Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to honour Mrs. Judy Lafferty of Fort Good Hope, who was chosen as the Sahtu recipient at the annual Wise Woman Awards yesterday.

Mrs. Lafferty is a traditional woman who has many skills. Her beadwork is remarkable. Her ability to prepare meat and make dry fish is impeccable, and her care in raising a family is priceless.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Lafferty has always mentioned that her learning came from her late mother, Mrs. Mary Barnaby, who is no stranger to the Sahtu region.

On behalf of the Sahtu, congratulations to Mrs. Lafferty and the other well-deserved...

Mr. Chair, that’s all I have to ask.

Who are these industries?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask a question on the $140,000 with regards to the winter road ice paving program and also to enhance the winter road there. Is the $140,000 something that the Department of Transportation negotiated with industry with regards to their use of the winter road, their use of sections of the winter road? Is it to put water on the roads and to do other work to ensure that there’s safety with industry as they haul their equipment through the Sahtu region?

Madam Chair, I just want to let the Speaker know and also the Office of the Clerk that I appreciate the work that their staff do to accommodate us during our busy work as MLAs. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. I have two other themes here. The second one is, with the low prices of the fuel products, are we now into a position where we are now possibly saving money for our territorial government. I’m not too sure how long that will remain in the low bracket of pricing our fuel out. How are we doing comparing that to the biomass, the wood pellets, in regard to putting wood pellets into our communities and using that product now? Because at one time the diesel prices were quite high and so we started to look at other means of energy into our communities, especially into my region...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have some general questions for the Minister on the petroleum products division and the energy conservation department here. I want to ask the Minister, in the government’s dealings, where are we receiving our fuel products from? Which country, which area, and how much are we receiving?

Has the department initiated some policies or regulations to protect our…(inaudible)…from any type of abuse or any type of stealing of our designs or our beadwork?

A bundle of money, Mr. Chair. Okay, I’ll leave that and I’ll figure that out.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of ITI. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, has his department been investigating or looking at a concept where international beading or design-making or makers come together in the North to share their experience with other designers around the world?