Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, has the Minister looked at some of the fish up there in the Sahtu such as Great Bear Lake or any other fish areas such as Colville Lake where most of the economy is trapping and harvesting for the local residents there in my region where there is a pretty good percentage of harvesters and trappers that see this as a lifestyle for them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on my Member’s statement in terms of the recognition for trappers in the Sahtu and the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister of ITI what progress or update can he provide to the House with providing small harvesting foods in our stores. I know we had some discussion before as to harvesters harvesting their wildlife foods and bringing them into the stores for people to purchase them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the entertainment world we have the Oscars; in the music business we have the Grammys; in the world of trapping we have the NWT Trappers Achievement Award. This award recognizes a way of life for our trappers and their supporting casts. Throughout the North, each season our trappers live off the land, teach their children a way of life, educate them about life on the trapline and get the young ones to use their minds, the most powerful tool in life.

This award recognizes the trappers’ business sense. It recognizes the economics of doing business. This award recognizes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Has his department also looked at providing some of these foods into our institutions such as the Stanton Hospital or Beaufort-Delta and up in the Inuvik Hospital for some of their patients that often cry for traditional foods once they get into the hospitals? They certainly look for something like that. It would help them with their recovery and health.

Mr. Speaker, in helping to find the local markets for country food and fish, has the Minister identified areas that could have this red meat market a project going on such as the Sahtu or any other communities that support trapping and fishing in their area?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to congratulate all the recipients for the Wise Women Awards from the Status of Women. I’d like to make mention of a constituent of mine, Allison Dejong, for the Sahtu, congratulate her and I would also like to welcome her mother, Claire, into the House and to the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services about the naturopathic medicine practitioners and doctors. Naturopathic medicine blends modern scientific knowledge with good traditional and natural forms of healing. Research has shown that they provide a bridge of appropriations between traditional healers and conventional medicine. Does the Minister see a role for naturopathic medicine doctors or practitioners in assisting the department in meeting the health needs of our indigenous constituents?

Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. With the naturopath medicine practitioners/doctors, they blend the western with the traditional, again, to save costs in the health care system. Does the Minister not see that this is a value-added incentive to people in the Northwest Territories, to regulate the naturopath medicine, practitioners/doctors? I don’t think it’s going to be a disservice. There are already four on the list. Can the Minister look at this and say this is a priority and we’ll add it to the list? Thank you.

Qualified naturopathic doctors practicing in the Northwest Territories have requested legislation regarding practice to ensure public protection. Given that the naturopathic doctors have a high level of education and training on par with family doctors and are recognized in nine jurisdictions with the legislation working in the health field, I want to ask the Minister, she said it’s possible that these naturopathic doctors or the medicine can be legislated in the future. I want to ask why not include it with the four others that she indicated? Why not for a short trial period?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was going to speak about the naturopathic doctors and the new legislation that’s going to be coming to the Northwest Territories, but, Mr. Speaker, I will save my questions for the Minister in question period.

I want to talk about two elderly gentlemen from my region: Mr. Edward Gardebois and Mr. Tony Grandjambe, that recently passed away over the weekend.

I was very saddened to hear over the weekend that these two members from Fort Good Hope have left us. I want to say, what can you say with a two and a half minute statement of these two men here. I do want to say...