Bob Bromley

I’d like to recognize Chief Eddie Sangris of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and a constituent of Weledeh. I’d also like to recognize my elders, who are getting fewer, Mr. Ed Jeske and, of course, Mike Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I won’t attempt to repeat the title. I want to begin by pointing out that we are reviewing the Joint Review Panel’s letter of response today in Committee of the Whole only because the letter was tabled by a Regular Member, permitting this limited opportunity for public debate.

This government has again failed, first, to provide Members with regular updates, leaving Members to rely upon public registries to receive information. Second, it has failed to proactively provide opportunities for debate of this matter by Regular Members in this Assembly. Again, Mr. Chairman...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that commitment again. Let me just ask whether there is anything we can do on this side of the House or, in fact, that our voluntary sector could do to help support the Premier in making that positive decision.

I appreciate those comments and those actions that are being taken. I think what I’m talking about too is, as a third arm I think we have the role of assisting communities in recognizing that they have a responsibility and an opportunity in fulfilling an important role that’s sort of independent of government. It’s a self-strengthening exercise, if you will. Government has a role in helping them out in that. I’m wondering if we are working with communities to get that sort of independent spirit out there and helping them recognize the role that actually individuals and families and communities...

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the exceptional achievement of one of Weledeh riding’s world-class athletes: speed skater Michael Gilday.

---Applause

Michael Gilday produced a solid performance for Canada during the first World Cup races of the season held October 22nd to 24th in Montreal, Quebec. Michael took home the silver medal in the 1,000 metre event and the gold in the men’s 5,000 metre relay. Just this past weekend he received his first individual gold medal win in the 1,500 metre event in Korea. Michael has now medalled four times in World Cup competition.

Mr. Gilday’s sights are set...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today on the value of civil society and the voluntary sector. One of the definitive characteristics of civil society is social capital, which refers to the values and networks that enable coordination and cooperation. This contrasts with economic capital, such as money and tools, and human capital, which are trained individuals. Government and market are not enough to make a civilization. There also must be a healthy, robust civil centre; a space in which the bonds of community can flourish.

There are two key elements in civil society. One is the need...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, November 4, 2010, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that eligibility for the Student Financial Assistance Program be expanded to include students taking full-time secondary school upgrading programs in preparation for post-secondary education. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Caribou have been essential to the nutritional, cultural and spiritual well-being of the Yellowknives Dene since time immemorial, as I’ve recognized earlier. I recognize that the Minister is providing for some alternatives in the meantime, such as opening the season on bison and assisting Dene to hunt other herds. However, caribou are also extremely important to many non-Dene in similar ways. What measures are being put in place to provide them with increased access to alternate meat sources such as bison and other caribou herds as their numbers improve?

I’m glad to hear there’s a coordinator being supplied. I wasn’t sure I heard a figure on the dollars that are being supplied. One of the major issues is the overlap with the Tlicho Agreement. I’m wondering how this has been handled and how it’s being handled in a final sense until such time as the Yellowknives Dene complete their land claim agreement, given that the Tlicho have already finished theirs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The agreement reached between the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and the GNWT for the management and preservation of the Bathurst caribou herd is momentous. We’ve come a long way since last year when confrontation, emergency, shock, and perhaps even fear were the words most associated with the Bathurst caribou management. Today the words are partnership, commitment and respect between government and aboriginal partners like the YKDFN.

The agreement provides a two-year interim management regime featuring joint harvesting monitoring, shared population monitoring that...