Henry Zoe

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just on the issue of language services that the Speaker indicated that we don’t have a set schedule for the various languages. The onus is up to the individual Members to approach the Assembly to provide that service, but it causes a problem. We don’t know when we are going to have a big delegation of our constituents in the House. You can’t really predict. Sometimes, it is nice. If you see a large delegation in the House that you weren’t aware of and you want to speak in your own language, the opportunity is not there for you. I wanted to speak in my language, but...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we talk a lot in this House about the power that the federal government has over us in terms of the purse strings which they hold. However, Mr. Speaker, what we don’t talk enough about is the power that the federal government has in the Northwest Territories when it comes to the appointees of federal boards and agencies.

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board are federally appointed as are the members of the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board, and this is to name only a few. The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water board, for...

Mr. Chairman, I just had to make that point in terms of the comments of my colleague the Member for Sahtu raised with our Speaker. As you’re well aware, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Dent has made a statement today on our official languages. This month is the month to celebrate that; the whole month of March. What I said is I agree with my colleague that it’s imperative that we try to provide those services back again. I think it’s warranted so the people of the Territories know that we’re enhancing our own aboriginal languages, especially here in this institution. I think they have to see us taking the...

I was just going to remind the Speaker on what my colleague said about when we debated the Official Languages Act in Norman Wells. I spoke my language, and we had to shut down the whole House for the whole day before they got the interpreter. So the point I wanted to point out to the Speaker; I am sure he is aware of the rules that we have in place. He knows them better than I do, I think. If someone objects in a formal sitting on a point of order, we have to shut down the House in order for them to have that service available. I just wanted to note that, because it could happen....

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m going to rally through a whole bunch of issues. Maybe I’ll start off with part of the discussions that have already taken place. Parking, Mr. Chairman; I think we need to improve that service, not only for Members, but for the general public.

I know that the Cultural Enhancement Commission will be looking into beautifying the outside and the inside and stuff like that. I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to give them some of my thoughts on how I see certain things to be done in terms of enhancing our cultural elements inside the building and outside.

On another...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize one of my constituents from Rae-Edzo, Mr. Peter Husky who is in the gallery. Welcome to the House. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to get a commitment from the Minister if he could, after he talks with the RCMP officials, implement my request as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that they don’t offer the DARE program in the smaller communities, but a similar program or when the RCMP are visiting the smaller communities, they do, occasionally, as he said, visit the schools to talk in general about drugs. But, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the RCMP would make this into a regular program and go into the various schools on a scheduled basis, so that the students at the various schools could really understand the ugly reality of drugs in general. I wonder if the Minister would undertake to see if these kind of scheduled...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In light of the news that we heard yesterday about the senseless killing of the four RCMP officers in Northern Alberta, I just want to offer my condolences, and also from my constituents, to the families, friends and co-workers of these four brave men who were killed in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, we have said a lot of things in this House over the last couple of days about the services offered to us by the RCMP. I am sure that my colleagues would join me in saying that we support and appreciate the work that they do and I hope that they do their jobs under the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason why I am questioning the Minister and requesting this type of service for the small communities is that I don’t believe that the good work that the RCMP is doing is not what the Minister is indicating. I believe that the smaller communities may be occasionally visited by the RCMP, but not on a regular basis. They don’t thoroughly talk specifically about this problem we have with drugs. That is real. I would like to ask the Minister if he can provide for me, my riding and maybe other smaller communities also, statistics in regard to how many times the...