Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to go back to the Minister of ECE.

As mentioned, the school in Dettah is 55 years old. The GNWT brought in portable trailers in 1979 with no gymnasium. The GNWT built an undersized gymnasium back in 1978 in Dettah as well as -- and used as a community hall, and the students in the school use that gym for recreation activities.

My question to the Minister, can the Minister confirm if ECE consulted with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and local DEA going back to 1979 to build a new school in Dettah and N'dilo? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regarding the addition of the new school and gymnasium to K'alemi Dene School in 2021, an assessment for the project was considered but not selected. Can the Minister commit to commitment to getting a new -- five new classroom and a gymnasium and a community hall for the K'alemi Dene School addition onto this year's capital plan if possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I just want to emphasize that education is a treaty right, and it's also in the -- recognized in the UNDRIP document. So having said that, I guess looking forward to work with the department to work with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and also the DEA in Dettah so that we are able to finally get a new school in Dettah and with a full-sized gymnasium. And my question to the Minister is that when can we start working together with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and the local DEA on this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I talked about the Kaw Tay Whee School in Dettah. That school would be 55 years old now, and it's four trailers put together. Mr. Speaker, the children have to walk probably about 300 yards to go to the gymnasium. This school needs to be replaced. My question would be to the Minister of Infrastructure. There was a study that was done in 2018, 2019. Can the Minister of Infrastructure let us know what was the study about and who was all involved in the study? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

WHEREAS the Elections and Plebiscites Act provides for the appointment of a chief electoral officer who has the responsibility to exercise general direction and supervision over the administrative conduct of an election and enforce, on the part of all election officers, fairness, impartiality and compliance with the Elections and Plebiscites Act;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that this Legislative Assembly, by virtue of Section 5 of the Elections and Plebiscites Act, recommends to the Commissioner the...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 6th, 2025, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, second by the honourable Member from Yellowknife South, that this Legislative Assembly, by virtue of Section 5 of the Elections and Plebiscite Act, recommends to the Commissioner, the appointment of Mr. Stephen Dunbar of Yellowknife as the chief electoral officer for the Northwest Territories for a fixed term commencing on a date to be communicated by the Speaker.

And, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess my question to the Minister is that now that the study is undertaken in 2018 and 2019, once she has this information, my question would be is can we look at a new way to look at this report and start working with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation chief and council and the local DEA to look at what the needs are for that community for fall 2025 capital plan process? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which passed through the previous Assembly, outlines the right for self-government participation and decision-making and free prior and informed consent for Indigenous people. Article 23 states that the Indigenous people have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising the right to develop; in particular, the right to be actively involved in developing and determining health, housing, and other economic and social programs. However, the Department of Infrastructure and ECE continues...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Premier. Earlier -- I'm trying to figure a way how we could work together and combat the issue of the drug problems in our small communities, in particular Fort Resolution, and I would like to ask the question to the Deputy Premier if we could work together and look at sending out invitations to the head of the RCMP in G-division here in the Northwest Territories to come to our meeting and also the Dene Nation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.