SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay is voicing concern about the aging water and sewer infrastructure at Northland Trailer Park.

Residents have gone with intermittent water service due to frozen lines over the past few weeks, with some residents going without running water for more than a week.

He said the frequency of the line breaks means a "catastrophic line failure" is most likely on its way for the trailer park.

Last week Ramsay said the infrastructure should have been replaced 15 years ago and asked the minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Robert McLeod what plans are in the works to ensure federal funding becomes available to replace the infrastructure this summer, especially if there is a federal election this spring.

Last year the City of Yellowknife submitted a proposal for federal funds with the GNWT's support.

"Northland Trailer Park is home to 1,100 people, including close to 600 children," said Ramsay.

"When Northland residents see how quick the city is to jump at the Con Geothermal Project, trying to borrow $49 million and grab the available federal dollars, just how do you explain this to people who are living without a basic service like water and can't sell or refinance their home?"

McLeod said the department is working with the city to do what it can to advance the proposal in Ottawa.

"(Northland) is a privately-held corporation and we understand that there are a lot of issues out there and we're hopeful we can do what we can to help the residents of Northlands access some funding so they'd be able to get on with some overdue and needed repairs," he said.

MLAs want licensing of natural medicine practitioners

MLAs in the legislative assembly last week said regulating of naturopathic medicine would benefit the residents of the NWT by setting standards for care, help draw practitioners to the North and encourage people already in the North to pursue the career.

The Department of Health and Social Services is working on an umbrella Health and Social Services Profession Act to cover professions with small numbers of practitioners in the NWT. MLAs, including Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, want practitioners of natural medicine to be included in the legislation.

"Why can't this territory jump on the bus rather than watch another one keep going by?" asked Hawkins.

Minister for Health and Social Services Sandy Lee said there are massage therapists and other naturopathic professionals who are able to practice in the NWT and the credentials received from other jurisdictions are recognized here.

Lee said the department is reviewing the possibility of including the practice of naturopathic medicine in the new legislation coming forward which would cover the practice of different disciplines with the NWT.

Yellowknife MLA concerned by end of food program

MLAs emphasized the importance of the recently cancelled Food First program to Education Minister Jackson Lafferty in the legislative assembly last week.

Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro said she has heard from multiple educators about the success of the program, run by the Food First Foundation.

"I'd like to ask the minister whether or not there is any appetite on the part of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to reinstate the $400,000 that is sunsetting," said Bisaro on Tuesday.

Lafferty said the program is ending at the end of the month and added that as with any pilot program initiative, it will be evaluated to measure its success.

"Discussion comes forward after that. As we move forward to the business-planning cycle, this I'm sure will be a topic of discussion as well," said Lafferty.

He stated there are funds that schools are acquiring for programs such as the Healthy Food for Learning Grant, Drop the Pop and Aboriginal Student Achievement initiatives.

Bisaro said the Food First program in schools adds something necessary that the other programs don't cover.

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