Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in light of the success our Premier has had in Ottawa with respect to health care funding, it's an opportune time to discuss HIV and AIDS as it impacts northern residents. Mr. Speaker, nationally statistics confirm that HIV and AIDS affect aboriginal people more compared to other ethnic groups. The cause of this is said to result from aboriginal people being disproportionately affected by various social, economic and behavioural factors. These factors include poverty, substance abuse and limited access to health care services, all of which are real and exist in many of our communities.
This government, with an increased commitment in health care dollars, must now commit to providing resources required to raise awareness on the devastating effect this disease has on the lives of those who are affected by the disease. It is a disease that, due to this devastating effect, makes people from all walks of life, including government, take the approach of trying to ignore it and hoping it goes away.
We cannot take this approach anymore. It's time to pull our heads out of the sand and take up the challenge of educating ourselves and our residents. Mr. Speaker, resources are required to support the territorial, regional and community organizations willing to take on the challenge of providing awareness through education. However, this government cannot absolve itself from the responsibility of providing and promoting HIV and AIDS awareness by having others do it for them.
Mr. Speaker it's my understanding that the group AIDS Yellowknife was dissolved in 2002, an organization committed to providing education and support to those concerned with the disease and those living with it and those whose lives are touched by it. It is organizations such as this that require the support of this government. I would encourage this government to seriously assess the resources currently made available to promoting HIV and AIDS awareness among all residents of the NWT. Furthermore, I ask that this government, through the provision of appropriate funding, encourage all groups to continue with the valuable work that they do in providing information and support to those people touched in some way by this disease. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause