Weledeh

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 15)

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for those comments. I know his presence at that workshop was greatly appreciated. The government has said that the Devolution Agreement will ensure cleaning up of contaminated sites, and Giant is the epitome of such sites, but to date the federal government has made no commitment to ensure funding of perpetual care and maintenance or to fund continuing research into alternative technologies that could ultimately eliminate the environmental threat.

Will the Minister commit to ensuring that the Devolution Agreement contains provisions committing the federal...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s perspective again. I spoke today about the creation of an independent oversight body, but that is still down the road. As public reaction in March demonstrated, people are not satisfied with thecurrent flow of information from the project team. A meeting to explain major demolition already underway at the site was given on three days’ notice and was poorly advertised. There was no proactive exposure last year of information on a dam failure and later a sinkhole. As a co-proponent of this project, this government has a responsibility and can...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The environmental assessment hearings for the Giant Remediation Project begin in September. The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board will review the assembled information and then issue recommendations governing remediation of the site. Those measures must keep our environment and people safe in perpetuity – that’s forever – unless technology is developed to eliminate the stored arsenic. Public confidence in the measures over perpetuity is essential. As the review board chair pointed out recently, public trust is a fundamental part of community acceptance...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that clarification. I just want to note the Yellowknives Dene First Nation consider the Wiilideh language a separate language, and I had requested official language status and the Minister has been interacting with YKDFN from time to time. In his February correspondence to me, the Minister said a suggestion was made to the Akaitcho Government to carry out a research study on the Wiilideh language to document its unique nature. Now, this is going to involve hiring a linguist and an academician, but I’m wondering if the Minister can say what...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

Mr. Speaker, thanks much to the Minister for those comments. It sounds like good progress happening there.

I have been very encouraged that the steps being taken to increase the number of interpreters/translators through the piloting of a new program and the announcing of first graduates of the Aurora College Aboriginal Language and Cultural Instructor Program. What are the plans for taking the interpreter/translator program forward now and beginning delivery and continuing programming now that the pilot is near completion? Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize the residents of Weledeh including Therese Boullard, and thank her very much for her good work on the human rights office. Also, Lydia Bardak and Arlene Hache, both well-known and also doing good work on behalf of the NWT residents. Also, of course, Lyda Fuller, YWCA. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for those comments. It is something that I hadn’t grasped and I still could use a little more clarity on whether the interpreter/translator program is a stand-alone or is it a sort of a subset of the ALCIP program. Maybe I can get the Minister to help me understand that situation.

I understand that the interpreter program, whether it is a subset or part of ALCIP, was a pilot project. I think the Minister said they are evaluating it now and will decide. If that is the case, I would like his confirmation on that. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement with questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and note that in the past I’ve described a situation where funding for the Yellowknife Dene Community Language Program is filtered through the Tlicho and Akaitcho governments, and there have been some issues coming from that, late transfers, late in the fiscal year and so on. The Minister of ECE, in correspondence to me in February, committed to exploring the possibility of improving the flow of funding in partnership with the Akaitcho Territory Government. What is the...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 14)

Koana, Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik. I want to pay tribute to the Wiilideh language and to the community leadership dedicated to its support and promotion. Wiilideh is a unique language, not Chipewyan and not Tlicho and not yet an official language. While funding support is provided for some community programs, formal efforts to preserve and promote the language rely heavily upon a determination and professionalism of community language specialists.

Thanks to the efforts of the Goyatiko Language Society under the expert leadership of Mary Rose Sundberg, great strides have been made. Goyatiko...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Madam Chair. It sounds like a good discussion and good consideration may be on its way here for these dollars. Just picking up on the Minister’s mention of early childhood development funding, the phenomena we are dealing with extends into that; for example, paying for child care inspection services. It was obviously a routine part of this government’s responsibilities and commitment under the Auditor General’s program. So I assume that his willingness to discuss this and have significant committee input extends to all new dollars. Is that correct? Thank you.