Frederick Blake Jr.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Committee Report 27-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act; Committee Report 28-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act; Committee Report 30-18(3): Report on the Review of Bill 56: Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act and Draft Code of Conduct; Bill 56: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2; Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers...

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you, Minister Moses, and thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Thank you, committee. Committee Report 27-18(3), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39, Environmental Rights Act. I will go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for any opening comments. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you. Question.

Will the country food program be expanded to other health facilities in the Northwest Territories and long-term care facilities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, as I mentioned, it's been a long time coming that our country foods are served in the hospitals, long-term care facilities. You hear it all the time. People are tired of hospital food, that same old stuff all the time. Especially when you are recovering from illness or any operations or anything, you want comfort food, caribou meat, moose meat, geese, these sort of wild game. Right now, luckily, we have a handful of ladies in Inuvik who actually take time out of their day to volunteer to cook caribou meat and caribou soup and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Are there plans for similar program as the Yukon to ensure that Indigenous patients can access country foods? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier answered a part of my next questions, but who is able to provide country food to Stanton or any other hospital or long-term care facilities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I feel sick, I want comfort food. The same is true for our elders and family members who are in the hospital. Unfortunately, most traditional foods that we want when we are sick are not available in our hospitals and long-term care facilities.

In the Yukon, there is a traditional food program that serves wild game to patients that is donated by local hunters. They fill out a checklist ensuring the food has been handled safely before sending it to the local butcher, who also has to complete a checklist before sending the food to the hospital. At the hospital, liaison...