report that gave us the red flag came out about 2004. We do have the Healthy Choices Framework to try to address it, but where are we at right now in the Northwest Territories? We’re at historic rates and I’d like to ask the Minister, what is this Minister doing to work with his federal counterparts to address these historic rates so that we can start taking care of our residents as obesity leads to a lot of chronic disease. As I mentioned yesterday, 70 percent of all deaths are related to chronic disease. What is the Minister of Health and Social Services doing to work with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say today that I’m very honoured to be wearing my pink shirt on Pink Shirt Day. I would also like to thank Minister Lafferty for providing us with this pink carnation for Anti-Bullying Day. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the children and their educators for coming out today and showing their support, creating awareness in bringing this very hot topic to the forefront of Members here in this House as well as residents of the Northwest Territories. You should be very happy and very proud of what you did today.

Last night, when we were done here...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I welcome the Minister and his colleagues and his staff to the House today. As I have done earlier with other departments, I just want to highlight some of the concerns that came out of the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meeting where our Minister’s staff was in attendance.

First of all, just the high school in Sachs Harbour. The leadership of the region was concerned and wanted to see how we can get graduates in Sachs Harbour right out of Grade 12, rather than having to send them to Inuvik to a boarding school. It is the same with Paulatuk. They want to try to increase...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just building off and continuing with the discussion before we concluded last night, Mr. Hawkins was asking a question about subcontractors and, actually, last night I had my iPad open to some specific e-mails that I was getting from some of the northern subcontractors that were listed under southern contractors bills for proposals in terms of getting some of those BIP points. In fact I had some e-mails from subcontractors who were saying that they didn’t get to see the proposal upon initial verbal agreements, seeing the proposal before it went in for the request. Just...