Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to begin today by marking the passing of a great Northerner: Archie Buckley. Many of us enjoyed the rich bounty of our fishery as a staple of our diets thanks to Archie. He was the personification of hard work and respectful, sustainable resource use. Archie Buckley lived what we talk about when we say local food for local people.
The spirit demonstrated by Archie Buckley is being carried on in the cooperative work of this community. I recently attended an event sponsored by Ecology North, the Northern Nutrition Association and the Yellowknife Community Gardens Collective celebrating the diversity and sustainability of local production. While these people grow their own food, they also grow the future self-sufficiency and health of this community.
Another example is the Food Security Advisory Group comprised of members from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Community Services, City of Yellowknife, Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, Health and Social Services, GNWT, and Nunavut Public Health Association. The groups came together to undertake a food system assessment and community action plan for Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah. This initiative responds to findings and Championing Well-being in the City of Yellowknife’s social plan and aims to strengthen program and policy action in the area of food security and chronic disease.
The Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah Food System Assessment and Community Food Action Plan has been produced and is attracting attention. There are at least two more NWT communities interested in undertaking their own community food action plans. I recommend its contents and approach to all Members. As the contents of the action plan show, we have great territorial strength to draw on in such areas as local food production, community commitment and support services, but there are great challenges in such areas as the capacity of NGOs to meet demand for food and sustain their operations, our high food costs and gaps in policy and economic development support.
Promoting healthy choices and lifestyles is a priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, regionally produced and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. That requires a complete and collaborative government approach to meet our citizens’ core needs.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
It is everything from progressive taxation to agricultural land use plans, wise wildlife stewardship and land availability, from support to local food production enterprises and our school and early childhood development programs. Our local food producers’, our community gardeners’ and advocacy groups’ work demonstrate that much can be done to strengthen food security for all through partnership, building capacity, economic development and policy renewal. I congratulate this excellent work and look forward to full support from this government. Mahsi.
The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
