Frieda Martselos

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The midwifery programs in Fort Smith and Hay River have been providing excellent care since their inception. Data from the University of British Columbia demonstrates that health outcomes for patients using midwifery services are equal to or better than the rest of the territory and even the country. NWT communities with midwifery services have lower pre-term birth rates than those without, and even clients who choose to leave their home communities for birth have lower C-section rates and long breastfeeding duration rates. These excellent health outcomes are directly...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am just wondering why we are dealing with this issue when we don't even know if Alberta is going to be aligning with us. Until they align with us, why are we doing this? Why are we even putting this on the books? I don't understand the priorities, but it certainly isn't my priority. The engagement part is really important, and engagement is face-to-face because a lot of people probably would not be in favour of something like this if Alberta is not on the same page as we are. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, I just want to thank the Minister for thinking out of the box. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to turn to page 74. I just want to make a general statement first. Page 74 has a lot to do with traditional lifestyle. Traditional lifestyle of Aboriginal people is extremely important. I've sat here for two times now, and there hasn't been any increases in the CHAP program, which is really important to an Aboriginal organization. I know that, when I was at Salt River and Chief of Salt River, we were always asking for increases to some of these areas. The CHAP program is also very beneficial to the Metis Nation and all Indigenous people across the North.

It seems...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to clear the air about a few things in relation to my personal experience of racism at the NWT SPCA. To begin, Mr. Speaker, I would like to state wholeheartedly that I support the NWT SPCA and all animal shelters for their work in protecting animals. I thank the SPCA for their work in this area. For that reason, I am not in favour of taking away funds from them. I am an animal lover. I have had multiple dogs over the years and was raised living with large dog teams because of my father, who was a dog musher. Dogs were always around me growing up. It was...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad that the Minister said he'll start thinking out of the box because someone's got to start thinking out of the box. I know that, when I was in other leadership, that was one of the biggest concerns was that CHAP program, and I think many times even in discussions, even in the last business plan that we did, we wanted an increase to the CHAP program and some of these other programs that affect the people that believe in the traditional lifestyle. That's most of us in the territory and especially small communities and regional centres.

I find that the funding is...

Mr. Speaker, overcoming racism is difficult, exhausting, and uncomfortable work. If our society truly aspires for reconciliation, then we must challenge racism head-on. However, in order to get there, it will take work, and that work will require the effort of all sectors of our society to pitch in and do their part.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that I fully stand by my previous statement on this matter. The way I was treated was not okay. I don't believe I was treated with basic customer practices that people expect from organizations like the SPCA or other NGOs or entities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, we here in the Northwest Territories are a very fortunate population. According to the Department of Health and Social Services, the NWT is the leading jurisdiction in Canada when it comes to its first-dose vaccine delivery. Mr. Speaker, as of February the 26th, 14,520 NWT residents have received their first vaccine dose, which equals to 32.2 percent of the entire NWT population. In comparison, according to the Government of Canada, again as of February 26th, there has only been a total of 1.7 percent of the total Canadian...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The motion is on systemic racism:

WHEREAS half the population of the Northwest Territories is Indigenous;

AND WHEREAS the population of the Northwest Territories is becoming more racially diverse;

AND WHEREAS Indigenous peoples have faced colonialism and cultural genocide;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories has accepted the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the principles of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the calls to justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken before about systemic racism existing within government policies and laws, police departments, and other public institutions. However, today, I would like to discuss systemic racism in a slightly different but equally significant context.

Mr. Speaker, I recently had a personal experience of systemic racism in Yellowknife, which occurred last month on February 1st at the NWT SPCA. I had been searching for a puppy for a number of months at that point and decided to stop at the SPCA to see some new puppies that had just arrived the day before. When I entered...