R.J. Simpson

Mr. Speaker, can you feel it, Mr. Speaker? Can you feel the excitement in the air? The NWT Track and Field Championships are back after five long years. And, Mr. Speaker, I am excited. I'm excited for the youth who have missed out on this event five years in a row. I was lucky enough to participate in many track and field events in Hay River, and they're some of the best memories that I have.

I'm also excited for the community. The track and field championships brings over 900 athletes into Hay River as well as hundreds of volunteers, parents, and chaperones. Mr. Speaker, the community swells...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the motion calls for block land transfers. I believe what was intended was bulk land transfers. The block land transfers were the historical process of the transfer of administration of lands from the Government of Canada to the Government of the Northwest Territories. And so perhaps the Member would like to amend the seven instances in the motion that say "block" and change them to "bulk" so that it's accurate for they're going for, if that's what they are going for. But regardless, the government will be abstaining from this vote and will be providing a response...

Thanks, and maybe I missed it. Did we call the vote for the supplementary health benefits? Because I recall we called it and then there was about three more people who spoke afterwards. So I'm not sure if it was official, or. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The thing about food security, as a file, is that it cuts across the entire government. We have food security initiatives obviously in ITI, in ECE, in ECC. And so I don't have that detail right now but I can commit to getting back to the Member with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has a number of programs that we are utilizing to help address food security issues. We have $1.75 million available each year under the antipoverty fund. And that has been disbursed in the Member's region quite widely. It can be used for a number of different things. So the Aklavik Community Corp has received money for the beluga harvesting program. The hamlet of Paulatuk has a food security program. They've received $25,000. Inuvik Native Band, $30,000 for food supports. Inuvik Youth Centre, $30,000 for the dropin centre. So there's an entire list here of...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Thebacha, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will be absent from the House today and tomorrow for the Canadian Council of Forests Ministers meeting in Cranbrook, British Columbia.

Thank you. And the Member for Yellowknife North stole my thunder a bit. I was going to say that deleting over $200,000 from the budget does not give us the ability to hire people in the regions. So just so everyone's clear who might be reading Hansard or watching this, this is actually reducing the ability to do what the Member is saying. So it's a bit backwards. I just want to make sure that the Member himself is actually aware that this is a deletion and that taking money away does not somehow allow us to hire more people. So just for everyone's information, I just wanted to add to that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, in terms of the specific numbers for food banks, I will have to get back to the Member. But as I stated, there is funding through the antipoverty grant and other areas where we do provide support. But I can commit to getting that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So currently, the federal government is undertaking an internal review of the Nutrition North program, and so we're waiting to hear what comes of that. But I can tell you that there is constant advocacy to the federal government regarding the Nutrition North program. It was spoken about in this House many times by the former Premier. I'm sure it'll be on future meeting agendas when I meet with the Minister of northern affairs as well. And so this is an area where there's obviously significant interest across the North. Is it a perfect program? Of course not. But I know...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize one of my constituents, Ms. Colette Langlois, the current ombud of Northwest Territories, and I want to thank her for her service and for establishing the Office of the Ombud in Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.