Norman Yakeleya

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, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

Can the Minister outline the process for settling outstanding claims within the municipalities that don’t already have land claim settlements?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to allude to the question on the access granted to the Yellowknives Dene in the municipality of the city of Yellowknife and that clarification. I would ask the Minister. This is only access to a certain parcel of land within the city. Is that correct? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of MACA. Mr. Speaker, in the past 30 years, the concept of selling past dreams and lands in the Northwest Territories has been introduced by the federal government. Today, Mr. Speaker, we have made some progress. The Tlicho people have proven this over the last couple of weeks. My question to the Minister of MACA is what is his department doing in terms of protecting the aboriginal rights and claims within the areas that haven’t been settled yet? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is my last point, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to the electronic project that will be happening in the Territories.

The last point I want to make is regarding the physicians in the Sahtu region. We have allocated some positions in the Sahtu. I guess the dollars will be spent by the Inuvik regional health board in terms of dictating or the decision-making with the Sahtu region. Do we wait until the Sahtu has set up the health board and from there they have some authority in terms of the physicians coming over to Sahtu? Thank you.