We can look at ways to formalize a process with local businesses and trucking or large companies, so that people can take advantage of extra space or purchase space at a reduced rate to bring items into their communities. This solution does not have to be costly or bureaucratic, but

simply a local service based on helping people in our small communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ontario physicians have recently issued a call for higher taxes on junk food and graphic warnings on food with no nutritional value. While I’m sure that they mean well, I don’t think junk food taxes or warning labels get at the real cause of childhood obesity and I would hate to see us go down that road. I personally hope that bags of chips and chocolate bars don’t start to look like those cigarette packages with the scary faces and scenes on them.

Although the message is important, we all know that obesity, of course, directly relates to what children eat and there’s no mystery to that. It is the cornerstone of one of the bigger issues of the problem. In the North the reality is that junk food is far cheaper than healthier food and a tax on junk food won’t close that gap. I ask: Is junk food really the problem or are we fighting the right fight with the right resources? Or are healthy foods so darned expensive that many people in the communities and in the North just can’t afford it? I know that is a contributing factor that is a real factor.

Obesity, as I’m sure the Minister will agree, is one that is closely related to the physical activity that people have, which has been significantly dropping since the invention of video games and access to TV. My house is absolutely no exception to that reality. This discussion got me thinking, of course, with asking ourselves if we are spending too much time on the assumption of anecdotal evidence. But how much time do we spend on gathering true evidence to make fact-based decisions for our programming and future programs in the government? Should we tax or create regulations?

Do we regulate or collect data on children’s indicators such as obesity rates, prevalence of Type II Diabetes, and things like physical activity? What about immunization rates, number of visits to the hospital centres, emergency care rooms, dentist visits, treatment for acute illnesses, prevalence to asthma and allergies? The list goes on. What I’m getting at is the fact that we need regular reporting on children’s health indicators like these that would be an invaluable resource for decision-makers such as ourselves to determine where our scarce and sacred resource programming dollars must go.

What I’m calling for is an annual NWT state of children report that, although it may not be annual in the context of year to year, this government could look closely at producing something every five years. It’s facts and data like this that could help us plan and invest our limited resources. Yes, the other night I went to Mr. Miltenberger’s budget dialogue, but the fact is the Lego was great for visual but we need the facts behind us to know where we need to spend our priorities and focus our attention on resources.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s good to be back in the House today. I don’t often miss a sitting of the Legislative Assembly, but the last three days have been like Groundhog Day for me. It’s the same thing: get up, get ready, get stuck in the driveway, go to the airport, find out that the plane is cancelled, and go home.

It’s unbelievable for you up here in Yellowknife to even think about the condition of the South Slave right now in terms of the snowfall. I, in my 38 years in Hay River, have never seen anything like that. We heard reports of it coming in from north, south, east and west on Saturday, but it was just overcast and very windy, and the lake had the moderating effect of it not turning into anything serious. Monday we had sleet, all day and on top of six inches of slush we got six inches of snow. Of course, it’s a mess and it goes from there.

I would like to recognize and thank all the people who are doing their hardest to keep up with it and keep ahead of it. There have been many, many power bumps and power outages because the lines are all coated with ice and heavy, heavy snow. The people at the runways and airports, the town streets, I mean, everybody is doing their utmost and working around the clock to try and stay ahead of it. When I checked the forecast this morning, it was heavy snowfall warning again for today. It is indeed an unusual circumstance.

I thought since we were talking about fire and flood, I’d tell you about the snow in the South Slave. It hasn’t been in the media so I know you people probably find it really, really hard to believe that it’s that bad, but it is. I hope everybody has it all cleaned up and the planes are flying. I’ll be home tomorrow night.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Dolynny on October 17, 2012, regarding finance costs related to Nunavut debt.

The amount receivable which was over 120 days past due to the Government of the Northwest Territories from the Government of Nunavut was

$890,965.77 in June 2012. The current amount due between 90 and 120 days is $2,262.18, and the amount due over 120 days is $13,034.30.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize some of the people in the gallery here today on a special event. Mr. Leo-Paul Provencher, executive director of the Federation Franco TeNOise; Mr. Jean-Francois Pitre and Andreanne Laporte, both from Conseil de developpement economique des Territoire Nord-Ouest. Also Benoit Boutin, who is here with us as well. He is the executive director of Francophone Affairs Secretariat. Also Lorne Gushue, who is here with us also from Francophone Affairs Secretariat. I would just like to say welcome and I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a good friend, Heather Coakwell from Hay River and one of the Coakwells expecting here in the near future a new child. Also my constituency assistant, Myrtle Graham. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent, Mr. Jeff Corradetti.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize my constituency assistant and elder and chief from the Shuhtagot'ine people from Tulita, Mr. David Etchinelle.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Ramsay and I are fighting over a constituent. I would like to recognize Mr. Corradetti. Jeff has recently moved from Mr. Ramsay’s riding to mine, so you get double recognition, Jeff.

I’d also like to say hi to Heather. We should be golfing again without your big belly next summer.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize David Etchinelle, as

well, who is an active Member of the Dehcho First Nation.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Minister of Education for recognizing two constituents of mine. First, Lorne Gushue, who is a very well-known advocate in the city of Yellowknife and I thank him for joining us here today. And, of course, Benoit Boutin, who provides such exemplary work here in the GNWT. I want to thank him for his generous contribution to our public service.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I’d like to welcome all visitors here in the public gallery today. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.