Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, I say this in terms of the uniqueness and challenges in the Sahtu to construct houses. I am very happy. Yesterday the Minister had some positive exchanges with Mr. Menicoche in terms of the threshold communities like Colville Lake or Fort Good Hope. They need to come together and look at some of the challenges in terms of land and buildings, in terms of reading requirements to obtain a house here. That is why I asked the Minister if he would consider from his department to bring people together in the Sahtu and look at some of the unique challenges of constructing these homes here...

Mr. Speaker, again, the town will be very appreciative of the response here. In terms of this situation here, can I ask the Minister in terms of instructing his officials when they do meet with us, what constitutes emergency measures such as a situation like this with Norman Wells? Does this type of funding that the town is requesting fit in some type of policy that constitutes an emergency for this situation?

Mr. Speaker, the town of Norman Wells only did what any other community would have done to save its sewer plant, water intake plant. Certainly we would support the Minister in terms of going forward with the Building Canada Plan in terms of the projects. What is the status of these BCP projects in terms of 2009-10 with this government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Norman Wells has the smallest population of any tax-based municipality in the Northwest Territories. Located on a very large river, in the spring when the Mackenzie breaks up, ice jams cause flooding and shore lands can be battered.

Since its construction about 70 years ago, the town’s water treatment plant and macerator building have been at risk of ice damage and flooding and possible demolition of these very important buildings. The council requests funding from MACA to cover costs of a breakwater or seawall. The town thought the costs would come from the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Then, would the lead Minister consider in terms of helping out with some of the communities in terms of their research because, again, they are going to be at a disadvantage in terms of putting together some real solutions if they’re just going to have a question and answer period in terms of the panel going through the communities. I ask if the Minister would look at his funds and see if there are some dollars available for the communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask questions to the lead Minister on the Energy Coordinating Committee in terms of the review that’s going to be taking place in the Northwest Territories on rates and electricity review. In terms of these types of consultations that are happening in the Northwest Territories, can the Minister inform the House here, in terms of this type of discussion, will it be open and transparent with all the information and no set predetermination as to the information that’s going to be given to the people in those communities in terms of how they see the review of the...

In terms of the languages in our small schools, can the Minister advise me if there is any type of strategy within the next couple of months on how we start bridging the gap with our elders in our schools? I know there’s some discussion, but the elders are the ones who are the keepers of our language. Can the Minister let this House know what type of strategy he can bring forward within the next couple months on how to start implementing the elders into our schools?

Mr. Chairman, I also will be supporting this motion. I think this motion here speaks to sort of clearing the dust on these issues here. You have a program. You have the communities and municipal funding. You have expertise within the Department of Transportation and also they have studies done by the Municipal and Community Affairs office here. You think what we are asking here is through this motion here I am looking at it in terms of implementing a chipsealing program for the communities where there is expertise from the Department of Transportation which has the expertise, has the resources...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the importance of language and learning the importance of the first language. I want to ask the Minister of Education, in terms of the language programs in the Northwest Territories, if there are plans underway to bridge the gap with language between the home and the school in terms of introducing a strong elders program into the schools where language can be taught with our teachers and the elders involved.

I thank the Minister for his comments in terms of specifically recognizing that there certainly needs to be work done on the signage on our winter roads. I would even go to the extent that if the sign structure division can give some of these dollars to our region in terms of having the contractors do the work in our regions. These contractors put on these winter roads know the roads very well. They’re very well experienced. They know the terrain of our land. They know how to put these signs in and, provided that they’re given the proper resources and equipment to put these signs up properly...