Nahendeh

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 18)

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to convey my deepest condolences to my elder and my friend, Mr. Joe Punch, who lost his wife, Mrs. Julie Punch, this week. I extend, also, my prayers and my heartfelt sympathies to the whole family for the sudden loss of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her passing is also a loss to the community of Trout Lake and to the communities in my riding. Joe Punch and his late wife were married for 40 years, had 11 children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

On behalf of myself, and if I may, Mr. Speaker, express...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 18)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I just want to share a few comments as well. The media said that was an all-encompassing budget. We all worked hard on it and we are to be commended to try to capture all the goals and wants and needs of all the regions and all the different interest groups, as well as bearing in mind, of course, the climate change and the green initiatives that in the long term should save us money.

Those are the same needs that I share for my constituency. We have grassroots organizations that are interested in green alternatives from geothermal to biomass initiatives, and I’m...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 18)

As I indicated, the aboriginal students in our smaller communities are missing 41 days of school per year with the equivalence up to about two years of schooling by the time they reach grade 9. I know that the Education department and our school boards consider this very seriously and I think they coupled some of the monitoring stats, like the Alberta Achievement Test, which shows that our use of English is being impacted because they’re missing a lot of that. So what kind of projects are being undertaken this fiscal year and planned for the next year, in terms of addressing this concern?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize my sister Lorraine Menicoche-Moses in the gallery. Welcome, and you have seen how your younger brother works. Mahsi cho.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In all cases of reduced populations, maybe be it fisheries, treaty rights are always upheld. In this case, I’d like to ask the Minister not to lift the ban but to allow treaty people to hunt at a subsistence level at a minimal cost to the herd, but at least continue their treaty right to hunt and fish on our land. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Yesterday I spoke about an opportunity for consultation at the meetings in Fort Simpson. There was missed opportunity. Has the Minister met with the impacted First Nations’ groups this week at all, or does he plan to meet with them at all to discuss the very, very important issue of treaty rights and subsistence harvesting for our aboriginal people? Because this ban, this law will put our aboriginal people in jail and that’s not what we’re looking for, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honour to recognize Chief Isadore Simon from Jean Marie, who is here in the gallery today and watching the proceedings and the budget today. Mahsi cho.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Mr. Speaker... [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to recall the story of Robin Hood, who lived in Nottingwood.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go to item 7, recognition of visitors in the gallery, on the orders. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 4th Session (day 17)

Does the Minister plan to meet with the Yellowknives or any of the impacted First Nations’ groups in the near future, today or tomorrow or the weekends coming, like, as soon as possible? Because this is a very controversial issue and impacts not only those First Nations but the precedent that it sets for all First Nations across our Territory. Thank you.