Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I, too, want to send out my congratulations to the hard-working people in Hay River for the fine event, and thank you, Minister, for inviting us down to the NWT track meet yesterday.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the potential to create a viable future for all NWT communities is before us. Initiatives such as devolution, resource revenue sharing and the Northern Strategy provide us with the opportunity to revamp northern government to reflect concrete commitments to build strong and sustainable communities.

My question is for the Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Is the Premier committed to using these initiatives to strengthen the whole of the NWT?

If so, how does the Premier see it unfolding and taking shape?

What concrete steps are being taken to make...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, just in the last few weeks, the Sahtu has seen a high interest of winning bids by oil companies in the valley. We are talking about $50 million or $60 million of potential investments in the Sahtu region. An all-weather road would help the Sahtu in terms of a lot of issues. Number one, it would bring down the cost of living. Madam Speaker, would the Minister be able to meet with the Sahtu people in terms of a delegation going down to Ottawa if that is what it takes to put it on the federal government’s agenda, because that’s their expenditure, and the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, so many questions, so little time. I have narrowed down my questions to the Minister of Transportation. In Hay River, we saw a huge number of people from the surrounding communities participate in track and field. If only we had an all-weather road in the Sahtu, we would have seen an increase of participants going into Hay River. So, Madam Speaker, could the Minister commit that the future proposal going to the federal government will look at the small scale community approach to start building an all-weather road in the Sahtu region?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Minister is correct in terms of the support from my side at least with the companies. What I am getting at, Madam Speaker, is that some of these joint ventures that come in through the competitive process also bring in a lower cost of doing business in the Sahtu and so it reflects back into the region. They do not use the gas stations, or the wages that they pay are very low. I am asking the Minister if he can somehow encourage contractors, should they get the bids in the Sahtu, to encourage the southern contractors to use as much as possible...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in my Member's statement I gave a brief picture of the difficulties of attracting investment and expertise in the Sahtu while keeping the playing field fair for all northern and aboriginal businesses. Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I want to ask the Minister how can his department ensure that businesses in the Sahtu are given an equal and fair opportunity to compete for government contracts? Thank you.

Madam Speaker, the North has an abundance of wealth; rich mineral deposits like the diamonds, oil and gas and lots of fresh water and some beautiful, beautiful land. Aboriginal northern businesses have put a lot blood, sweat, equity and tears into the business. They have contributed actively to their communities and to their regions. These home-grown businesses have spent a lot of their money on our economy. It is money made from our economy that stays in our economy.

Madam Speaker, northern businesses also provide their staff and our community members with a decent wage. However, Madam...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Maybe this government can do one for old Diefenbaker’s vision here and push it over the hill, so we can get an all-weather road in the Sahtu and have the federal government give us full support and attention to this matter. Can the Minister advise of any type of public consultation that his department has undertaken with the people of the Sahtu to build an all-weather road in the Sahtu region?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At the start of the 15th Legislative Assembly, we all came here to debate and work for our constituencies and the entire Northwest Territories on the issues of today. Madam Speaker, over the course of this Legislative Assembly we, as legislators, initiate, amend and debate matters brought forward by Cabinet and government. Most importantly, we bring forth our vision for the North and how we can thrive under the unique circumstances of living up here in the North.

Madam Speaker, we, as legislators, work towards building our NWT nation. Mr. Diefenbaker's quoted vision...

Thank you. Just a brief comment here. I appreciate the Minister's efforts to improve the Sahtu health authority and the plans to upgrade the health system in our region. I know that Yellowknife does need some support and I guess you are looking at the amount of dollars, the millions of dollars spent in the Sahtu and the other regions, such as Yellowknife here, and there is no comparison. The amount of money spent here are millions, compared to the Sahtu. I hope that there is some effort to look at that in the Sahtu.

I understand that there is a budget for two doctors in the Sahtu, but they...