Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to wish one of the most respected elders in the Mackenzie Delta a very happy 100th birthday on October 18th. Gwich’in elder Peter Kay Sr. from Fort McPherson is to be commended on healthy living and for taking care of his family and also living the Gwich’in cultural lifestyle for a whole century.

Mr. Kay’s livelihood, active living and positive outlook on life and family have given him the opportunity to spend precious time with his family at 100 years young.

I might add that Peter has passed down precious traditional knowledge to his...

WHEREAS Subsection 15(1) of the Official Languages Act permits the appointment of a Languages Commissioner by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, after the approval of the appointment by resolution of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly considers the appointment of a Languages Commissioner essential for ensuring recognition of the rights, status and privileges of each of the official languages and compliance with the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act;

AND WHEREAS the term of the Languages Commissioner has expired;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative...

What will the Minister be recommending to the 18th Legislative Assembly to improve support and funding daycare centres and family day homes, especially in our small communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have a few questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The feasibility study of universal affordable daycare in the Northwest Territories was tabled in this House on June 4, 2015, and recommended consolidating early childhood education and daycare grants, including small community initiatives grants.

What actions is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment taking to make daycare more accessible and more affordable in our small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Translation] Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say a few words in my language as I am trying to pass on some of my thoughts. I’d like to thank each one of my colleagues in the House today. I try to speak as much as I can on behalf of my people within the Mackenzie Delta. I know I haven’t spoken very often; however, I’d like to try to speak as much as I can within the 17th Assembly.

I wish you all the best of luck in the November election. For those who are going to be putting your name back in the hat, I’d like to wish you all good luck. [Translation ends]

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if Mr. Bromley is rubbing off on me, but I stand here to support this motion today, mainly because in my travels on the land, I see all the erosion happening in the last number of years, especially over the summer with all the rain we’ve had in our region in the Beaufort-Delta.

It’s very important that we start planning all our major projects to do with erosion and all the other effects of climate change, water levels rising, dropping in many areas, like Mr. Bouchard of Hay River mentioned, the dredging that’s needed. Also, along the Mackenzie River, as well...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, I know we are closing the 17th Legislative Assembly here, but is the department open to pilot projects?

That actually answered my second question here, but my third question is: What are we going to do in the meantime? You know, we have freeze-up underway here. We have about three to four inches of snow in Tsiigehtchic at the moment.

What is the detachment going to do during freeze-up? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last four years, I’ve brought up growing concerns of the services in Tsiigehtchic, whether it be nursing, or RCMP. At this time of year, the residents feel a little better because we have a nurse on hand in the community, and with the growing number of elders we have in the community and the needs, people feel much safer.

With the RCMP, we had the department committing to having an RCMP overnighting in the community of Tsiigehtchic this summer and in place by this fall. But yet today there is still no action on this.

With all the technology today, whether it be...

I would like to ask the Minister, when will they start encouraging our youth to join the force, whether it be through special constable that was practiced in the early 1900s. It seems they’ve done away with that here today. This is a great opportunity. I recall even in the mid-1990s many… I believe even you were a special constable, Mr. Speaker, at one point. We need to start encouraging this practice once again. Will the Minister ensure that that happens? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.