Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to thank my colleagues for the report on the rules and procedures on the standing for your people on the review of Members’ guidelines. I just wanted to thank them for the report. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

I am Dene; I am a father; I am a grandfather. I am human; I made a mistake; I am working on myself, and I have moved on. I wanted to speak to this motion. As representatives of our people, we have a duty to study and inform ourselves about the issues we face and take principled positions before we vote. In general, I think it is an obligation of duty for many of us to...

Basically, these are questions that these students have followed up, so I am kind of expressing on their behalf. It may sound naïve, but they have to be asked. Residents might be confused by some programs sticking with MACA while we have a separate role for the Minister Responsible for Youth. How will the Minister work with the Minister Responsible for Youth to coordinate services for questions and proposals like this, and make sure Northerners' efforts and dollars and invested efficiently?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I talked about the need for a youth centre, so my questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Fort Providence youth have identified a need for expanded youth centre services, and other community members are interested in making that dream a reality. How can community stakeholders make application to the Youth Centres Initiative? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wanted to recognize members of the Regional Aboriginal Languages Board, the chairs and plus the language coordinators from the region: Jonas Landry from Fort Providence, and also Violet Jumbo from Fort Simpson. Also, people who I know: Theresa Etchinelle from Tulita, as well as recognizing the Rangers and Mr. Brad Firth for his accomplishment. I understand he just came across Great Slave Lake and he ran that course. I would like to recognize him. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In honour of recognizing International Women's Day, I wanted to take a moment in honouring the late Elder, Mary Agnes Bonnetrouge, who is featured in the book Nohecho keh, Our Elders, and these are the words that she shared.

Mary Agnes Bonnetrouge was:

Today, that peace is gone. Our land is torn up and destroyed, because of mining and exploration. The Dene gain nothing. We don't understand, and are left out in the cold.

I was educated at the mission, but as soon as I was old enough, I returned to my parents. My mother was blind, so it was hard for me to learn how to work. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think part of the challenge is to try, from a regional perspective, to maybe funnel those efforts into a community-type delivery, so that communities could, at least, realize some of the benefits that tourism could bring to at least some communities that really need the employment opportunities. My last question is: how can local people in our province explore tourism career opportunities and get further training? Mahsi.

The second question was if, perhaps, the Minister could try and imagine what it is that the community is desiring in terms of trying to tap into the tourism opportunities. What steps would he envision in terms of requiring to upgrade the Telemia camp, to make it a tourism attraction, in terms of, perhaps, the perspective from the Department of ITI?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Observations and Recommendations on the Action Plan

MACA’s Approach to Development of the Plan

In outlining its approach to developing the action plan, the department noted that “…all MACA staff were provided an opportunity to offer grassroots solutions and approaches to address the issues the OAG has identified,” and that this approach “…underlines the importance of engaging staff who are going to be directly responsible for the implementation of the action plan.”

While the Standing Committee agrees with the importance of engaging with staff to identify innovative...

I appreciate the Minister’s extension in terms of meeting, and having a discussion, in terms of, perhaps, this opportunity. Before we meet, maybe the Minister can inform this side of the House, in terms of whether there is any Aboriginal tourism funding available, to help get the Telemia camp up and running?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Investment. Before I go there, I just wanted to acknowledge this statement that I read today. It was developed by a student of the Introduction to Northern Leadership program in Fort Providence, as part of the Commit to Learning Centre’s extension of their World College program. This statement was regarding the Telemia camp, which I think most MLAs had an opportunity to visit last summer. The students are seeking the wisdom and guidance of the Minister, so the first question is to the Minister: is the...