Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Today’s statement will be on elders. We have elders who work in the school sometimes. We have difficulty paying them. (Translation ends)

…consider a leader in maintaining and enhancing aboriginal language, culture and traditions. This wouldn’t be possible without our elders; our Ph.D.’s when it comes to traditional knowledge and on-the-land programs, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, lately with the introduction of FMBS system to the Community Services Agency it has become more difficult to issue elder’s pay for their casual work; pay that they deserve for their...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my previous Member’s statement, the Tlicho Community Services Agency is in a unique position. We are a new government since August 4th of last year. So we are different from any organizations here in the North and also throughout Canada. My next question leads on to…Can the Minister please clarify how he can continue to impose four to six-week delays on payments to the elders from the Tlicho Community Services Agency despite the clear wishes of the Tlicho Government that is consistent with the spirit and the letter of the Tlicho Agreement...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Today’s statement will be on elders. We have elders who work in the school sometimes. We have difficulty paying them. (Translation ends)

…consider a leader in maintaining and enhancing aboriginal language, culture and traditions. This wouldn’t be possible without our elders; our Ph.D.’s when it comes to traditional knowledge and on-the-land programs, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, lately with the introduction of FMBS system to the Community Services Agency it has become more difficult to issue elder’s pay for their casual work; pay that they deserve for their...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering if the Minister or his department has looked into a contractual basis where they hire an elder on an as-needed basis and they can be paid within the next few days, as opposed to waiting four to six weeks. Can the Minister advise this House if they have looked at the option? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) My previous statement regarding payment to elders, I would like to ask a question. Can they make some kind of arrangement with community services with the new government? There is a lot of concern regarding this from the elders. (Translation ends)

…trip worth for many years negotiating an agreement because they knew that it was self-government. We could do a better job of serving our people than the GNWT or DIAND. We did not go to all this trouble only to have GNWT bureaucracy imposed on us. This is a question to the Minister of the Financial Management...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering if the Minister or his department has looked into a contractual basis where they hire an elder on an as-needed basis and they can be paid within the next few days, as opposed to waiting four to six weeks. Can the Minister advise this House if they have looked at the option? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) My previous statement regarding payment to elders, I would like to ask a question. Can they make some kind of arrangement with community services with the new government? There is a lot of concern regarding this from the elders. (Translation ends)

…trip worth for many years negotiating an agreement because they knew that it was self-government. We could do a better job of serving our people than the GNWT or DIAND. We did not go to all this trouble only to have GNWT bureaucracy imposed on us. This is a question to the Minister of the Financial Management...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is disheartening to hear that there is not much interest from the general public on the interpretation program that’s been offered through Aurora College. We certainly need these professions that can interpret medical and judicial terminology in the communities that we face everyday, whether it’s a health centre or community justice. So, Mr. Speaker, I guess my question to the Minister is, isn’t it the department’s mandate to focus on delivering such important services such as interpretation and translating courses, along with Aurora College? I am sure...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Today, I would like to recognize our leaders in the Tlicho region; our grand chief, George Mackenzie, and with him is James Rabesca. He is also with the Tlicho Government. I thank them very much for coming to listen to our meeting.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we heard earlier that it takes a whole community to work together and see a productive outcome. What is the department doing to attract community members? We talk about attracting community members and training a workforce, whether it be on-the-job training. This is one of the important topics that has been ongoing in my region specifically. Has the department considered delivering this program in the communities, Mr. Speaker, as opposed to regional centres? As a matter of fact, we, as the Tlicho Community Services Agency, would love to work with the...