Norman Yakeleya

The people in the Northwest Territories, when they looked at the economic development, such as oil and gas, mining, traditional economy, the fishery industry, anywhere around the North they look at the projects with their eyes wide open and they look at the possibilities.

In regard to the mining sector in the Sahtu, is there a willingness on behalf of his department to look at a mining conference so we can look at the whole buffet sort of thing of what is involved with mining, getting our people ready, getting the region ready if we are to ever, ever get a road into those mines so we can start...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ITI. It has been noted that the Sahtu received, to date, $13 million from the royalties from the diamond mines here. There are mining opportunities in this area here and I want to look at opportunities for jobs, especially outside the Yellowknife region.

I want to ask the Minister, what ways are you helping to ensure Sahtu residents are prepared for opportunities in the mining sector, either in this area here or in the Sahtu region?

I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is correct. In the research I have done, there’s world-class, high-grade potential mineral in the Sahtu. The challenge for us is we don’t have the infrastructure to extract it and develop the jobs. Out of interest in the 2013 youth report, the number one issue for the youth is they want jobs and that’s what I’m looking for.

So, with the Minister’s department, the Sahtu and the Chamber of Commerce, can we look at, within the life of this government, a mining conference that is proposed through his department? Would the Minister look at tabling it to see if we...

I want to ask the Minister of ITI in regard to the Sahtu region. I’d like to look at some of the areas that we can explore with the Minister’s engagement with the communities to prepare community workers for training in the mining sector either in Selwyn, Howard’s Pass, MacTung or the DEMCO around Great Bear Lake.

Is the Minister looking at any type of training to prepare for these mining operations?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a tradition of putting my final Member’s statement of the budget session to song. I know my colleagues look forward to it every year with great anticipation, as you do too, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, early in this session, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment announced the traditional names for the great Mackenzie River that flows north majestically through our beautiful land. We’re all familiar with the South Slavey name for the river, Deh Cho. In my language, the North Slavey language, the name is a little different. The great Harry Bellafonte paid...

Is the Minister receiving any type of signals from the federal government in respect to the proposal that is now in the office of the federal government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Transportation. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation questions on the Inuvik-Tuk highway.

Are we on schedule, on budget and on time to complete the highway as said in the House in previous years?

Thank you. I’ll continue working with the Minister on this issue. I want to look at the other areas in the Sahtu.

Have there been any other sites in the Good Hope/Colville Lake area in regards to mining activities that are left for remediation by this government or the federal government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of ENR. In my Member’s statement I talked about the mining industry impacts. Today I want to focus on the environment and the cleanup, and later on I’ll focus on the business opportunities and the potential opportunities and challenges to date.

I want to ask the Minister of Environment, has this government been working with the federal government in regards to the Bear Lake remediation cleanup of the mines that have been happening in that area? It’s been reported that 700,000 tonnes of waste was dumped into Bear Lake. Is the government...