Norman Yakeleya

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...

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when this House adjourns on Thursday, June 2, 2005, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, October 12, 2005.

AND FURTHER that any time prior to October 12, 2005, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Minister should be aware that there is more than me in the Sahtu. We would take the Sahtu people like Cece McCauley-Hodgson, who has been a consistent advocator for the Mackenzie all-weather road, truly a woman warrior from the region. Madam Speaker, once again, can the Minister look at taking a small delegation from the Sahtu region who can help the Minister and also help the Premier in terms of seeking some additional dollars from the federal counterparts to build an all-weather road in the Sahtu?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. In the original proposal under the Corridors for Canada, the funding was never identified for roads in that proposal. I am asking for future proposals, but I am not sure if it’s going to be in the future proposal. It’s hard to believe that the best bush road is the Ingraham Trail just out of Yellowknife. It’s paved. You have millions of dollars going in there, yet our region is left out of the all-weather road system. How can the Minister give satisfaction to the people in the Sahtu that an all-weather road that connects the communities in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess that is the part that I am not quite comfortable with in terms of the initiated program and hoping that the other communities will get a program or some type of program that would support the containers. I haven't see anything or heard anything that small communities like Deline or Fort Good Hope or Tulita or Colville Lake or even Norman Wells can see some progress. There is nothing in the books. There is nothing by this government to say that we will have a program for those communities, that we will support the larger communities to have these containers...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The environment Beverage Container Recovery Program; I want to ask the Minister if somehow…I understand there is going to be programs in the Northwest Territories. Is there anything going to be done in our regions? Just for clarification.

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.