Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, households that depend on government for income are at greater risk of being hungry than other households with low income. The government has acknowledged this fact by raising the food allowance portion of income assistance. Can the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment confirm his commitment to follow through with increases to the food allowance in the next two fiscal years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could I please just have in a simple form what the purpose of the country food strategy is? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for that explanation. Are we talking about providing the tools to people to access hunting and fishing and gathering and other sources of country food? Is that the thrust of the program? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 9, 2016, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for that answer. What I'm wondering in particular with Nutrition North, which is a federal program, is whether the territorial government is taking a role in trying to make Nutrition North a more useful program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that response. I just want to confirm with him that in fact there is a commitment to follow through with the increases scheduled earlier to the food allowance under income assistance.

Thank you colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The territorial government has a role to play in lobbying the federal government to expand and improve the Nutrition North Canada Subsidy. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, hunger is a reality in the North. Caregivers can't afford to feed their children a balanced meal. They reduce the size of their kids' meals because they don't have enough food. They are going hungry themselves because they can't afford to buy food. Some lose weight as a result. These findings are part of a report by Food Banks Canada with the title, “What Will It Take to Make Real Progress on Northern Food Security?” It was published last month.

Mr. Speaker, 20 per cent of NWT households don't have enough food. Why not? Because of the high cost of store-bought...