Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For whatever reasons it’s taken us so long for the Sahtu, there was a letter sent to the Aboriginal Affairs department in terms of the Sahtu wanting to enter into an agreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories on the economic measures. I guess I would like to ask the Minister to advise us when this letter will be discussed, or if it will be discussed as a Cabinet decision or a Ministerial discussion in terms of when they see light at the end of the day in terms of signing something with the Sahtu beneficiaries. They’re very anxious to move on this and get...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he would look into having children who may wish to go out on the land during the spring breaks as part of their educational curriculum so that they are not dinged for missing certain days of the school year, so that is maybe an educational social issue or health issue that is part of the curriculum. Would the Minister commit to look into some type of option that would support this initiative? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Then can the Minister confirm for me that the education authorities can decide on their own when spring breaks will occur in the year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize also some of the distinguished members from the Northwest Territories who are here from outside of the capital. I’d also like to recognize constituent Ethel Blondin-Andrew and her husband Leon Andrew and the staff member Sarah Cleary to the House. Also, I would like to recognize Antoine Mountain from Fort Good Hope, a painter here in Yellowknife; and John B. Zoe from the Tlicho territory. Mahsi and welcome. Spring is out so it is hard to sit in here.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a copy of a letter I received from the chief of the Tulita Dene Band to the Tulita District Education Authority and copied to the Minister of Education. The letter and attached petition request that religion instruction be reintroduced at the Chief Albert Wright School next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I appreciate the response from the Minister, Mr. Speaker, in terms of some good news for the Sahtu beneficiaries. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to, because of the time frames -- he’s looking at September as a close time frame -- maybe getting an agreement with the Sahtu that he would commit to a time frame close enough in September to say we will have a deal with the Sahtu people on this MOU with the chapter 12 of our agreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping in line with the GNWT’s goals for this Assembly here, I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs the question on the issue of the land claims implementation on some of the agreements; specifically the Sahtu Land Claims Agreement under chapter 12 on the economic measures. I understand there was a similar agreement that was signed with the Gwich’in beneficiaries and I want to ask the Minister the status as to when the Sahtu beneficiaries can see some movement or progress in terms of having their agreement also implemented under that specific...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if the citizens of the Sahtu region wish to change the dates of the spring break to take advantage of the traditional on-the-land spring hunt activities, they would then have to contact or lobby the Sahtu educational board. Is that correct? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, we’d all be rich. Mahsi.

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That is our vision; that is our leadership. I believe that the Minister was showing some good leadership in that area, in terms of re-looking at the WCB with the Auditor General, with us, with our people. These people work because they love to work and when they get hurt, surely, Mr. Speaker, they need to be taken care of by us as a government. That is our job, so I think this motion is timely and I fully support this motion. Thank you.