Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I also wanted to recognize that today is the kickoff for NWT Disabilities Week. I just wanted to add on to what the Minister of Health and Social Services had said and bring a couple more little items to attention for everybody across the Northwest Territories on how important and significant this week actually is.
According to studies, the approximate number of individuals that self-identify with disabilities in the NWT is one in nine. That is 11 percent of our population that self-identifies. The numbers could be higher and more significant. That’s why we need to take action. I’m really happy to hear that the Minister did make a commitment to working with all organizations throughout this government.
In 2010 Canada ratified the UN Convention Rights for Persons with Disabilities. This is the right of full inclusion for every person. Only through ensuring accessibility in all aspects of a person’s life can there be full acceptance and inclusion. This includes the removal of all visible and invisible barriers that restrict access to activities and services. Until this is accomplished, individuals with disabilities will continue to experience a lesser accessibility to housing, education, employment, medical or health, recreational, community, social and required services. Pretty well the whole gamut of services that are provided in the Northwest Territories. We need to act on that today and bring it to the attention as we move forward through this week.
I’ve said this many times over in this Assembly and made some good comments about it. The NWT has a lot of great resources that we can build upon and invest in, but our number one resource is our people. Regardless of whether they’re disabled or there are other language barriers or anything, we have to invest in our people so that we can have a strong economic future.
I’d like to also commend all the hard work of all people working with people with disabilities. Specifically, the NWT Disability Council, who’s putting on some great events this week, and also the Inuvik Disability Council, who I volunteer for on numerous occasions and invest in the hard work that they do for people of the Northwest Territories and my community back home. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
