Norman Yakeleya

Is there any sense of this good government going to see Ottawa and the Minister and saying, given that the Constitution has been settled, the Metis people are in the Constitution, is the federal government by any way going to help with our government? Because you do the math of the core funding of $20,000 for a political, constitutional organization, and this is what our government is doing, but the federal government is nowhere to be seen. Is our government doing anything to increase this core funding? This is shameful to give a political organization this type of money.

While we appreciate it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations questions. I listened with interest as the Minister talked about the Metis people organizations in the Northwest Territories. The Premier mentioned $20,000 to the Metis organizations.

Can the Premier inform the House as to how many Metis organizations have received this $20,000 and what is the $20,000 for, for these Metis organizations?

Mr. Speaker, some of the federal government’s responsibilities in jurisdictions do not include the Metis people, such as the University and College Entrance Program.

Is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with the federal government to ensure that the Metis are treated just as the Inuvialuit, Inuit or the First Nations people?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today celebrates the strength of the Metis people. Despite the presence of the colonial powers, the churches, governments and residential schools, the Sahtu Metis have stood strong and have stood for their rights. My questions today are for the Minister of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Can the Premier describe this government’s efforts to further strengthen Metis economic development and participation in major development projects?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to know from the Minister in regards to the legal aid services in our smaller communities, regions. I know I spoke to the Minister earlier in the year on an issue that came up in my riding and the Minister responded with some of the issues the department has to deal with.

I’m more concerned with the quality of the services provided to my constituents when they have to go to court and the quality and the quantity of time with their legal aid counsel. Is the policy to have a number of lawyers in each community when they have a court hearing? I think the Minister...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people really appreciate the Minister coming on the Sahtu winter roads and seeing it for himself. The previous Minister came on the winter road, too, drove the 700 and some-odd kilometres. I think we need to have some of our people here, some of the Ministers and people here just to take a drive on these winter roads just to experience it, to know what we’re talking about. It’s really strange to sit here and talk about it without first experiencing and knowing what people, day in and day out, go through on the Sahtu winter roads.

I want to thank the department and...

After driving the winter roads, boy, was my back ever sore. It’s 12 hours, two days driving the roads. I want to ask the Minister, is his department looking at any other means of watering the road so that it will stay longer? I know there are different mechanisms to water the winter roads from Wrigley on up to Fort Good Hope and even to the smaller communities. Is the department looking at any other ways to smooth out the road?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to that from the Minister. I appreciate the flexibility to share, because that is a very important number for our communities.

I want to ask the Minister, based on that number, are the appropriate programs there to support the survivors today with the programs that we have within the GNWT?

I look forward to that information. The Minister has been collecting this information so if I go to the Sahtu and would know how many survivors are actually in Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Tuktoyaktuk…(inaudible)…any other communities, I would know the exact number of survivors that either passed away or that have gone into schools in the early 1900s. Is that what I’m hearing? You have the numbers and I’d be able to get those numbers?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks, Ms. Bisaro.

ATIPP Legislation for Municipalities

The Information and Privacy Commissioner has repeatedly recommended that the GNWT complete the work necessary to establish legislation governing the collection, use and disposal of information by municipalities. This recommendation is reiterated again in the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2013-2014 Annual Report, along with a notation indicating that the Information and Privacy Commissioner looks forward to providing input on a discussion paper being prepared on this matter by Municipal and Community Affairs...