Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was inspired by our Members to start beginning to use our mother tongue, so I want to use part of my language here.

---Applause

(English not provided)

---Applause

In my language, Mr. Speaker, I want to just let the Members know that I said to thank the good Lord, thank the Creator for today, and that I will speak today on behalf of my people who put me here. I know life is difficult for all of us, and I will do my best to speak for you. I'll give you a voice in the House today. So that's what I said in my language.

I want to say that, Mr. Speaker, in my...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I get the intention of this bill and the community that only has the territorial government being the supplier of fuel sales. That’s fine. It’s where there are communities who have other suppliers in the community or region that we are, you know, this bill allows some flexibility, it allows us to be in the market in terms of the sales. Then they stated they’re not in the competition business or competing, but certainly if somebody came to them and said we want to buy some fuel off you guys, I mean, certainly you can say have you checked the other places...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I want to make a few comments to the Minister. Mr. Chairman, the Minister in his notes and talked during questions with the other MLAs in regards to this bill here. I’m somewhat concerned, I guess, in terms of the…I want to know if this bill was taken by this department, this government, to competitive market price competitors in terms of competing with other private business in the North or the region in terms of having flexibility now in the market and buying bulk sales. You may have some fuel that could be seen or perceived lower than the private...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ice roads are a concern this year in the Sahtu. I know that Mr. Minister had indicated some time in the past about a bridge at the Bear River. I want to ask the Minister for an update on that progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Transportation. Last week, I indicated that I was in the Sahtu in a regional conference. One of the elders from Fort Good Hope said that the road is so good up in the Sahtu, it is beyond the gold road now. It is scary there. I want to thank the Minister and the Premier for the work. The elder said that he can put his coffee cup on the dashboard now and not spill the cup. I want to ask the Minister for an update in terms of the winter road in the Sahtu in terms of the bridge work that is going to be put into various...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the invitation from the Minister. However, Mr. Speaker, I want to ask again, in terms of the types of services that are being performed, our nurses are working hard in our centres but need these types of services. I am hoping to have something from the Minister today in terms of saying to the people in the Sahtu we will get you this emergency equipment, such as defibrillators, cardiac monitors and IV pumps, that are standard in each hospital across the North. Also, to other centres that need them. I am looking for a commitment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

I have a question for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that Sahtu health is underway with the new health board. I want to ask the Minister responsible for Health what plans are in place for the new health board to have all the health centres brought up to standard in terms of the medical equipment for emergencies such as stroke, heart attacks and such other things that the other regional health centres have had. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this bill allows them to purchase fuel. There’s something else that allows them to distribute the fuel or deliver the fuel. This allows them to purchase, and I understand this bill, I guess there’s something more. Maybe I’m reading into it. I’m going to leave it at that right now, Mr. Chairman. The Minister knows my concerns that I’ve raised and I know this bill is something the Minister is working for the benefit of the Northwest Territories. So I’m going to leave it at that right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the Government of the Northwest Territories, specifically the honourable Member, Mr. Bell, in terms of his support to fund this, as well as the Department of Indian Affairs. I want to ask again, would the Minister, in terms of following up with the socio-economic conference, how are the departments going to be getting together? There needs to be some quick communication in putting this action plan together for the socio-economic impacts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there may be a new chef in the kitchen, but the same old recipe is being cooked up and it's just a different means of cooking up that recipe. I want to ask the Finance Minister in terms of his opening address and on one of the points, his last point was point four in terms of the arbitrating of the $300 million borrowing limit. Our government stated saying we need a territorial political autonomy. How do we get that? You know, Alberta won't stand for that. Other governments won't stand for it. You know, the Territories shouldn't stand for it. So how...