Norman Yakeleya

I do appreciate that the Minister is working hard in this area. This individual I talk about could be anybody in the Northwest Territories. So let’s talk generalities because I know the issue I am talking about. I haven’t given you names. I’ve just said a person in Deline. I could be talking about someone in Good Hope or wherever.

So I want to continue the discussion. This could be Tulita, it could be Tuktoyaktuk, it could be Tsiigehtchic or wherever. We have people who are leaving their communities, who have family obligations, who have jobs, who, out of the goodness of their hearts, are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the leadership from the Sahtu, specifically the Tulita leadership delegation. I’d like to recognize the grand chief and Chief Frank Andrew; president Clarence Campbell from Tulita Land and Financial Corporation; vice-president Jimmy Mendo; Sally Horassi, board member; Leon Andrew, board member; and from the Fort Norman Metis Land Corporation, Rocky Norwegian, board member; and Valerie Yakeleya, board member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can literally say a new government may be born tonight. Deline may become the first community self-government ever. Deline is known as the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada, now it may also be known as the birthplace of community governance.

This agreement was negotiated by those who moved forward, so we sit on the edge of our seats to see if 18 years of hard work by so many will be recognized tonight.

Deline has a vision, a plan, backed by their elders, encouraged by all the leaders to move forward. This community of Deline, in the Sahtu, was not built by those who...

Mr. Speaker, I have a tabled document from the community of Tulita. It’s for a Sahtu decision on fracking. They are asking for regional Sahtu decision.

Thank you. I recall from the days of negotiating we want more land, that’s what we kind of negotiated with the two governments. So I want to ask the Premier within our land claims, the constitution, the protective document that sets up certainties, securities, institutions in the Sahtu, is it the intention of the territorial government to work with the Sahtu people through their institution to look at issues in a way that satisfies the people of the Sahtu, such as the operations of the oil and gas explorations, using the hydraulic fracking, that due diligence is followed and all the concerns...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask some questions to the Premier in regard to the Sahtu Land Claim Agreement. In our agreements we have institutions, we have set up institutions that would bring some decision-making authority and control within the Sahtu. Now with devolution and Mr. Bromley’s questions on the environmental assessments and stuff like that, will our institutions still be restricted because of the institutions that we set up? We have set them up for a reason and for a purpose. Will these institutions still be in place or is it the GNWT’s intention to take over these...

In the Sahtu they are really excited and they hope they will hear the news tonight.

What are the next steps should the vote be a successful vote?

Many years ago great leaders in Deline knew of this time and now we are watching as it unfolds right in front of our eyes today. A nation is ready to be born. Through our land claims we negotiated the first step. The second step of our land claims chapter was to negotiate our own government. Bring it home.

Self-government is all about honouring our ancestors and their words. Today, people in Deline, make your mark.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As Mr. Menicoche indicated, we had a pretty lively debate the last time we talked about this, and I still consistently state my position that here we’re having the recommendations looking at the forced marriages. Nobody wants to get married in this forced marriage, you know, Weledeh and Tu Nedhe. You put them together. They don’t want to be together. This is what we’re looking at, and I’ve always said that we’re talking about something very special and unique in the Northwest Territories. We’re talking about a culture and a nation of people that’s very special. If it...

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Premier, when does it become the tipping point for any region that outside influence will have an influence in the Sahtu region? If it’s our decision through our institutions and our land claims that we are to make decisions based on what we have set up, when does there come a point where, okay, we need to look at other areas where people outside the Sahtu will start to influence and start making decisions for the people in the Sahtu?