Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Greg Loftus of Yellowknife has been interested in organ donation programs for decades. For over 30 years he’s been signed up as an organ donor and had a double kidney transplant in 1997.
Mr. Loftus became instrumental in starting up Paddlers for Parts and is still active in its operation. Paddlers for Parts is an NWT non-profit organization established in Yellowknife in 2001. Its mission is the promotion of organ and tissue donation and support of the Kidney Foundation of Canada by promoting kayaking and canoeing as healthy lifestyle choices. Through its fundraising events and in conjunction with Northern Alberta and Territories Kidney Foundation of Canada, it provides educational financial assistance to persons with kidney problems through its Assisted Paddlers Bursary Fund.
Mr. Loftus also started a petition with the objective of asking northern residents to help establish an NWT organ donor registry. The fruits of his labour were tabled, with just under 500 signatures, last week in our NWT Legislative Assembly.
World Kidney Day is tomorrow, March 14th. While we want to thank the continued community awareness and work of Mr. Loftus, we are reminded that our lack of a formalized organ donor registry in the NWT is truly hampering our ability to help those who desperately need organ transplants.
Once again, we need to make sure that all Northerners have the ability to participate in organ and tissue donation, and we need to develop a long-term plan to improve NWT participation in the donation process. We ask once again that residents of the NWT talk to their MLAs about using space on our NWT health care cards or drivers’ licences to allow for and facilitate organ donation. Through everyone’s commitment, and with the help of difference makers like Mr. Loftus, collectively, we can create the much needed organ donor registry for the Northwest Territories and our residents.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
