Norman Yakeleya

Exactly what the Minister has indicated is what the people in Fort Good Hope want. They want to know if there’s some sort of proper testing that can be set up in the community because of the increase of cancer recently by the health care on our residents. It was done in Aklavik several years ago. Certainly it can be done now in Fort Good Hope. So I would ask the Minister if he would begin working with our health board and the staff, to start implementing some guidelines to the health centre so people then can be assured when they go to the health centre, if they request a test that this test...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to as soon as possible looking at some of the plans that will ensure they increase the services of dentists in the Sahtu, or any type of program that takes care of the peoples’ teeth.

I want to ask the Minister what type of support is he giving to people who have emergencies in cases such as the ones we have been dealing with in the past, the ones that we’re looking at to support people. If they cannot wait, they need to be flown out to the larger centres to have their teeth fixed. Sometimes it has to come out of their own pocket to pay for the travel, and...

The Minister has made some very valuable points that are noted here. Finding a dentist can be a very difficult task; however, we’re talking about lives that are so important that we need to have the dentists in our community. We’re playing with people’s lives if we don’t have the proper care.

I want to ask the Minister what plans… If during this difficult task of finding great dentists, is he working with some northern dentists where the prices may be somewhat higher but we have the services in the Sahtu?

People need them. It’s not like putting a bridge across the Mackenzie River. These are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague Ms. Bisaro for bringing this motion to the committee level and receiving support to it today where we had a theme on anti-poverty and I was very happy to offer my support to second her motion.

This is a very important piece of work that is not yet completed by some very dedicated people in the Northwest Territories that see that this is a doable thing within the life of this government or within the Northwest Territories and more so raise the issue of the poverty situation in our communities in the Northwest Territories.

Ms. Bisaro touched on...

I look forward to the report some time in 2012. As part of the report, has there been any type of discussion on any upcoming legislation that would support the strategy for the anti-poverty for the North?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about growing up in Tulita – at that time Fort Norman – as a young boy and what we had to do to support each other. I guess my question is probably to the Premier.

We didn’t know what poor was until we started to have some measurement of what other people had that we didn’t have. We supported each other. I want to ask the Premier if this government is working on a definition of poverty for the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was thinking about the Member’s statement I’m going to say this afternoon and I’m thinking about growing up in Tulita with my family. I want to start my Member’s statements from one of my uncle’s visits. He often talked to me over the time that he was alive in Tulita. He said if you wanted something done or you wanted something for yourself or your family just go and do it. Don’t rely on anybody. You have two hands, you have two ears and you have a mind, and thank God that he’s going to make use of you today.

Today people may be wondering why I’m starting my Member’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very hopeful in hearing the Minister’s words that if there is some interest or some need that we need to look at some legislation to support the Anti-Poverty Strategy initiatives, that we could have a look at it and, of course, that will support the goals of the Caucus priorities to see where we need to move away from some of the issues that are brought forward. I want to ask the Premier if he would put out a call or discussion paper or something that would now begin to bring in the key people to start working on this Anti-Poverty Strategy for some finality within...

There are various interpretations of the definition of poverty. There are forums on how to tackle poverty in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Premier, in his work that is before him with the anti-poverty organizations and communities, does he have an indication as to when a strategy will be completed that will have further discussions with Members from this side?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize two staff members from the MP’s office, Joy Newton and Josh Campbell. I’d also like to recognize our honourable colleague David Krutko, a former Member of the House here. I’d also like to say how happy I am today to see my wife and my son. I love you both.