Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to the training of employees and training of the departments, when can we see this department in terms of the type of training programs that will require staff members to really get a sense of the essence of traditional knowledge from our elders and how they would be implemented into future policies and programs and services within the GNWT?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in regards to the time frame and the implementation framework on the Traditional Knowledge policy. I wanted to ask the Minister in terms of this policy going forward in terms of a work plan. When can we expect to see some type of work plan that would start seeing the department have some staff orientation and other department staff orientation on the traditional knowledge framework?

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister look into the possibilities of developing a cogeneration plant in the Sahtu?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke about the energy initiatives in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. I was pleased to hear the Minister, during our debriefing this morning on the Mackenzie Gas Project, on the possibility of how the GNWT can help the communities of Tulita, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope in terms of the conversion to natural gas. Can the Minister inform me in the House in terms of where they are at with this study in terms of converting to natural gas in communities in the Sahtu?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of the Housing Corporation questions regarding the investments made into the Sahtu of the Northwest Territories in terms of having some simple homes such as log homes or some sort of simple homes in the communities like Colville Lake that could be built, in terms of being supportive of the GNWT’s vision and goals for this Assembly.

The Minister is correct that the department has shifted some of its focus onto the safety of the passengers in the Sahtu region on the winter road and they certainly appreciate the winter road improvements. I would ask the Minister if he would be open to having his staff talk to some of the local contractors in terms of some of the areas that they could certainly improve on, realignment, grade improvement, there are certainly discussions. We have driven the road, we know the road and certainly the department has some of the expertise to put to use, so I wonder if we could work in collaboration...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to focus my comments on the big picture within the department here and even with the GNWT. I would look forward to looking into details of the program that the department has, the Drive Alive Program. It’s a program for the public in terms of safety issues and adults, young kids having safety programs in our schools and communities. I would like to ask some questions in that area of the safety programs and that initiative, certainly for safety for the people in my region that have about 800 kilometres of winter road from Wrigley to Colville Lake.

Safety is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don’t need to go through a list of projects that have been delayed or put over for another year, because of some of the work that wasn’t done or was overlooked, maybe. I do know that there’s very competent and capable people doing these projects and I’m grateful for the amount of infrastructure dollars that are going into the North, especially into our communities in terms of transportation. You can see the priority in terms of the federal government in terms of the dollars that this department is receiving in terms of funding for much needed infrastructure in our...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just for clarification, are you asking for general comments on Transportation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would again go back to the elders, to the aboriginal traditional medicine, if that is something the Minister is open to saying is acceptable if people don’t want to take the vaccine. Some people are very afraid. Some of the elders go back to the 1928 flu epidemic and there is still lots of concern about that. There is a big scare out there right now. People should know that it’s also okay to take traditional medicines in terms of dealing with this flu epidemic.