Debates of March 3, 2010 (day 3)

Date
March
3
2010
Session
16th Assembly, 5th Session
Day
3
Speaker
Members Present
Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Hon. Paul Delorey, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Krutko, Hon. Sandy Lee, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Michael McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. Menicoche, Hon. Michael Miltenberger, Mr. Ramsay, Hon. Floyd Roland, Mr. Yakeleya
Topics
Statements

QUESTION 33-16(5): AVAILABILITY OF TRADITIONAL FOODS IN NORTHERN HEALTH FACILITIES

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to follow up with the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Minister did indicate to the House that March is National Nutrition Month. I want to ask the Minister in terms of going back to the issue of having traditional foods at the Stanton Territorial Hospital and other facilities. I want to ask the Minister in terms of instructing her officials to start looking at possible ways of having the traditional foods such as fish, for example, starting to be served at the hospital for clients who are of aboriginal descent who are at the hospital there.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I did undertake to look into this last week. I have to be honest; I haven’t had a chance to have a direct discussion on that issue as of yet, but I will undertake to talk to my deputy minister, who is also the PA of the hospital, as well as the Aboriginal Elders Advisory Committee there and see how we can accommodate providing fish and other traditional food at the hospital. Thank you.

I look forward to if there is any type of update the Minister can give later on.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke to the chair of the Elders Council, Mr. Paulette, and he said that they are very much in support of this. Actually, after we had our discussion here in the House, Mr. Paulette called me and said that the jam is in terms of the bureaucracy in the system and how to get this traditional food into the system. So that’s why I’m asking the Minister if she can have some discussions with her officials to clear the way to get the issue of the fish into the hospitals, in terms of probably within a month or so.

Yes, I will do that. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.