Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we do have very specific information with respect to life expectancies. This is one area in our department where we have good news. We have reported to the standing committee that the life expectancy, for example, for aboriginal men has increased by ten years over the past ten years.

The Member raises the issue of why women seem to live longer. I think that this is typical everywhere. That is just another good news story.

-- Laughter

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The other area of concern I have is that when it comes to many of our communities, I do not think we do enough to enforce the nutritional value of country foods versus store bought foods. What research is being done to look at the value of the health of wild food products versus store-bought foods, especially a lot of this stuff that is imported from southern Canada? In a lot of communities, we are seeing a real increase in different diseases, such as sugar diabetes, obesity, things like that.

Has the department done anything in this area to see exactly how we can do more to promote the traditional lifestyles, the usage of fish and caribou meat versus junk food like chips and pop and Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken? Has the department done anything to look at that and promote the use of traditional foods? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I will defer that question to Ms. Praamsma.

Thank you, Ms. Praamsma. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know we give different types of bursaries. I think it is the mail order for food and what not to a lot of our communities. Have they looked at whether we are ensuring healthy foods are being subsidized versus us paying for pop and chips and what not to go into these communities?

I believe in places such as Greenland and also Iceland, they have a specific program that will subsidize people if they make the attempt to bring in green products, vegetables and that type of stuff, but they will not pay...that is why over there, if you want to buy a can of pop, you will be paying five or six dollars because they will not cover the cost of transporting that stuff. The cost of vegetables and nutritional foods, milk products, are cheaper because the government subsidizes the cost of importing this food into the communities, which serves as a healthy balance. It is affordable. That is where I think we have a real problem in our communities. For a lot of our people who find themselves on income support, especially if you have a large family, to try to spread the money around to buy different products in our communities, it is too costly.

I would like to know if the department has looked at that or is there a possibility of doing a review or survey of the other northern countries who are implementing such a program when it comes to ensuring the nutritional value of the food we bring into the North, where this government pays for specific subsidies and also the Canada Post.

I would like to ask the Minister if they have looked at it or are considering it. Is this something that can be considered?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Ms. Praamsma.

Thank you, Ms. Praamsma. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, will the department consider looking at other countries who are delivering such a program? I believe it has been successful in other countries such as Iceland and Greenland. I am just wondering if the department will look at doing a research project to see if we can implement a similar program.

For us in the North, we do not really see it when you purchase items. As I say, a can of pop, you can buy for $1.50, but if you want to buy a quart of milk, you are talking about six or seven dollars. If anything, the price should be switched around. We should, as a government, try to find ways to improve the nutritional value of food and make it affordable to people in the Northwest Territories. Right now, the way it is in many of our small communities, it is not affordable, which is why a lot of people are switching to cheaper foods.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Minister of Finance and my deputy are both saying agreed, so I do not have much choice. The Member raises a good point. Certainly the department is interested in ensuring that people have affordable, nutritional food. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

The motion will be distributed to the Members. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also have a motion under this activity. Mr. Chairman,

I MOVE that this committee recommends the Minister develop a computer security strategy for the department that would restrict access to information and actual computer systems, both physically and electronically.

AND FURTHER, that the strategy should be communicated to the department and board staff and adequate training provided.

AND FURTHERMORE, the elements of this strategy should also be communicated to residents of the Northwest Territories for greater public comfort.

The motion is being circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried. Detail, we are on page 6-10, directorate and corporate services, operations expense, total operations expense, $24,462,000.

Page 6-12. Directorate and corporate services, grants and contributions, contributions, total contributions, $4,599,000. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Regarding the community wellness program, it says for organizations and governments at the community level. I see it has been decreased from last year, yet communities have been asking for different programs to deal with their own problems. We have many not-so-healthy communities, especially when you are dealing with problems such as alcoholism, illiteracy and unemployment. I would like to ask the Minister, what is the department doing to ensure there is an increase in this area and that the program is more accessible and more money goes into the communities?

The money they receive right now could be increased to make the program workable. The way you have it now, you have just enough money to run a small little program. Has the department looked at ensuring this program is more accessible to all communities, rather than just a few? Also, will there be more money put into the budget in the future?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The money that is being referred to under this particular page is community wellness programs and it is given to territorial organizations such as the Northwest Territories Seniors Society, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the Canadian Mental Health Association, health promotion pilot projects, Northwest Territories Council for Disabled, Family Violence Shelters Association, Hay River Dene Band, Grollier Hall Residential School Planning Circle Group. This money does not actually flow to the communities. It goes to the organizations I have listed. Thank you.