Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The health authorities had run diabetes programs and so on. I recognize that recently a diabetes program was shut down, but the services right now are basically in consultation with the health professionals in the various communities in the Sahtu at this time. That is what is available.
Can the Minister tell me and tell the House what type of programs the Department of Health and Social Services are working on with other community agencies or partnerships with the Northern Store or the Co-ops to support people who have to deal with diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease. The department does have the medication needed for chronic disease that is available to the people. Also the home care for individuals that have diabetes, a home care worker will go in and do work in…
I would like to remind the Members on the sidebar conversations that Mr. Beaulieu has the floor. He is answering the Member. Mr. Beaulieu, you may continue.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The home care people will work with the feet of elders, especially elders with diabetes and so on and also trying to work with programs such as advising people with diabetes on activity and also diet. Thank you.
There has been an increase of diabetes in the Sahtu and in our smaller communities. I want to ask the Minister to continue this type of support that he just talked about, working with the Northern Stores, working with the Co-op to bring in some of their diet supplementary foods that people can purchase in these local stores to help them with the disease of diabetes. Does the Minister have a strategy with the local stores to bring in supplies that would help people with diabetes?
The Member is right; diabetes is increasing by 200 people per year in the Northwest Territories. That is pretty extreme for a small population. We are developing a Diabetes Strategy. This is something the department is doing.
Currently we do various programs in the schools where we’re teaching kids about healthy choices and looking at their lunches and so on, discouraging any drinks or any type of food that has a high content of sugar and sodium, so we are trying to promote in the schools for the kids to eat a good, healthy lunch that includes lots of vegetables and fruit. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My mother had diabetes. She died because of diabetes so it is very close to me that this program here has the attention that is needed. There are people in the Sahtu that do have it today, people in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell me if this diabetes program we have now will receive a little more priority in terms of bringing programs into our communities that will give some indication to some early screening for our people in the communities that may not know that they are getting signs that diabetes could come into their life?
This very important item for the department is part of our overall prevention strategy. We have had discussions at a national level on childhood obesity which leads to diabetes among other things. Not only is this something that we are paying attention to in the Northwest Territories, but really it is a national issue. We are all on board and we all want to see a decrease in diabetes. It is a very bad disease. Many people have died from diabetes in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Can the Minister provide the rate of diabetes among Sahtu residents for 2003?
Can the Minister provide the rate of diabetes among Sahtu residents for 2001 or the most recent year for which the data is available?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission Corporate Plan 2012.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Buying a Condominium: A User’s Guide” and “Owning a Condominium: A User’s Guide.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, has had first reading.
---Carried
Item 19, second reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading with Bill 1, an Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act. Thank you.
The Minister is seeking consent for the second reading of the bill.
---Consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the second time.
This bill increases the allowance that may be borrowed by the Commissioner to ensure that the Consolidated Revenue Fund is sufficient to meet the lawful disbursements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, has had second reading.
---Carried
Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 1 moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Minister is seeking unanimous consent to move this bill into Committee of the Whole.
---Unanimous consent granted
Bill 1-17(2) is moved into Committee of the Whole.
Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013; Tabled Document 2-17(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2011-2012; Tabled Document 3-17(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2011-2012; and Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.
I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have a number of matters before us. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 1-17(2).
Thank you. Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. We’ll do that after a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are still dealing with Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013. Yesterday when we had left off, we had dealt with all the departments with the exception of the Department of Transportation. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee resume consideration of item 11, Department of Transportation, contained in Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013, summary of interim appropriations found on page 3. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion has been circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Department of Transportation, as per your documents it is item number 11. Appropriation authority required, $29.848 million. Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Madam Chair. In order to conclude this process, I would request permission to go to the witness table and bring in some witnesses.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. I will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Mr. Miltenberger’s witnesses to the witness table.
I’ll ask Mr. Miltenberger if he’ll please introduce his witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Madam Chair. From the Department of Finance I have with me the deputy minister, Mike Aumond, and the director of the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Olin Lovely.
