Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I am going to be talking about NWT Health Status Chartbook published in the fall of 2019.
Madam Speaker, this report details the health of NWT residents and this report clearly shows that the need of the people in the Tlicho region have long been ignored. The region has the worst health indicators in almost every area that is measured. These poor health indicators are the results of lack of attention and action from the Government of the Northwest Territories over many years. For example, many people do not have access to clean running water right now. This is critical to everyday life.
Madam Speaker, we need to do better. We need to change how we support health among our residents because, clearly, what the Government of the Northwest Territories has been doing is not working. We need the government to be proactive, work with Indigenous people equally, and not to discredit.
When you look at this report, Tlicho make up 6 percent of the population and represents the worst socioeconomic outcomes across the NWT. Compared to the rest of the NWT, the report states Tlicho region has the lowest level of education, second highest rate of unemployment, lowest level of family income, highest proportion of homes in core need, highest rates of overcrowding, and the highest rate of overall crime in the NWT. When looking at other indicators, the NWT generally compares poorly to the rest of Canada. The Indigenous people are facing the biggest barriers to achieving good health.
For example, Indigenous people in the NWT represents the majority of smokers, heavy drinkers, diabetic, lower life expectancy, and lowest outcome in mental health and wellbeing. This is the result of many years of having lack of access to health and social services; care that does not respond to the needs of Tlicho and other Indigenous groups and racism in the system. Madam Speaker, now is the time to address these systems that are not working for our people. We need a new approach. We need to step back and reevaluate how to create health in Tlicho region and other regions in the Northwest Territories. We need health solutions led by the people of the region. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife North.
