Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the territory desperately needs to strengthen and diversify our economy. Our residents must have access to healthy and affordable food, and the need for mental health supports is at an alltime high. There is one sector that can help us improve in all these areas. The agrifood industry provides residents with opportunities to grow their own healthy produce and to open small and mediumsized economic ventures while reducing stress and improving mental health.
Mr. Speaker, our infrastructure gap and limited supply chain leave us vulnerable to food insecurity as was clearly demonstrated during the pandemic. When it took great pressure by myself as the Minister of ITI, with the Minister of Finance, to get flexibility in the federal funding to keep our small airlines alive. If the GNWT can begin to provide a better support system to boost community gardens, encourage residents to start growing their own food, and build capacity throughout the territory, we can directly reinforce our food security efforts through increased community capacity.
I cannot stress this enough, Mr. Speaker. The federal government is not thinking of us when it comes to food security and the GNWT is not giving this topic the attention it deserves. The food security file bounces between departments, with no clear ownership, and I don’t see an appropriate nor established path forward. Residents are constantly reaching out to find support to feed their families and social media groups are often full of such pleas.
Mr. Speaker, through coordination, collaboration, and clear responsibility of duties, we can move forward with a solutionsbased approach to help build our agrifood sector. There is a lot of federal money available to the agrifood area which could help all our residents; first, by increasing money into the territory and bolstering economic activity but also by providing residents with a reconnection to the land a reconnection that has been shown to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing. We should be building green houses, investing in fertilizer production, and establishing seed sharing programs. We should connect those with land to those who don’t have it that want to garden. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it does not take much to start something positive and build the capacity within the NWT to feed ourselves. Steps must be taken now to support our agrifood industry, an industry that has been battered by two years of flooding and fires. I know that the GNWT can do more in this area, and it often only takes a small investment to see huge local results as demonstrated time and time again by the growers of our territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members before we continue, I'd like to draw your attention to the presence of a former Member, Mr. Jackson Lafferty. Mr. Lafferty was a Member from 2005 to 2021. Mr. Lafferty was a Regular Member, Minister, and Speaker of the House, and now grand chief. It's always good to see former Members come and cheer on the Members of today. Thank you.
Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
