Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise here today to support the motion brought forward by the honourable Mr. Yakeleya, and the seconder, Mr. Hawkins. I do appreciate all the work that’s gone into providing the information here today.

It goes without saying, too, there are a lot of champions behind the scenes, not only in this government but governments across the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as the Yukon, and none more other than my fellow Twitter follower – and I follow him, as well – the honourable Mr. Ron Elliott in Nunavut. He’s been a strong champion of that in the Nunavut Legislature.

Really, in essence, how do you measure the success or failure of a program, any program for

that matter? And I’ll tell you, the answer is quite simple: The people will tell you. This particular initiative has been definitely brought forward very heavily, as Member Bisaro indicated, in the social media and Facebook. This has been a heavy, heavy Twitter following in terms of concern. I think the people have spoken loud and clear. We need to ask ourselves, did this new Nutrition North Program improve access to healthy foods. Again, I believe the people have spoken, and I believe it’s important that at this time we listen and heed to their wishes, and I think this motion does declare that wish.

For intents and purposes, many believe the intent was there. Yet, the better question we should be asking is: Do we meet the demands of providing healthy eating choices for the health and well-being of the people of the North? Again, I believe that answer is put into question today.

In 2012 a joint report coming from the Canadian Circumpolar Institute with the University of Alberta and the University of Oulu, Finland, identified clearly many indigenous peoples in the North have replaced their traditional food with, “a largely western diet that is partially responsible for the increase and the prevalence of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”

The motion today speaks well beyond the walls of the simple intake of carbohydrates, protein and sugar. It speaks to the problems we as a society have imposed on to our northern cultures in terms of health and well-being. It’s time that we need to mop up the shortcomings of this Nutrition North Program, and this motion provides the viable options that will make our health care costs more sustainable in this part of Canada. For those reasons alone, I will be in support of this motion.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nutritious food into the communities is very important to the government, and diet and exercise. A good diet and exercise are essential for the health care system. Affordable, nutritious foods going into the communities that otherwise cannot get nutritious food at an affordable rate is essential, and the government considers this to be a good motion and we’ll vote in support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. I’ll allow the motion mover, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. The motion speaks specifically to the Auditor General. The Auditor General of Canada has the authority to obtain and review all documents and information necessary for its preparation for this report, should it be accepted by them. More importantly, this report will provide proper recommendations that will be fair, accurate,

and give Northerners the confidence that this audit will be just and that they know where the money is going.

This audit will show us where the subsidies are being followed. If you go to the Northern Store or the Co-op, you would follow your money and this is what the audit will do. It’s following the money. Who gets it, who spends it and where does it go, and that’s what the audit is calling for.

I have letters from the residents of the Sahtu in regard to the Nutrition North Program versus the old Food Mail Program. One of the disappointing issues of this program is that people in Yellowknife now, because they were serving the people in my region through the Co-op or the Extra Foods or other stores, no longer can participate in this program. It’s just bureaucratic red tape and people in the Sahtu are frustrated because they can’t get their foods any cheaper now, except going into one store. It’s forced them into one store: the Northern Store.

Even the former public service says the federal government is trying to make the Nutrition North Program look like it’s working better than choosing unrepresentative baseline prices. So even an old federal government bureaucrat is saying something is wrong with this program.

We’ve got the Nunavut government, now our Government of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon government telling the program that something is wrong. I think that is a strong signal saying that there is something wrong with the program. It’s like telling a monkey it has three tails. One government tells it, it doesn’t pay attention, but if three governments are telling this monkey it has three tails, then it might look and say yes. So that’s what this motion is saying.

The Auditor General needs to look at this. This program is not serving the needs of our people in the Northwest Territories. I do applaud the Members for supporting this and I will be asking for a recorded vote. Thank you for allowing me to put forward this motion.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member has asked for a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.

Thank you. All those opposed? All those abstaining?

Motion is carried unanimously.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 18, first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 11, Financial Administration and Public Agency Statutes (Borrowing Provisions) Amendment Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Bill 11 has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi.

Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 13, An Act to Repeal the Curfew Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 13, An Act to Repeal the Curfew Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi,

that Bill 14, An Act to Repeal the Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 14, An Act to Repeal the Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 15, Gunshot and Stab Wound Mandatory Disclosure Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 15, Gunshot and Stab Wound Mandatory Disclosure Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. Abernethy.