Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier in the sitting I asked questions about the environmental integrity of Kam Lake, the namesake of my riding. I am wondering if today the Minister of Health could answer some questions I have around a 2016 public health advisory around arsenic. That study recommended that Northerners not eat fish or drink the water in Frame Lake or Jackfish Lake, and cleared Yellowknife River, Great Slave Lake, Long Lake, a variety of bodies of waters. Unfortunately, Kam Lake was not included there, so I am wondering if the Minister today can advise on the relative levels of arsenic and safety concerns around Kam Lake, if there are any? Thank you.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Chief Public Health Officer put out the health advisory, it was based on a number of reports that were prepared by different organizations, including universities, that had done some environmental assessment on those lakes. It is my understanding that Kam Lake was not one of the lakes that was included in that study, so it was not included on the health advisory.
I don't personally know the arsenic levels in that lake, but given the history of that lake and where it is located, you might want to be cautious about drinking the water out of Kam Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am sure people are. There are a number of houses that open up onto that lake, so I am wondering if the Minister is in a position to study arsenic levels in Kam Lake and report back to the House and to the public on the findings.
The water that the Department of Health and Social Services will look at through its environmental health officers tends to be water that is drinking water. That is our mandate. To review or do an assessment on other lakes, the Member might want to make reference or ask the Minister responsible for ENR, who would be responsible for lakes that are not drinking water.
All right. One more, Mr. Speaker, and thank you. If there was data that showed that the arsenic levels in Kam Lake were over 52 parts per billion, would a public health advisory be issued by the department and would people know in Kam Lake immediately that there was a concern and that they should avoid it?
Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
