Tom Beaulieu

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my member's statement, I speak of the importance of hand games to the youth of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to ask the Minister of MACA questions: does the Minister and the department support and encourage funding for hand game tournaments? Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the cost of obesity to our people and to our healthcare system. According to Statistics Canada, the Northwest Territories has the highest obesity levels in the country, at 35.3 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, two of the four pillars of health are to eat healthy food and exercise. In small communities, it is costly to eat fresh vegetables and fruits on a regular basis. However, it is still possible to get healthy traditional food, like caribou, moose, fish, and small game, like wild chickens, ducks, and rabbits. In addition, many of...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, one of the, I think, important maybe objectives or goals of the government should be to try to reduce the rate of repeat offenders. I recognize that, in the past, from my hometown we have had quite a few correction officers, many of whom are retired at this point, working in the system. I found that they have lots of discussions with the individuals who are serving a sentence in corrections and trying to have those discussions so that those guys don't return.

I'm asking the Minister, I guess, other than just following the regular process, which is failing...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in this section, there are almost 250 employees. I was wondering if the department has an affirmative action plan to increase the number of priority one candidates in the public service in this particular section. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the department do or get some reports on the traditional activities, traditional games at middle school games, as the Minister stated, and report that to residents or develop some sort of report that the MLAs can see? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we see school championships such as Super Soccer and Spike It, to name a couple. Does the department fund a territorial championship for hand games?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was once told by a community leader that they do everything they can as a community to help their youth do well. As a result of their efforts, no youth from that community has appeared in court in over three years. It is no wonder that in recent years the number of youth in North Slave Young Offenders facility has dropped to record low-inmate populations. I urge this government to continue to help people in the Northwest Territories value our Dene games, more particularly the hand games. One day, I hope to see hand games have equal value as other...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm wondering if corrections has anybody in the associate director program, the development program set up by GNWT to try to increase the number of senior managers with the priority one status in the GNWT. I'm wondering if this department, I'm not talking about the whole department, but particularly the section, whichever directors or managers or wardens, whatever the positions may be called, I don't know, but there is a program. The program development where they have associate directors.

Does this section have any of those positions placed in any of the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, continuing with the Department of Health and Social Services. Also, time permitted, committee would like to move to Committee Report 5-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 1: Western Canada Lottery Act, and also Bill 1: Western Canada Lottery Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak about the passing of one of my constituents, Hank Mark Lafferty of Ndilo. He was commonly known as "Qui." [English translation not provided.] And grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Qui was raised in Ndilo and was the fifth in a family of eight growing up. He enjoyed playing hockey and loved going out in the land with his dad who taught him how to hunt, trap, run dogs in his youth. Throughout his life, Qui loved to play the guitar, sing, and even wrote his own songs. Qui also had a good sense of humour and loved to joke around and poke...