Statement by the Honourable Carolyn Bennett Following Nutrition North Canada Meeting in Northwest Territories

NORMAN WELLS, NT, Jan. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, issued the following statement today while on her first visit as Minister to the Northwest Territories:

"As Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, I am privileged to have the opportunity to travel in Canada's North. During my trip I had the pleasure of visiting the wonderful community of Norman Wells and received a warm welcome from its residents.

Today, the Parliamentary Secretary Yvonne Jones and I met with representatives of the Sahtu Dene and Métis and the Inuvialuit, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, Michael McLeod, and registered Nutrition North Canada (NNC) retailers to begin preliminary discussions on how to work together and ensure that isolated northern families have access to affordable healthy food.

This first meeting marks the important work I've been mandated to undertake, along with the Minister of Health, to expand and improve the NNC program. We are taking all of the feedback we are receiving into account and will work with northern remote communities to ensure that the program is more transparent, effective, and accountable to Northerners and other Canadians. Through public engagement meetings in the coming months, we will be exploring and developing solutions developed by Northerners for Northerners."

This statement is also available on the Internet at www.aandc.gc.ca.

SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada

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