Norman Yakeleya

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.

In my question to the Premier regarding the constitution issue, certainly as he said Ottawa takes a lot of resources out of the Northwest Territories. In his discussions with devolution and resource revenue sharing, that is possibly a signal in terms of the development of a constitution and protection of constitutional rights in the Northwest Territories. In his discussions with those two specific areas, is that where this government and Cabinet is looking at how we can evolve into getting stronger constitutional protection rights for the Northwest Territories where we can stand up and say yes...

Mr. Chair, I know it’s a real challenge in our small communities. We were trying to figure out how we can best utilize the maintenance people that are on the ground right now and also, at the same time, educate the tenants in those public or private units. It works both ways. Some things the tenants are doing that are not quite correct, but they are used to picking up the phone if something goes wrong. Usually it goes to the local housing authority and they dispatch a worker and that means pulling them off the job to go there. Sometimes it’s quite hectic for them. I guess what I’m looking at...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Premier’s discussions with the other Premiers has this type of discussion ever come up in terms of having the Northwest Territories play a greater role in the confederation of Canada in terms of asking for what we want rather than being treated like an orphan of the federal government? We are moving out of that or hoping we’re going to move out of that frame of mind with the federal government. Has the Premier had any support in discussions with the other Premiers?

Fair enough. I guess we can always say that we can interpret these numbers however we want to justify our decisions as to where we spend money. I would say that, in the areas where the core needs are down, some of the areas that have an all-weather road system are easier. It’s cheaper to get materials to and from communities where there is accessibility to electricians, plumbers and carpenters and they don’t have to use the barging system. I guess what I’m asking with these numbers that you have produced is how these monies are distributed with your core need. I certainly would see that in...

In terms of the joint process and how to approach the federal government and the opportunities so all people in the Northwest Territories can have the opportunity to work together, is the Premier and his Cabinet, as well as the Members on this side here, going to see an opportunities paper or discussion paper saying this is over the last several discussions with leaderships right across the North, I think we’re ready to move on with this issue here to approach the federal government. Has the Premier thought about this in terms of a time frame of when this can happen?

Mr. Chairman, just on the adequacy, suitability and affordability problems in our regions, I know that Nahendeh and the Sahtu have pretty high core need numbers percentage-wise. I guess what I want to ask the Minister in terms of bringing down these numbers in these two different regions under these programs and district operations, is this the goal of this corporation to look at where there are high needs? They continue to be high until we have adequate funding to build in these regions because there are very unique challenges in the regions in terms of delivery, isolation and also there are...

Mr. Speaker, when I look at the Northwest Territories in terms of health and social services facilities, I see them in different regions. I don’t see anything in the Sahtu in terms of emergency shelters, seniors facilities or regional wellness centres. When I spoke to the regional health board CEO, the priority from the board was a regional wellness health centre. I am saying that we can be creative in terms of looking at funding that could be available because this is a long-term facility. We are looking at other options that we could do within the life of this Assembly. So that is what I am...