Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about food security and mostly around economic opportunities, as well as driving down the cost of living, but we also know that food security is very important to us as it relates to our health and wellbeing and our nutrition, to all of our communities here, in the North.
My questions today are for the Minister of Health, and I would like to ask the Minister if the Department of Health has any kind of policy or strategy currently in place as it relates to food security and nutrition? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to nutrition in the Northwest Territories, the Department of Health and Social Services through Public Health is trying to educate people across the Northwest Territories on healthy choices, healthy eating, and how it relates to overall health and wellbeing.
As far as a food security policy, we don't have a food security policy within the department. We're more focused on education and having people understand the value and importance of eating good food. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That's interesting to know, because I think that as a territory in understanding food security we need to kind of get off just nutrition and understand a little bit better what the broader scope of food security is. To that effect, I'll just talk about food in general.
Does the Minister know some of the challenges, or I'll refer to it as "gaps," that are currently in food security as a determinant of health for First Nations communities, particularly in the area of nutrition?
I don't think we are differing in our opinions around the broader scope of food security and the value of that as it supports health for residents across the Northwest Territories. As I said, we focus on encouraging people to live healthy lifestyles. We do that through our Healthy Family programs. We do that through the education that we are supporting in the Department of Education in the schools around healthy living, healthy eating, and the value of nutrition.
Mr. Speaker, in the information that we provide across the Northwest Territories when we are attending our health fairs or our community health fairs, we are also talking about traditional foods and eating the foods that are available in our communities, whether it is wildlife or some of the other product that grows in the territory, so we're trying to encourage people to live their traditional means when it comes to food, as well.
We understand as a government that there are food security issues and challenges across the Northwest Territories. ITI has been progressive in supporting different programs to help start up community gardens and other mechanisms to get kids out hunting, get people pursuing game when appropriate, when it's available. I know we are facing challenges around caribou. Those things exist, and we are working together as a government. It's not just one department. It has to be all departments working together.
I thank the Minister for his reply. He is doing a good job today at answering forthcoming questions. I want to thank the Minister because he, in fact, did answer my question, which was about what contribution traditional knowledge is playing in food security. I am glad to hear that a number of the initiatives that they are putting out with regard to educating folks on nutrition and good health and well-being is around traditional foods, especially for our First Nations communities. That is very welcomed commentary from the Minister, and it is well appreciated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker
I heard that as a comment. Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
