Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when you drive the winter road in the Sahtu there are drainage problems, lots of potholes, there are lots of creeks overflowing and I guess the Minister just skipped out $1 million into another region to fix their foundation. I’m asking again, in terms of the impact of the oil and gas activities on the region, if the Minister would commit to ensuring that our winter bridge project gets done on time and the people in the Sahtu can enjoy safe winter driving for next year. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Are there any other communities that are going to require this type of back-up generator in terms of when they go for renewing their licence? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there’s a song that goes something like this: you can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd, you can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd. However, I think the song could be more appropriate in the Sahtu. You can’t roller skate in a goat herd, you can’t roller skate in a goat herd and the emphasis I want to put on, Mr. Speaker, is roller skating. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, in the Sahtu region, after the construction of all the bridges, when will they start on an all-weather road into the Sahtu from Wrigley up to Tuktoyaktuk? When will that be...

So, Madam Chair, the doubtful accounts on the property taxes, isn’t that worked out with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in terms of some of the taxes or is it solely the responsibility of the GNWT in terms of…Are we telling some of the people in the communities and regions and here in Yellowknife that property taxes can be written off? Don’t pay your bill because we could cover it anyway. I don’t know what the message is here in terms of doubtful accounts. Just for clarification, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the Minister may have a difficult time in terms of commitment on behalf of the federal government. I am looking forward to a commitment from the Minister in terms of meeting with the people in Tulita and Sahtu regarding these contaminated sites in that region and also right down to the border here in the Northwest Territories. In Ottawa, our federal government can say that these sites are not dangerous, but out of sight, out of mind. It makes it easier for them to say that. They have to live in the communities, so I would like to ask the Minister again...

Can I get an explanation from the Minister in terms of this supp here?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last fall in the House, I made a statement about the contaminated soil mound in Tulita. I asked the Minister some questions. My question is to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development in regard to his commitment to meet with the federal Minister of Natural Resources Canada about the federal government’s unacceptable delay in the cleaning up of contaminated sites in the Northwest Territories. Will the Minister please advise this House as to the result of that meeting? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. One more question then I will be done with my general comments here. I will make a comment to the $4 million for additional costs that recur for services at hospitals outside the Northwest Territories. Is this only to one hospital or is this to many hospitals across Canada? This is a huge number to pay for services that possibly could be done in the Northwest Territories.

I might be getting into some areas that maybe we cannot do here in the Territories, but that is a huge increase for costs that we are paying outside the Northwest Territories. Maybe if I can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Over the course of the last few days, we have discussed a proposal -- and I say proposal -- to build a courthouse, a brand spanking new courthouse for Yellowknife in the future. Mr. Speaker, we also spoke of other projects in the Northwest Territories to be constructed in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I am receiving feedback to the logic or the reason why we have put a brand new courthouse as a priority in our spending of public funds, especially with the type of figure of $41 million. Mr. Speaker, with $41 million, we could put some serious dollars into the...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. It may be hard for the Minister to crystal-ball; however, he does leave some questions for me. He says a few impacts; is it under $500,000 or is it going to be another $1 million? I know it is going to be difficult for him to answer but…I’m not too sure if I can get him to commit to a number in terms of the significance of the impacts for next year for this increase in compensation for these nurses. Thank you.