Norman Yakeleya

Thank you. I’d like to ask the Minister if he will start that discussion with his colleagues, with the Assembly within the life of this government, start putting together some discussions, some option papers, to see that the Minister of Seniors can have some type of authority, some leverage of funding just like the Native Women’s Association or the youth or the Women’s Secretariat. We’ve got to have some money for the elders secretariat. The elders need that. So I want to ask the Minister is he willing to commit, within the life of this government, to put some discussion papers, have a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the elders’ wisdom and their discussions with me and I want to ask the Minister responsible for Seniors regarding helping out elders in our small communities. It seems that the elders are really in need of some tender loving care and I want to ask the Minister are there any type of discussions within his department, with his colleagues to review looking at the role of the Minister responsible for Seniors and put some real dollars behind that department? Thank you.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. There was a quote that I’d like to do my Member’s statement on. The quote is: “The land is in my blood.” One reason for the lack of understanding between the European people and the Aboriginal people can be traced back to the early world views of Aboriginal humanity. For example, taking care of our elders or taking care of our land. Both are different but yet they are the same.

It is in the European’s view of the natural world that our resources are primary value, quite simply of raw material. In the North we have a wealth of these resources. For example, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to also ask the Minister for a response in regard to the fault of this fuel spill. Was it the manufacturer? Was it the contractor? I’m hoping that with the operator that they do certain checks, that the operator doesn’t get dinged with a big fuel bill for cleanup. Has that been sorted out? Is the person who is responsible picking up the tab on this?

I look forward to that new protocol, because it was about 11,500 litres spilled in Fort Good Hope due to the damage of one of the faulty valves that were leaking. I want to ask the Minister if this is the case in other tank farms across the Northwest Territories where this piece of valve was fitted into our tank farms.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister indicate to me, make a commitment within this time frame before the next business planning cycle, to come to the House with some discussion papers as to how we could look at creating an elders secretariat that would be fully responsible just for the elders in the North?

Thank you. That being the case, I’d like to ask the Minister if he’s willing to continue to work with his colleagues, but also maybe come to a point of asking his colleagues saying I need some money, I’m out there begging the Department of Education, MACA, Housing, you know, I need to have some money in my own budget so I can take care of the seniors the way I think they need to be taken care of The Minister has heard a lot of complaints from me about the seniors and I want to know when will this Minister get a pot of money to help our elders rather than go and beg the other Ministers to help...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to recognize the Native Women’s Association. Of course, your mother. I also want to recognize my wife. Every day in my house is women’s day and international day for me. It’s just that sometimes I don’t get her flowers, so I’m sorry.

I also want to recognize her sisters, Cecile Deneyoua and Doris Camsell. My colleague recognized her, so welcome to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are builders in the North. The North is building itself, and now we are living in interesting times. We just completed the Deh Cho Bridge and we’re nearing completion of the Devolution Agreement. Now our eyes are focused on the Mackenzie Valley Highway. I am pleased to be able to provide my support for the Mackenzie Valley Highway and also for the Tuk-Inuvik road.

I know that the leadership in the Mackenzie Beaufort region has worked hard for many years and worked with both governments to make this project a reality. I believe this project will benefit the residents...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to make a comment here to the regional operations. I spoke to the people in my region and they’re very, very happy that the regional operations for the overall management and the single window services centres are very good. I think they really were happy that we are continuing support and expanding in my region. They were quite happy with this. I think they said this is probably the best thing since sliced bread here. The people are happy and the people could have operations done in their own language, so this was good. Whoever thought about this idea, I mean...