Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to state that we are leaders and I will not support this motion. We have 19 people. We spoke. For the people I represent, my people in the Sahtu, each time we get on the plane to fly to our small communities we put our life on the line, for our family, for our children and for our people. That's the issue here; providing services and programs for our people. So, Madam Chair, I will not support this motion. The Sahtu region does not see the need for increasing politicians in the Northwest Territories. They want to see an increase in programs and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

How were the maximum annual fuel amounts for the various types of fuel arrived at and how do they compare to the actual amounts needed to heat homes, in particular older homes which are not as heat efficient as the newer homes?

How were the income thresholds for the subsidy arrived at, have they been updated to keep up with the cost of living, and how do they compare with the seniors’ actual incomes?

With respect to the income thresholds, what is the rationale for taking away 25 percent of this subsidy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 25th, 2006, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this Assembly recommends to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Mr. Kevin Menicoche, Member for Nahendeh, be appointed to the Executive Council.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, other regions have the ability to make their own decisions. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu is left again by this government out to dry. We just don’t have the abilities. It’s all done up in Inuvik, Mr. Speaker. When will this Minister bring some proposals to have an FMB office in the Sahtu region so we can make our own decisions and have our own decisions made by our own people for the benefit of the people in the Sahtu? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few questions for the Minister of FMBS, Floyd Roland, in terms of the Sahtu people looking at becoming a full partnership in this government by having the Financial Management Board have an office in the Sahtu region. Is the Minister planning to move an FMBS office in our region to become a full partnership with the rest of the territorial government departments? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Can he look at these types of options and come back to my question in terms of yes, we can do this, it’s feasible and it can get done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of alcohol and drug treatment programs comes up almost on a weekly basis in our communities where children are running around and families are disrupted by the abuse of alcohol and drugs now. The complexity of drugs now in the Northwest Territories makes it really hard. So in terms of the Minister catching up on some of the issues here in terms of Nats’ejee K’eh, in terms of other treatment programs, we need to have specialized treatment programs. I am looking for the option for the Minister to come to this side to our region and look at mobile...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the many goals of this government is to look at healthy families, self-reliant people helping themselves. Mr. Speaker, people in our smaller communities want to know how does that translate into their lives and into their communities. What does that possibly mean? What type of action could be put in place to get to those goals, and where do we start and where can we help and why do it?

Mr. Speaker, communities down the Mackenzie Valley have a high increase of alcohol and drugs in the Northwest Territories. It's been reported that the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a document entitled Take a Kid Trapping in Colville Lake. Thank you.

---Applause