Norman Yakeleya

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I applaud the 14th Assembly and this government to start moving towards the autonomy of the Sahtu region. More specifically, I would like to ask the Premier if he would consider moving FMBS out of the Inuvik area and having the office in the Sahtu region. Right now, we are considered out of the Inuvik region and I would like to ask the Premier to consider moving the Financial Management Board office out of Inuvik into the Sahtu region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the delicate discussions happening with Health Canada in terms of the northern secretariat being moved to the Northwest Territories. I would like to see this government take some leadership of some of the positions of some people who do not want to be moved to the Northwest Territories. We have enough qualified people in the Northwest Territories to take on those positions. Once and for all we should be able to say, if it's part of the discussions, that we have qualified people in the Northwest Territories. It requires some delicate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I understand that Health Canada has an office in Ottawa that administers non-insured health benefits for the people in the Northwest Territories. My question to the Minister is has there been any discussion in terms of the GNWT and the federal government for moving that office to the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning I would like to talk about the importance of the traditional spring hunts we have in the Sahtu as well as other regions in the Northwest Territories. This time of the year, Mr. Speaker, when the days get long, many people across the North are preparing for a spring hunt out in the bush. The signs of the spring unfold before our eyes, especially hearing the geese and the ducks. It brings a lot of joy in people’s hearts. For a thousand years, people have enjoyed this tradition and exercise our right to live off the land. Families come together. They work...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 31, 2004, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that this assembly formally revoke the pleasure of the assembly from the appointment of the Honourable Henry Zoe as Member of the Executive Council; and further, that this assembly recommend that a new Member be chosen to be a Member of the Executive Council.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given the answer from the Premier, I would like to ask would this government consider calling the Sahtu region and these programs…Sometimes we are lumped into the Inuvik region and sometimes we get confused. In some cases, it doesn’t make much sense in terms of the programs that are being developed in the Sahtu region. I would like to ask this government if they would consider calling us our own stand-alone region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand alone on behalf of the people of the Sahtu to ask about the possibility of this government moving towards more recognition of the Sahtu with regard to a stand-alone region. My question is to the Premier. I am making a request of this government to devolve some programs from Ottawa to the Northwest Territories. I was asked this request by the Sahtu region, that this government takes the leadership in setting the example that the Sahtu also becomes a stand-alone region where decisions are being made in the Sahtu by the Sahtu people. Right now...