Nahendeh

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Actually, I was looking at the conclusion of this page to go back to page 10-17, but I was looking to complete this page first.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 25)

Mr. Speaker, that is what the constituents are looking for. They are looking for a fair independent review process for their issues of arrears, long-term arrears, et cetera, and refusals of the Housing Corporation for accessing programs. I would like to ask the Minister again. I thought the setup of this independent appeal system was imminent, and last spring and during the summer I am hearing again that it is imminent. Mr. Speaker, the importance of the appeal system is to have it established as soon as possible. Will the Minister do that? Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

It’s curious to note that the letter was signed by the Minister saying there is no money in his department for aboriginal language proposals such as this unique one from Fort Simpson. So who is lapsing the money then, Mr. Speaker? Is it the Department of Education, Culture and Employment? Is it our divisional council? Who is lapsing the money? Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased, once again, to see the eagerness of the Minister to assist the community of Trout Lake. Like I said, the whole community is behind this initiative. I’d like to ask the Minister once again if he will commit to begin the process of identifying a school for Trout Lake in the long term. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

I’m glad to hear the Minister’s positive response to a long-term plan of creating a new school for the community of Trout Lake. In fact, the government had promised in the past that they would actually build them a new school when the old Charles Tetcho burnt down.

Also, can I ask the Minister, in the long-term capital plan, to ensure that a gymnasium is attached to this school, because I like to think… My colleague Mr. Krutko showed me a letter that indicates that Trout Lake is one of the two communities in the North that does not have a gymnasium. Can this capital planning include a gymnasium...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I was in Trout Lake before Christmas and the community leadership and members have great value for our education system and for their children. They want a real school.

Presently, classes for students from K to 10 are held in the community recreation complex in a one-room area. This area is being retrofitted and it is not the same as a stand-alone school. Also, once plans begin for a new school, I also ask that a gymnasium be considered, as Trout Lake is one of the two communities in the North that does not have a gymnasium.

Trout Lake is...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

I’m still not convinced that we will not lapse any money in this coming fiscal year and I’m not too sure what mechanisms the Minister speaks about ensuring that it doesn’t happen in the future. Of course, the amount of emphasis and efforts and concern that we as MLAs have with regard to our aboriginal languages is something that we have to ensure that we’re doing our best to get those resources out to the communities. At the same time, my concern is that we’re saying no to grassroots proposals that are out there saying all the money is spent, but I’m still not convinced that’s the case. I don...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

I’m pleased to see the amount of resources that are going towards the John Tsetso Memorial Library. However, the fact remains that I’ve been asking about additional resources. The issue is the lack of suitable space to have the storage of library books, et cetera. I’d just like to know what current efforts to date has the department been working towards resolving this issue in Fort Simpson in assisting it to re-establish a library. Earlier I spoke about one of the ways that I saw to fully resource that library was, of course, to declare it a regional library. In all fairness, it is a region...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a very good opportunity to comment on some of the current directions of Education, Culture and Employment at this time when we are reviewing line-by-line budget items. Perhaps I will just follow up on my Member’s statement earlier today on aboriginal language dollars being lapsed in 2007-08 and 2008-09. I know we are in the 2009-10 fiscal year. We are debating 2010-11, but my concern is that I do not wish to see this happen again for this coming fiscal year. I know that some departments strive very hard at the end of the fiscal year to spend their budgeting but...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 24)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps I should commend the French language groups, because their funding does not lapse, Mr. Speaker, but aboriginal funding does. I’ve got unique proposals that don’t want to be supported by this government or even given a second chance to say there is money that may be lapsed, we’ll use that. Can the Minister commit to look at potential lapsed funding and look at the unique community ground-based proposals such as this? Thank you.