Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the people of Jean Marie River received some very disturbing news. A public health advisory was issued about high mercury levels in the fish at nearby Ekali Lake. Last August we also received advisories for Deep Lake and McGill Lake near Jean Marie River, as well as at Fish Lake near Wrigley.
Fish are a very important part of our traditional diet. It’s a healthy food and people depend on it to make ends meet in small communities where the costs of store-bought groceries are very high.
I want to be clear that the chief public health officer is not telling people to stop eating fish from Ekali Lake completely. First of all, he is saying there’s no problem with eating whitefish from the lake. That is good news. Second, he is saying that it’s okay to eat some jackfish and pickerel, but no more than two servings a week for most people. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should have no more than two servings per month. Children aged one to four can have one serving a month and children between five and 11 can have up to one and three-quarter servings per month. It is also better to eat smaller fish because they do not have much mercury.
I’m very concerned about the health and safety of Nahendeh residents. Spring will soon be here and Ekali Lake is a popular place. I want to make sure that the message is getting out. It’s important for people to know that they have to be careful about how much jackfish and pickerel they eat from the lake. It’s also important for people to know that they do not have to stop eating fish completely. This needs to be explained clearly in the language of the people.
Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about what is being done to ensure people get clear information they understand about the fish in Ekali Lake and other lakes in Nahendeh. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
