Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 3, Members’ statements.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Often it’s stated that children are special gifts in our future. I could not agree more to this strong statement. There’s a statement in Dene culture: You become a child twice in your life – in the beginning and the latter part of your life. This is what I understand is the special relationship between children and elders.

Children are the spirit of our communities. Parents and extended families play a critical role in raising our children. In the northern communities we have some initiatives in preschools, daycares, playschools and kindergarten programs. I understand...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m just taking the opportunity just to provide some comments on Education, Culture and Employment. I think the most common saying that our people hear all the time, especially in communities, is that education is important and now more than ever as we move forward to what lays ahead on the horizon for the North, especially in terms of the North’s role in the global economics in terms of resource development. It’s more important that people encourage, especially the young people, to try and advance themselves to higher levels of education and ultimately to try and get...

Would the Minister agree as one possible option in consultation with the local community that the Minister could in fact perhaps consider designating the Fort Providence area as a conservation zone in land use planning?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. My statement today was about sport fishing. Sport fishing, of course, is a very leisurely activity that all Northerners undertake. If done right, more likely it could draw in tourists that more likely could spend dollars in the communities. It could also boost, ideally, business ensuring there’s a service delivered for tourists to travel up here for fishing. In Fort Providence this is kind of a classic example of where perhaps we need to balance efforts to create economic opportunities plus...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not very often that I get an opportunity to recognize people in the gallery but I have two special people from my home community and constituency of the Deh Cho. I hope they’re still here. Mr. Jim and Mrs. Margaret Thom.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I myself will be abstaining from the motion simply because of the fact that I think this motion, we need to have a further study in terms of the analysis so that we have a mainstream academic focus in terms of ensuring that we have one class and not two separate classes. For those reasons, I feel, like my colleagues that previously spoke before me, conflicted on this matter. Therefore, I feel that I will be abstaining from this motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is just on the fish studies, whether there is perhaps within the department’s plan to evaluate the fish stocks on the Mackenzie River, ensuring that levels do indeed maintain at a sustainable rate.

I’d like to thank the Minister for responding and ensuring that there is an information flow to this side of the House. My immediate concern is this has been ongoing for some time, especially with the increased traffic as the potential for the bridge completion more likely we’ll have more people coming in by vehicles and also by boats. Just namely because of not just for the scenery but the fish that exist in that area. My question is: Is there anything immediate that the department could do to help the community monitor at least if the fish stocks in Fort Providence are at a sustainable level...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would just like to acknowledge Mrs. Margaret Thom, who was the recipient of the Education Hall of Fame. Also with Margaret is her husband, Jim.

Margaret has contributed to the education of her people through her work as community counsellor at the Deh Gah Elementary and Secondary School for 20 years. She has taken a lead role in supporting graduates by travelling with them to post-secondary institutions. Many students have been successful as they continued their education, thanks to her continued support even after they’re finished in school.

Margaret recognizes...