Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much. I know we are beefing up our Aboriginal Languages Training Program, working with the Minister of Education. That is a commitment of this government. I think it’s time we start doing a coordinated approach. Perhaps the Minister of Heath could work with the Department of Education. Let’s get these terminology courses happening in all our Aboriginal languages provided to our front-line workers, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to do that? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That’s the type of rhetoric I’ve been hearing, is planning, and studying, and looking at it. I’d like to ask the Minister when will the Minister and this government make the regions and small communities a priority when it comes to schooling. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I know that the priority of this government and the past government in the 15th Legislative Assembly were concentrating on big schools, and more recently like a super school in Inuvik at a cost of $100 million. I think in our small, remote communities this government should start making it a priority. There are small costs involved. Just off the top of my head, from a bird’s eye view I would estimate about $3 million and downwards for a small school to serve the needs of small communities. I’d like to ask the Minister about making this a priority of the government; put it...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We always tell our young people that they need to get a good education and that is the key to their success, but the examples we set are not always good. I refer, for example, to the school in Nahanni Butte. It’s an old log building that needs to be replaced. We have to get this into the capital plan.

I wish I could refer to the school in Trout Lake, as well, but the situation is even worse in Nahanni Butte. In Trout Lake, technically that is not a school at all. No school. The people of Trout Lake send their kids to the recreation centre for classes. This has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the GNWT suspend devolution negotiations for 12 months, or until such time as a general agreement to proceed has been reached;

And further, to accomplish this goal, that the GNWT establish an Aboriginal devolution commission, comprised of representatives of all the NWT’s Aboriginal governments of land claim organizations;

And furthermore, that the Aboriginal...

With the communities of Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte, how much pre-planning work has been done? How much dedication and effort has the department put towards these communities in terms of planning, costing it out, even a Class D estimate for these two communities? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education some questions with regard to capital planning in the communities of Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte. As I said in my Member’s statement, time and time again I’ve stood up here and I’ve asked the Minister to look at Trout Lake and their need for a school, a new stand-alone school, and I’d like to ask the Minister what he has done to date and what kind of planning is happening with regard to the community of Trout Lake and a new school. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize the courage and compassion of Pearl Norwegian, her sister Carol Norwegian, brother Joey Klein, niece Shanta Ansdell, and nephew Mark Ansdell for walking from Inuvik to Tsiigehtchic to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

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Earlier this month, Pearl and her family walked 125 kilometres between Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic. Pearl’s mother, Therese Remy Sawyer, also known as Terry Norwegian, died of cancer last year but not before she, herself, had completed the walk in 2006. Pictures of the walk show her smiling the...

I just wonder if there’s anybody in the department who is taking a coordinated approach and applying a medical concept to the word “trauma,” because we’ve got many, many issues in the North. The most recent, of course, is the residential school symptoms and syndromes. However, it’s as a result of trauma that leads to alcoholism and family abuse. It’s prevalent throughout families, affecting children and their ability to go to school. Is there a coordinated approach to mental health and wellness? It seems we have individual programming, and Members in this House speak to it often on individual...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ms. Deborah Stipdonk, a resident of Fort Simpson. Welcome to the gallery. As well as Ms. Gazira Chan, a former resident of Fort Simpson. Welcome. Mahsi.