Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mental health is critical to the well-being of our people. We're going into six weeks of darkness now but we'll get through it because we're resilient Beaufort Delta, that's for sure. We have felt impacts and measures that keep spread of COVID19 under control. Symptoms like anxiety and depression disorders are said to have increased particularly in my younger adults. I'm concerned, Mr. Speaker, that the riding of Nunakput, there's a lack of mental health support and particularly for women and men and our elders and especially our youth. I'm concerned, Mr. Speaker, that my riding is there, for our youth is a struggle with the results from residential school that we still deal with every day due to the alcoholism. It's not over. The impacts demand our attention, Mr. Speaker. Housing in our small communities are limited. Some homes are overcrowded which adds extra stress, frustration, to lead to mental anguish and addictions, Mr. Speaker.
Sadly, again, with our food security and poverty, it's no stranger to the residents. Pursuing traditional activities and going on the land has become very expensive, Mr. Speaker.
Our communities are small. We have limited resources. We have limited health resources, and the ones we do have are overworked. And I thank them for that, for their service. Our social workers, our doctors, and counsellors are based out of another community, usually in Inuvik, that can make access difficult, because the communities I represent are flyin communities. Online programs, mental health, first aid, and confidential online chats through the Help Line, Facebook page, are important to Northerners.
Mr. Speaker, our government has to get serious about reconciliation. There needs to be more aggressive, to plan mental health supports for our communities. Reconciliation needs to be planned as action. Increased supports and crisis response, intervene the healing, mental wellness services, and is include culturelanguage of our elders that we draw upon. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Health Minister later today. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
