Debates of March 2, 2005 (day 47)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to see the rollout of the "Get Active" NWT Community Challenge yesterday at lunch. The three departments, Municipal and Community Affairs, Health and Social Services, and Education, Culture and Employment, are to be commended for working together to implement and fund this exciting initiative.

The government needs to have more cooperation across departments on issues where the lines of responsibility are blurred. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, just for getting out and being active, you can contribute to the chance of your community getting some needed money to buy recreational equipment. It doesn’t cost you anything to participate, and the benefits of your own health are substantial. There are many studies that show that an inactive lifestyle is leading to an increased number of cases of Type 2 diabetes. This is really affecting people in our communities. If you don’t want to get Type 2 diabetes, you have to eat right, get up and get active. Go for a walk, cut some wood for elders, or even go out on the land or play with your children. These are all simple things you can do, Mr. Speaker. I strongly encourage recreation coordinators, physical education teachers, community health workers, schools and community governments to support this initiative because, even if you don’t manage to win the $5,000 available for recreational equipment, your community will win with healthier residents. Mahsi.

---Applause