Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of MACA alluded to in her statement earlier, the 18th Assembly's mandate includes an important commitment to addressing the current high cost of living. Going into the next period of our government's term, I would like more discussion and commitment to specific steps we can take to improve this territory's food security as a key factor in decreasing our cost of living.
Currently, we have committed to the development and implementation of an agricultural strategy. This will be a key document that will allow our government to give guidance and support to a budding agricultural movement in our territory. However, for us to reach some of the goals we have outlined we cannot focus on growing and harvesting of local food only. I think we must include the distribution and retail issues in our food systems as well.
For example, we want to revitalize commercial fisheries and traditional harvesting activities as part of our local food system. This will include distribution and retail issues that we must explore and examine. In order to fully understand the issues, I think we look to and include our municipal and private sector partners, Mr. Speaker.
We know that the measures we are supporting will reduce the cost of living and reduce our territory's carbon footprint and increase the types of economic opportunities that will be available in all of our communities. We have some very important examples of this right now with the Northern Farm Training Institute in Hay River and the Yellowknife Farmer's Market. These organizations are working at the community level to improve local food systems and support healthy and traditional food choices. They are able to identify issues beyond production and make suggestions to us on policy, program, and legislative changes to consider in support of reliable community food supplies.
For this reason, Mr. Speaker, I think it is imperative that our government continues to partner with these and similar organizations. These partnerships, along with other investments we are making in community transportation infrastructure, are what is going to change the food security challenges we are currently faced with.
Mr. Speaker, I think we all want to see a territory where people have opportunities to participate in the economy while lowering costs of living and supporting their local and family food needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.