Norman Yakeleya

I certainly look forward to the Minister getting back to me in short order. Would the Minister look at possible time frames as to when we can expect a social worker to be in Tulita, having all the excuses being exhausted? When can the people in Tulita get a social worker in the community? How soon can the Minister get back to me?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services as to when she thinks that the people in Tulita can receive a resident social worker in the community.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to just again state very clearly that this piece of infrastructure would certainly help the people in the Sahtu region in terms of the benefits that I have read out in the motion. More importantly, because of the climate change that’s happening in the Northwest Territories and the safety issue of the residents who are coming in and out of the Sahtu using the ice road, also that will help us with our economic opportunities in terms of longer periods for oil and gas exploration or any other types of exploration that could be happening in the Sahtu, and that...

WHEREAS the Bear River Bridge project has been put on hold pending the identification and approval of a federal funding source;

AND WHEREAS the Department of Transportation is continuously examining federal funding programs that could provide financial support for the construction of the Bear River Bridge;

AND WHEREAS the department has completed a breakdown of costs of construction of the Bear River Bridge as well as a cost-benefit and regional impact analysis of the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension that includes a bridge over the Bear River;

AND WHEREAS the federal government has demonstrated...

Mr. Speaker, in 11 days… I know the Minister communicated with me that the local housing authority along with the tenants are trying to work out some repayment of the situations. However, the fact of the matter is that they have eviction notices signed off that families have to get out of the house, basically, and these families are, again, looking forward to seeing where they go. I know the Minister has indicated being there for the people. How, in this small community of Deline, will we look after 12 families that are going to need shelter? Because that’s going to cause other problems in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister work with the LHOs and the corporation in terms of direct, maybe -- I’m not sure if that’s the proper word -- the LHOs to work out some final arrangements as to tenants working off the arrears rather than have the eviction notice follow through? People right now are living in shacks, warehouses and tents in Deline. We need to get them back into units, for safety reasons and many other reasons I do not want to elaborate on. Would the Minister do that as soon as possible?

Thank you. I want to ask the Minister about solutions. I know there’s probably going to be other eviction notices to residents in the Sahtu, in the Northwest Territories. Can the Housing Corporation work with the people in the communities to see if they could work out some arrangements so that these eviction notices are not hanging out in huge, large numbers?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Miki O’Kane and also congratulate her. I agree with Mr. Robert C. McLeod that we should keep her with Aurora College. I want to congratulate her on being an inductee, and also Mr. Fred Carmichael for his endless…(inaudible)…of working with the Gwich’in people. I also want to recognize an inductee, in memory of Mr. Cliff King, one of my best high school teachers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

How many people are currently registered with the NWT Health Care Plan?

How many of those people registered temporarily reside outside of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. I’ve been reading the latest NWT survey, the housing component. The result and the adequacy are unacceptable in terms of housing in the Northwest Territories. I think if you were to do that in Deline right now in terms of the survey, the adequacy percentage would go right up. I guess in terms of working out an arrangement with the Housing Corporation around eviction, you know, in our small communities unemployment is very, very high. There’s not very much economic activity happening there. Can the Minister look within his department to look at arrangements where tenants can work off...