Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The first step I always believe is communication. I’m glad the Minister is willing to work towards that and work with the Dehcho Divisional Education Council. I would also ask the Minister to bear in mind that other communities are having the same issue, like Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake and Jean Marie River. Please bear in mind and ask them to get involved at some point. It’s an issue that concerns all the small, remote communities in my riding.

When I spoke with the parents and the members of the DEA in Wrigley, they asked that... It’s a long way to travel. The DEA and the Dehcho Divisional Education Council have the resources for them to come to Wrigley, meet with the parents and discuss some of the solutions and issues around their children not being able to attend school in Fort Simpson. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, we have an obligation for Aboriginal education and we must find solutions no matter how tough they are.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to re-raise the issue of medical travel and issues by constituents. I know that the Minister had indicated that they are currently reviewing the guidelines, and many of the issues that cross my desk and what I raise in the issue is not dissimilar than Mr. Beaulieu’s. The few others are some elders that are being medevaced, are being medevaced without an escort with them, especially those that require translation. I have got constituents in my riding that do what they can for the elders and those that are sick and in need, and they often go on...

Some of the alternate solutions, of course, without Aboriginal groups actually signing on, is some of the funding that’s available to hold in trust their portion thereof of whatever percentage of their group. Is that something the Premier can look at?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I spoke about evolution before devolution and I think that these two go hand in hand. It’s actually being forced by the signing of the agreement-in-principle as we move forward.

I have questions for the Premier. As we move along with the talks towards the devolution final agreement and there’s resistant Aboriginal groups out there only because there’s lots of information and there’s lots of uncertainty and fear about what it really means to sign on to the AIP, are there other solutions out there that can still involve the Aboriginal governments...

So the department is working on it and they will review it with the Social Programs committee and it will be at that point that the committee and the Regular Members will have input into the new policy. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just in terms of timing -- I think the Premier just mentioned it earlier -- what kind of timing do the Aboriginal groups have to review and acknowledge and perhaps even sign on should they wish to? What is the timing of that? Is it end of April? Is it this summer? Is it this fall?

I think that the future development of the Northwest Territories does include having the GNWT and Aboriginal governments having a dialogue. Once again, is there a solution or another alternative that we can involve Aboriginal groups in discussion as we work towards a final devolution agreement without them actually signing on? Can they be observers, like the Premier said, or is there another mechanism to allow full involvement? I really believe that as we work towards devolution, we’re also talking about evolution of our political development of the Northwest Territories. All must be involved.

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho. Evolution before devolution is the biggest concern of Nahendeh residents at this time. I’m getting many phone calls and concerns from constituents. I guess, firstly, as myself and all Nahendeh constituents will be part of the Dehcho process, how exactly will it impact the Dehcho people and those living there? There is still no clarity as the distinction and difference between the agreement-in-principle on devolution of lands and resources and the actual devolution final agreement.

I read, with great interest, in this week’s News/North the editorial: Territorial and...

Given the large population of Metis people in the Northwest Territories, I believe the Health ministry should do what we can to keep us informed as well as all Regular Members and not only our Social Programs committee, because sometimes the federal government does that, they do one level of change and it affects, like the deputy minister said, all the way up to health funding agreements and that kind of stuff if they are changing the definition of who is a Metis and who is not. It will certainly affect the numbers if it comes to implementation from the federal level. Maybe if they get a...