Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was going to talk about the smoking area, but since I don’t smoke it’s not an issue for me anymore.

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I don’t have my vehicle here all year, so I don’t have parking issue. So that’s not an issue with me.

---Laughter

Mr. Chairman, the comment that the Speaker made was in regard to page 2 of his presentation. The proposed reduction would have a noticeable impact on services provided to Members and the public-at-large. So I just want to know are we seeing the noticeable impacts right now. If we are, I haven’t seen any. Is it something coming down the tubes...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a motion. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment undertake a comprehensive review of the Western Arctic Leadership Program to assess the value of the program;

And further, that the results of the review be presented to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight prior to the committee review of the 2006-2009 Business Plans. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in terms of the strategy starting with the Circle of Northern Leaders and other meetings with elders down the Mackenzie Valley, I guess I’m looking for a time frame. Could the Minister bring to this government a complete end result of the strategy to have discussion in the House in possibly looking at the involvement of elders within this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week we had a discussion on the vision of the Northwest Territories. It was a very good discussion amongst Members and the other side and, Mr. Speaker, in fact the Premier had some air time on CBC talking about the vision of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, when we look at the big picture of the Northwest Territories, there’s a key piece of this vision that needs to be included. It’s our elders, Mr. Speaker, and I want to see or hear from the Premier in terms of what type of support would he give our elders in the Northwest Territories as a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would ask the Minister then; when would this department or when would this government roll out its plans so that Granny from Nahanni or Uncle Orville from Colville Lake…

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…could see that they can only go to one place in the communities to have all these programs under one roof? Today we don’t see it; so when can we see it? Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister responsible for Seniors. Mr. Speaker, in the Sahtu region there are 199 elders who are over 60 years of age. Mr. Speaker, there are numerous government departments, services and programs that are for the elders; for a lot of them English is a second language or they do not speak English at all. A lot of them communicate in the aboriginal language of North Slavey. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Seniors whether this government is planning any type of program that he oversees which can...

Just one question there, Mr. Chairman. Does what we’re saying get translated in our language back to the communities or is this straight English? I don’t follow APTN too much. Is this translated into North Slavey?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, in terms of being able to relax and not sit at the edge of the seat, the places that we are staying now in Yellowknife are really nice. I think we’re okay. I’m speaking for myself, Mr. Chairman.

I wanted to talk about the Cultural Enhancement Commission and I think it was a really good move. In one of your documents, one of your goals is to include the promotion of the Legislature as a place of the people and the place of the people is here in the Northwest Territories. So I think you are following up that and I support that 100 percent.

I...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For a new office building, what does it go through in an assessment process, in terms of a community getting an office complex or office buildings to house their community governments in? I want to ask the Minister that, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister doing in terms of getting the University and College Entrance Program funding that would include the Métis to fit in these criteria in terms of applying for that funding? What are the conditions that we need to hear on this side to get people to be eligible for this funding, especially the Métis who are looking for some type of support for that? Thank you.