Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, trapping is important for our life in the Sahtu. In the late 1980s, the trapping industry was pulling in over $5 million. In the year 2002, it is barely breaking the $1 million mark. Mr. Speaker, trappers are being affected by the oil and gas activities. Now they propose the Mackenzie gas pipeline. I understand that the Government of the Northwest Territories is the intervener at the hearings. I would like to ask the Minister of RWED, as being the lead in the oil and gas industry, what is he doing to consult with the trappers in terms of the pipeline? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budget shows the repairs for some work in Fort Good Hope on Chief T’Selihye at $15,000. I wonder if the Minister can expand on what type of repairs can be done for $15,000 in the school with so little money. Maybe the school should be replaced instead in 2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the status of schools in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, Chief Albert Wright School was built in 1970. Two years ago, they had a serious incident where some of the walls in the school were cracking. The permafrost underneath the building was shifting and they did some work on there and ventilation was a problem. They reported some rotten walls on the foundation. I would ask the Minister if he could give an update on the scheduled repairs to Chief Albert Wright School in Tulita...

Thank you. I have just a few comments. For the vision of the Northwest Territories, I was really curious in terms of seeing if our government will ask some of our elders. Now, I can see clearly the vision. Now, I see. Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger…

---Laughter

…to ask our elders to ask about the visions for the Northwest Territories. Our elders have always given us visions and stories about our land and people. They have a vision about the Mackenzie River. They have a vision, believe it or not, about the pipeline. My grandmother talked about the cruise missiles coming through the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform us about the socioeconomic agreement? Does it have enough clout or teeth in terms of using it to benefit the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in the small communities will appreciate the employment opportunities and also the business opportunities, but there will also be significant impacts even in the communities. However, the question I’m asking the Minister is that the communities need help in terms of putting together their presentations to articulate to the two panels, and the National Energy Board mentioned that they wouldn’t just go on opinion. So I’m asking what is this department going to do to help the communities articulate the social impacts of the Mackenzie gas pipeline...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to again commend the two Ministers and commend the Minister of Transportation for coming to the Sahtu. It’s a good sign to come to the people in the smaller communities. I’d ask the Minister if he would commit to looking at the all-weather road project. Would he consider doing it from the discussions from the community base where they would connect from the different regions and communities before they push down south? Would they look at, having been with the Sahtu people, community approaches in terms of an all-weather road? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in the Sahtu region’s favourite song is “On the Road Again.” They just can’t wait to get back on that road again. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister if his department would consider, because of the increased volume of traffic in the Sahtu region and the oil and gas exploration, moving one of the offices to have some presence in the Sahtu. Because right now our offices are outside of the Sahtu, for example, in Fort Simpson and other regions. I want to ask the Minister if he would consider having his office presence in the Sahtu region. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize a former high school teacher, Ms. Roslyn Smith, in the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Just reading the opening comments from the Minister, for general comments, Madam Chairperson, I want to say…Like my colleague Mr. Menicoche mentioned, in the Sahtu region housing has been a really big issue for me in terms of the services, the building of houses, and just basic, general housing. I believe, over the past year, we have made some progress in terms of taking care of those needs. We are still a long way in terms of the housing programs, especially for the community of Fort Good Hope which is in dire straights in terms of home repairs and...