Norman Yakeleya

I look forward to that letter being sent to the Members for their follow up.

Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie River three stations that were under the suspension are Strong Point, Norman Wells and Arctic Red River. The Mackenzie River has been identified as one of the only few critical river systems at risk in Canada by the World Wildlife Fund that’s not being monitored currently. The Mackenzie River should be considered international transboundary water because it flows into the Arctic Ocean, or a heritage river given its significance to Canada and the world.

I want to ask the Minister who today is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister, does the Water Stewardship Strategy or any transboundary agreement include the provision that can be done if a responsible authority like the federal government does not uphold their commitments to protect water for the people of the Northwest Territories.

I guess the question here is how serious is our federal government in Ottawa closing down these 21 monitoring stations at this time saying that they’re committed to environment and water. What is it costing them through this reduction of the funding? Hundreds? Millions? Tens of millions of dollars? They’re only keeping two, one in the South Slave and one in Hay River. I want to ask the Minister here what other things we can do to convince this government that they need to pay attention to the water and put more balance to the funding, and not to allow industry to spoil our land here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The federal government signed a Water Stewardship Strategy that includes action items to include water quality monitoring in the Northwest Territories. The federal government signed land claims agreements that committed to sustainable, unaltered water quality. The federal government signed a Devolution Agreement-in-Principle that was based on 23 active water quality stations in the Northwest Territories.

This is sad conduct on the government’s commitment to clean, abundant water. It’s an insult to the people of the Northwest Territories and all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From time immemorial our elders were taught by their elders, just as I was taught by my elders. Mr. Speaker, the basics to me that was taught by the elders is that our land is alive, powerful and even holy.

Mr. Speaker, part of our understanding is about the value of our land, which also means the water; they are both the same. We understand the importance of clean water, the source of all life. Without it, surely we will all perish.

That’s why I am very concerned about the future of the Northwest Territories water quality. Two weeks ago the federal government suspended...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

How many lots owned by the NWT Housing Corporation were previously owned by community members?

How many grievances were filed with the NWTHC regarding lots previously owned by community members?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Shame on this federal government for scaling back on such an essential part of our life: the water.

I want to ask the Minister, the water quality monitoring in our national parks has been suspended, leaving our parks really vulnerable. I want to ask the Minister, in his Water Strategy with the federal government, now, I’m not too sure how good that document is, but I believe the Minister is working very hard and it’s a fine document. What will it take the federal government to know that these responsibilities, the core of our people, and leaving national parks in as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister further questions on the issue I just spoke about. Mr. Speaker, I live on the Mackenzie River. A lot of my people also live on the river and live in areas where water is their source of life. The Auditor General report from 2010 states that water quality monitoring in the North is not adequate. The federal government signed a Water Stewardship Strategy with the GNWT that talks about improving the water quality monitoring in the Northwest Territories. In closing, Mr. Speaker, the federal government signed a land claim agreement within the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize my lovely wife and my lovely supporter. I want to recognize her for being here in the gallery to see us work and to be here supporting me.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today and tomorrow when we finish our House business here and we go back to our communities, we will still go back to where people are going to be in their tents, in their warehouses, and we need to let them know. Certainly we can let them know about the options that are there for housing that’s provided for them. I guess that’s one of the cruel realities of not taking full ownership or full responsibility for your issues. There are two sides to a story. I guess what I want to ask a Minister is: is his corporation going to be putting some of the stronger homeless...