Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have five written questions. My questions today are for the Premier, the Honourable Joseph Handley.

What is the direction of this government in providing support for survivors of residential schools?

Where can survivors of residential schools go to receive specific treatment for issues that are a result of the residential schools?

How is this government working with the office of Indian residential schools established by the federal government?

Would the Premier provide this House with clear direction as to where survivors can receive assistance in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the concerns of the families is the new services being proposed by this government to be used by the clients who are in Edmonton is that Integrated Services may not be a good move. Some of the families indicated that the Aboriginal Partners and Youth Society has a really good program and are afraid that their clients would not receive the same type of programs by this new proposed facility. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that the new contractor meets the needs of the aboriginal clients who are being suggested to move to the new...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the information from the Minister. In saying all this, I also want to ask the Minister and his officials what they are planning to do to inform these nine clients who are in Edmonton about the facility. Not so much the clients, but look at the families of these people rather than just having a phone call to the families. What is his department doing to talk to the families? I know it’s a sensitive issue and I would appreciate a phone call from any department of this government to let me know what’s happening to someone who is close to me. I think we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, honourable colleagues. Mr. Speaker, these clients are far away from home, Mr. Speaker, and they have certainly looked to us for some guidance and direction as it costs a lot of money for families to go down to Edmonton. Mr. Speaker, I don’t see why the facilities that are operating in the Northwest Territories are running empty, and this government is paying millions of dollars to keep them operational. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. I will take you up on your offer to meet at a later date. As we know, sometimes we send information out to the federal government and some days it takes very long. Like the devolution issue. It takes a long time to get some answers from the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, the present student financial assistance program will provide assistance for 20 semesters of university. Would the Minister consider allowing Metis people to attend the university and college interest program through Aurora College under the overall eligibility? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I stated in my Member’s statement, the Metis people aren’t eligible for university and college entry programs. I realize the department is only delivering programs as directed by the federal government’s policies, however, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me whether the department has ever considered extending the university and college entry programs to Metis people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about what I see as an unfair application of aboriginal rights by the Government of Canada as they related to the Metis people.

The failure of the federal government to recognize and provide a safe process to access programs and services to the Metis as an office to status Indians is unacceptable. It is even more unacceptable, Mr. Speaker, that the Government of the Northwest Territories is forced to follow the federal policies and return it as a royalty for the federal programs to be delivered on their behalf. The...

WHEREAS pursuant to section 61(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the Legislative Assembly recommends to the Commissioner the appointment of Members of the Executive Council;

AND WHEREAS pursuant to section 61(2) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the persons appointed hold office during the pleasure of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the assembly, pursuant to these powers has chosen the Honourable Henry Zoe to sit as a Member of the Executive Council;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that this assembly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister. I guess I would ask him if he would consider looking at some of the policies that he alluded to that may help the Metis people access other programs. Right now you have to go into low income support or to the ARDA programs and they get bounced around. So, Mr. Speaker, I would ask if the Minister could look at his programs again and look at some of the other programs within his department that would help alleviate some of this frustration that the Metis people are facing today in terms of getting their higher education and being a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. There are several constituents in the Sahtu region who have applied for programs and been turned down. What type of interim solutions can we provide to some of my constituents in the Sahtu region with regard to continuing on with their education and training for the upcoming opportunities that they see in the Sahtu? This government tells the people in the Sahtu that there is some way we can look at that issue in the interim. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.