I would like to remind the Members on the sidebar conversations that Mr. Beaulieu has the floor. He is answering the Member. Mr. Beaulieu, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The home care people will work with the feet of elders, especially elders with diabetes and so on and also trying to work with programs such as advising people with diabetes on activity and also diet. Thank you.

There has been an increase of diabetes in the Sahtu and in our smaller communities. I want to ask the Minister to continue this type of support that he just talked about, working with the Northern Stores, working with the Co-op to bring in some of their diet supplementary foods that people can purchase in these local stores to help them with the disease of diabetes. Does the Minister have a strategy with the local

stores to bring in supplies that would help people with diabetes?

The Member is right; diabetes is increasing by 200 people per year in the Northwest Territories. That is pretty extreme for a small population. We are developing a Diabetes Strategy. This is something the department is doing.

Currently we do various programs in the schools where we’re teaching kids about healthy choices and looking at their lunches and so on, discouraging any drinks or any type of food that has a high content of sugar and sodium, so we are trying to promote in the schools for the kids to eat a good, healthy lunch that includes lots of vegetables and fruit. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My mother had diabetes. She died because of diabetes so it is very close to me that this program here has the attention that is needed. There are people in the Sahtu that do have it today, people in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell me if this diabetes program we have now will receive a little more priority in terms of bringing programs into our communities that will give some indication to some early screening for our people in the communities that may not know that they are getting signs that diabetes could come into their life?

This very important item for the department is part of our overall prevention strategy. We have had discussions at a national level on childhood obesity which leads to diabetes among other things. Not only is this something that we are paying attention to in the Northwest Territories, but really it is a national issue. We are all on board and we all want to see a decrease in diabetes. It is a very bad disease. Many people have died from diabetes in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 9, written questions. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

1. Can the Minister provide the rate of diabetes

among Sahtu residents for 2003?

2. Can the Minister provide the rate of diabetes

among Sahtu residents for 2001 or the most recent year for which the data is available?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission Corporate Plan 2012.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Buying a Condominium: A User’s Guide” and “Owning a Condominium: A User’s Guide.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Item 19, second reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading with Bill 1, an Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act. Thank you.

The Minister is seeking consent for the second reading of the bill.

---Consent granted

Mr. Minister, you can conclude.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the second time.

This bill increases the allowance that may be borrowed by the Commissioner to ensure that the Consolidated Revenue Fund is sufficient to meet the lawful disbursements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, has had second reading.

---Carried

Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 1 moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Minister is seeking unanimous consent to move this bill into Committee of the Whole.

---Unanimous consent granted

Bill 1-17(2) is moved into Committee of the Whole.

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013; Tabled Document 2-17(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2011-2012; Tabled Document 3-17(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2011-2012; and Bill 1-17(2), An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.