Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to bring out a few points. I hear people and I hear their concerns in stating that we need to support people. I agree we need to support people, Madam Chair. I am a social worker by degree. I also ran four years ago because I wanted to address homelessness. Housing was a big priority for me when I came in. However, I also am a diamond driller's daughter, Madam Chair, and I recognize that a large portion of our gross domestic product in the Northwest Territories is dependent on the mining sector. I know because of my history and because of learning in this...

I cannot stand here and say what the best program is. What I can say is that we have a variety of programs across the departments. For example, our anti-poverty fund gives $1 million a year in contributions; last year, in 2019-2020, we supported 31 food security projects. Our healthy children's fund provides $400,000 a year; that gave a total of seven security projects through this fund. Thirteen food security projects were supported through the Small Community Homelessness Fund. The Healthy Food for Learning program, and this is one is a big one for me, supports all 49 schools in the...

The Member knows that, actually, the NWT Bureau of Statistics does track food prices in the larger regional centres, such as Yellowknife, Hay River, et cetera. They also, every few years, do a comparison across the communities, and from that, a food price index is calculated. It shows variations in the price of food across the communities. The question on whether we would track further than that, that is a question that, at this point, I am not willing to actually make a commitment to. It's one thing to be able to track how many people might start an egg-producing farm or a large-scale farm...

Right now, I cannot say, honestly, what is being done at this point. There has just been a new election within the Northwest Territories and, of course, federally, there was a new election that just happened, too. We have done initial meetings with our Ministers and the Prime Minister. I will be meeting again with the Prime Minister this week. However, it isn't something that we have actually said, "Here's an action plan on it."

Nutrition North is not working in the Northwest Territories. I did not have to come into the Legislature to hear that. I have heard it for many years. What I can commit...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Food, clothing, and shelter are, according to Maslow's hierarchy, the basic needs that we need to meet for people; so when I hear that almost 3,400 people, my understanding is, are feeling insecure about their food, that brings concerns. It should bring concerns for all of our governments. What are we doing about it?

We do have things that we are working on, a range of activities, from increasing local food production to, of course, our agricultural industry that was just spoken about earlier today. Our territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan includes 12 actions on food...

Thank you. Because of you, Mom, I learned to never give up hope. I watched you struggle for many years with your addiction and thought you would never quit. Then, miraculously, you quit, never touching another drink for well over 20 years, now. Because of you, Mom, even in my darkest moment as a single parent, I found the strength to go back to school, get a degree, and change my own and my children's lives forever. Because of you, Mom, I learned to never give up on myself or others.

Because of you, Mom, I learned to face my fears and still move forward. I watched your pain in so many ways, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take a moment to recognize one of our Pages who is here today from the constituency of Range Lake, Cameron Mason. I want to thank you for all the work you have provided and to all the Pages for the work you've provided. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the theme of this year's International Women's Day is Because of You. The theme Because of You reminds me of the strongest and most influential woman I know. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my mother, Shirley Cochrane.

Because of you, Mom, I stand in this House today. Your tribulations, successes, perseverance, and strength influenced me throughout my life.

Because of you, I learned at an early age that women were often the leaders in their families and communities. With Dad being gone most of the time, you were left alone for months on end to care for eight children, our...

Thank you, Madam Chair. We do have money internally. We are looking at the twenty-third one. The region that we are looking at is the Deh Cho. That is still in negotiations though. We are planning on implementing a twenty-third single-service window. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sometimes I do speak a bit fast. I had sandwiched it in there, but I'll be a little bit more concise. We are committed to reviewing all boards, and that would include the boards that deputy ministers do sit on. As for the other board that was brought up by the Member, that would be the Aurora College board; there is a framework, a timeline, that the applicable Minister is looking at within that. Those are questions, if you wanted more detail, that would be appropriate for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Madam Chair.