Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard talk of $1 million for nine clients who are living in Edmonton. It’s hard for families, Mr. Speaker, to visit their loved ones who are so far away in Edmonton. It seems to me that it’s high time this government takes a hard look at some steps to repatriate some of these people or all the people back up North in the many facilities that can be used. Some Members have indicated to the House which facilities are located in the North. Can the Minister tell me, tell the House and tell families and people in the Northwest Territories, what concrete...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have had staff down in Edmonton now for almost three weeks, senior staff working through the situation and dealing with the clients on a daily basis. We’ve also made sure, as we have tried to keep everybody informed, that the families have been informed. Some of them are very active in this particular issue. If there is more to be done, then I would be glad to take advice from the Member to see what that would be in terms of keeping the families better involved and informed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the honourable Minister Michael Miltenberger. In my Member’s statement today, I talked about the uncertainty facing clients in the Northwest Territories who are currently living in the facility operated by the Aboriginal Partners and Youth Society. While I sympathize with the troubles of the society, I have too, as a legislator, recognized there are certain standards and criteria that have to be met by this government to continue other contractual relationships. I cannot advocate a cause that would open them up for lawsuits. This would be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to talk about the Aboriginal Youth and Partners Society in Edmonton and about the uncertainty of outpatient clients in the Northwest Territories who are living in that facility. Two of the clients in that facility are my constituents, so I have become involved in this matter. As it stands today, Mr. Speaker, NWT clients are being asked by this government to move to a new service provider, Edmonton Creative Services. They are concerned that the service will not be good, and they have indicated that they do not want to move.

The...

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize my partner, Cheryl; my support. I miss you and I love you.

---Laughter

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Honourable Members of the House, since the incident, I have given some thought to it, prayed on it. There are some people who have thought about it, but I had to go inside my heart. Even last night I was talking to Tony. I said what do I do and what way should we go about dealing with this issue. I talked to the Sahtu leadership on Friday and talked to them over the weekend and today. I asked about this motion. It is really painful to move it. The Sahtu leadership told me that I would make the right decision, but also gave me some flexibility in terms of continuing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I am sad about this motion. Mr. Allen asked me to consider seconding the motion. Mr. Speaker, I heard that in order to get to the Promised Land, we have to negotiate our way out of the bushes. So I look at this as an opportunity with the Northwest Territories being the promised land because of the potential wealth that we have in the Northwest Territories and the amount of wealth that the federal government takes from the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a unique position. There are unique circumstances in the Northwest Territories...

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...