Thank you. Mr. McNeely. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried. ---Carried

Comments and questions for this section? Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, be amended on page 25 by inserting the following words under the “Fostering Healthy Family” section, “We will reduce poverty in the NWT by implementing the GNWT commitments in the Territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan, continuing to work with our partners to advance the plan and supporting communities' priorities for wellness.”

And further, that the proposed mandate be amended on page 26 by deleting the words, “Supporting community wellness priorities that address the pillars of the Anti-Poverty Strategic Framework and aim to reduce the effects of poverty on children.” Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Green. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to give you some background on this motion. Starting in 2009, a group of non-profit organizations from around the Northwest Territories came together to lobby the government to create an Anti-Poverty Action Plan, and during the 17th Assembly that strategic framework was completed. Following on with that, then two action plans were developed, one by the GNWT reflecting the commitments of various departments that serve people in poverty, and another by a multi-stakeholder group of which I was part that then came up with the Territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan, which was tabled in the Legislature in June of last year. The Territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan has been administering an anti-poverty fund for the last two years of approximately $500,000, in which there is a call for proposals to address poverty at the grassroots level. It has been taken up by small communities to address their most immediate needs, often around food, the production of food, or the harvesting of food. The point of this amendment is to draw attention to the fact that this work is ongoing and that we want to talk about poverty in a more general sense than only the effects on children, although it is important to say that children are disproportionately affected by poverty. In the NWT, the 2010 tax filer data for the NWT says that as many as 30 per cent of children throughout the whole territory are living with low income. We know from the number of meals that are served by organizations like Breakfast for Learning that food is a major issue for children. All of that to say we need to continue the good work that's being done, both within the government and by the Territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan to combat this scourge. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion.

Question has been called. I will allow Ms. Green to conclude debate on the motion.

I have nothing further to add. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Green. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

We will continue discussing the “Community Wellness and Safety” section. Any comments? Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 be amended on page 27 by inserting the following words, under “Taking Action on the Crisis of Family and Community Violence,” section, “continuing the support for a healing program for men who use violence in intimate relationships such as the Wek'eahkaa, A New Day Healing Program.”

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The New Day Program is a men's program. As people might be aware, family violence within the communities is at an all-time high and it's reached the crisis level, and we need to do something about it. Part of this initiative, the men's healing program is addressing the matter of family violence and at the same time, giving opportunity for men to make positive changes in their lives. This program has been in operation since 2013. It's been a pilot project and a pilot program, and at this point, there have been discussions in terms of making an assessment of the program at some point and possibly looking at the idea of expanding the program. That's more likely an exercise that governments would have to do, but the idea is to move this pilot project to a permanent program so that these kinds of healing opportunities and wellness initiatives are made available within communities at the same time, at least accorded to men as well. For those reasons, I'll support this motion. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As Mr. Nadli has correctly pointed out, family violence is at the second highest level in the NWT of the entire country, and unfortunately much of our funding efforts are aimed at helping the victims of violence after the violence has happened. This program is unique in trying to provide a systemic solution to family violence by treating the people who are expressing their anger with violence. I support it because it would make a long-term difference not only to the people who are experiencing violence now, but also to their families to spare their children from witnessing and repeating the cycle of violence in their lives.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion.

Question has been called. I'll allow Mr. Nadli to conclude debate on the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think my colleague has further explained needing to consider this whole initiative in ensuring certainty in terms of moving forward on this program and making it available to men, and also at the same time, addressing the whole issue of family violence. I think this is a step forward. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

We will continue our discussion of the “Community Wellness and Safety” section. Comments. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 be amended on page 27 by deleting the words, “We will promote a national physical activity strategy for all residents to improve health and fitness,” and insert the words, “We will develop and implement a Northwest Territories physical activity strategy for all residents to improve health and fitness.”

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Thompson.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Regular physical activity relieves stress, builds muscle, strength, reduces disease and injury, improves vascular health, and helps maintain healthy body weight. Current studies show that only 15 per cent of Canadian adults and almost seven per cent of Canadians meet New Physical Activity Guidelines, which are minimum requirements to maintain or improve health. A 2007-2009 CANPLAY report Canadian physical activity levels among youth stresses only 13 per cent of Canadians and youth in Canada are accumulating 60 minutes of physical activity per day. ParticipACTION stated that the economic burden of physical inactivity is established at $5.3 billion and the burden to our healthcare system is established at $2.1 billion. To address this inactive crisis, several programs have been created by Canadian organizations, building the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, the Active 2020 strategy, and Canadian Sport Policy, 2.0.

The inactivity conditions in the NWT are just as bleak. Less than half the population participate in enough physical activity to maintain or improve their health. The 2011 NWT Health Status Report stated that a proportion of the NWT residents 12 years and older who report moderate or high physical activity decreased from 54 to 41 per cent since 2003, and 63 per cent of NWT residents are overweight or obese compared to 51 per cent of other Canadians. Currently, several NWT groups and organizations in the sport and recreation sector are doing their best to keep people active. However, there are no overarching NWT specific guides. There's evidence that the NWT needs to take action to find a solution to the inactivity crisis by developing a physical activity strategy. This was in 2012. We haven't done anything and we still continue to see the crisis, and by following a national program or promoting it, it does meet our needs. Therefore, I ask to have this moved so we can have an NWT strategy, and implement it, so we can be proactive and improve the health of our residents of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. To the motion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS

: Question.

Question has been called. I'll allow you to conclude debate on the motion, Mr. Thompson.