Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Regarding the market housing initiative, several complaints came from the teachers about the high cost of renting these market housing units and the other expenses to operate these units. Is there any movement on behalf of the department to revisit the rents they have on these units in the region? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the point I would like to ask questions on is to the input from the regional organizations, more importantly the regional governments in the Sahtu, or the aboriginal governments that have a high stake in seeing tourism flow into our region. What can the Minister commit to in the next couple of months in terms of ensuring that the aboriginal governments will be part of this model that could used in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister has answered the question partially. I will follow up later on with that question privately. The question I guess I want to ask the Minister also, in terms of the creation of the new Department of ITI, and giving industry a new profile within this government and within the industry of tourism, what is the government committing to do to work with the aboriginal governments in terms of giving the profile of industry in the Northwest Territories? What type of commitment has he given the aboriginal governments in the regions to heighten the new profile...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 2, 2005, I will move the following motion: 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...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I believe that the preservation of language is a critical issue for aboriginals of the Northwest Territories. A sustainable territory requires the sustainability of the land, the languages and the cultures of the aboriginal peoples of the Northwest Territories. There are aboriginal groups across North America, including Canada, producing aboriginal language developmental toys that reflect their unique language and culture as part of their language preservation and revitalization programs. One can’t overemphasize the importance of having our own...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, not understanding the process fully, Madam Speaker, the people in my region I represent say the money we had made from liquor stores, off-sales and the bars is a huge amount of money. Yet when we go into the communities and ask for treatment programs or programs that would help people such as for FAS or behavioural issues we were just talking about, why is it that we cannot put more money into programs because of damages that the alcohol is doing to our communities and our regions? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Finance and FMBS, the Honourable Floyd Roland. Madam Speaker, I understand from newspaper reports that liquor revenue that came out of the Northwest Territories last year was $36 million and I wanted to ask the Minister if there was any plans within the government to see how this money could be put back into the regions that desperately need programs such as the TTC and alcohol and drug programs. Could some of this money from the liquor revenue fund go back into the regions that need the help? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Premier is correct in terms of our willingness to involve other northern representatives in our government. We have shown some great leadership by the Cabinet and the leader of the government here, in terms of involving the northern people in our decisions as 19 Members of the Legislative Assembly.

I guess the extra step here is to go a little further in terms of having, like the federal government, a process where we can investigate and see where can northern people, aboriginal governments….because it truly is a government-to-government...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is to the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Handley. In light of the recent news reports this morning with the federal government, Cabinet and the Assembly of First Nations members meeting, it is the first time I think in history that AFN is having a meeting with the federal Cabinet in Ottawa. Would the Minister consider having something along that line, similar to our Cabinet and the aboriginal organization's governments in the Northwest Territories, within the life of this Assembly? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Would the Minister also look at this in terms of working with the other departments in supporting this initiative, especially the school children? Would the Minister commit to a time frame where we could expect some good news from this initiative? Thank you.