Jackson Lafferty

I would like to ask the Minister about the process in also engaging the community, the community chiefs, and my Tlicho Government. I would like to know from the Minister what kind of engagement has taken place so far with respect to RCMP, the Commissioner, and also at the federal level within the Justice Department and my leadership. Could the Minister provide me with an update of what has been happening or what would be the process of engaging those parties?

Masi, Madam Speaker. [Translation] I want to ask the Department of Justice a question regarding there is supposed to be a new RCMP station in Whati. I would like to ask him questions regarding the Justice Department. [End of translation] I have questions for the Minister of Justice pertaining to the process of how we allocate a structure from one community to another community. I am referring to the RCMP detachment out of Whati to Gameti within the same region. I'd like to know from the Minister: what would be the process to establish that type of dialogue within my region and the other...

Mr. Chair, I'm not sure how Members feel that this is not an important matter. We're talking about $8.7 million here. New money. If nobody else is going to speak to it, I want to close it off by saying that this has been an ongoing issue since March, and then the secretariat came in in August. We need to have a coordinated approach. We always have that at the beginning, and I felt that it was the best approach amongst other departments.

The Member alluded to me attacking the Premier. It's the Premier's job to defend the government. I'm asking and I'm pointing facts to the Premier. I'm not...

Masi, Mr. Chair. [English translation not available.] Mr. Chair, I move that $8.277 million not previously authorized be deleted from the Health and Social Services operations expenditure for COVID secretariat in the Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021. Masi, Mr. Chair.

Masi, Mr. Chair. This is a whopping millions of dollars here. We can't just approve it just like that. In this House, maybe the Minister or the Premier can explain. The Premier did indicate that there was a strong support from Indigenous leaders across the North. I've been making a call to my leadership. I don't see the same note as the Premier alluded to. Just wondering if the Minister or Premier can elaborate more if there is overall support from Indigenous leadership across the North, and also the mayors and the NWTAC, are they in support? If so, can I have those in writing if they do have...

[Translation] Just regarding the interpreters' training, we do not have interpreters' training as of today. You can see there are interpreters here. Most of them have white hair, and now, in terms of their jobs, they are ready for retirement. We know that they are ready for retirement. What if they retire? We want to have another interpreter to take over. At this time, Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister. [Translation ends]. [Microphone turned off] ...interpreters are essential for the use and survival of our official languages. Could the Minister describe the government's plan...

Masi, Madam Speaker. [Translation] I have talked about regarding the interpreters. In the Northwest Territories, there are less than 10 interpreters in the Northwest Territories. Some of them are ready for retirement. Some of them will be retiring pretty soon. I would like to ask a question to the Minister of culture regarding the interpreters. The courthouse, medical interpreters, they all need interpreters, so I have a question for the Minister. [Translation ends]. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Madam Speaker, could the Minister of Education, Culture...

Masi, Mr. Chair. I feel it's important I speak my language, in summary, because this is a very delicate, sensitive matter in my region. [English translation not available.] Mr. Chair, towards this motion that I have submitted. I have been listening to the Members across the floor and here, as well, Regular Members, and different analogies have been read out. I like taking notes from Members when they speak so I can use their words, as well; similar to the Premier. Either we fight the fire or create a secretariat in the North. We must listen to the people. We only have limited resources. We are...

Mr. Chair, from what the Premier shared with us, obviously not everybody is onboard. This whole thing called secretariat, another form of bureaucracy within this government. We have 5,000-plus employees, almost 6,000, in the Northwest Territories, and we're going to create another 150. Mr. Chair, obviously, I fully support a coordination to deal with COVID-19 since March. We were doing fine with MACA and various other departments coordinating with internal resources, internal bodies that can take on these work assignments. When it came to the secretariat in August, that was the first time we...

Masi, Madam Speaker. I am glad that the Minister is confident and that there is work in place hopefully to develop some more or establish more interpreters here in the Northwest Territories. Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I am more focused on expediting the process. What we talked about is: there are two years or could be less. Will the Minister commit to developing a fast-track program for development of a new generation of professional Indigenous language interpreters here in the Northwest Territories, which is badly needed as we speak...