Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. What is the status of the Harriet Gladu Health Centre in Tulita?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my honourable colleague from Boot Lake. It sure goes against my affirmation this morning. I looked in the mirror and said I’m getting younger, I’m getting younger, I’m getting younger. And then he calls me old and wise. I appreciate that.

I want to talk about the Harriet Gladu Health Centre in Tulita. The Harriet Gladu Health Centre is a central, crucial piece of infrastructure in our community, and now more so important because of the heavy oil and gas exploration last year and the amount of activity that’s been happening around in the Sahtu communities...

The band council began constructing the camp this spring. The community hopes it can be a wellness and healing camp where people and youth can be comfortable, learn about the traditional Dene ways of life, reconnect to their roots and give them strength for the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. The motion speaks specifically to the Auditor General. The Auditor General of Canada has the authority to obtain and review all documents and information necessary for its preparation for this report, should it be accepted by them. More importantly, this report will provide proper recommendations that will be fair, accurate, and give Northerners the confidence that this audit will be just and that they know where the money is going.

This audit will show us where the subsidies are being followed. If you go to the Northern Store or the Co-op, you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the creation of the federal Nutrition North Canada Program was announced on May 21, 2010;

AND WHEREAS the Nutrition North Canada Program replaced the Food Mail Program;

AND WHEREAS the Nutrition North Canada Program is administered by the federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development;

AND WHEREAS all Members of the Legislative Assembly continue to have significant concerns regarding the success of the Nutrition North Canada Program in ensuring that nutritious food is affordable for all NWT residents;

AND WHEREAS these concerns have also been...

Mr. Speaker, the people in Fort Good Hope, led by the elders, want a traditional camp on the land. It’s their concept of a youth centre. It doesn’t always have to be a traditional infrastructure in the community, so they want a youth camp to bring the youth back to the land. I’ll ask the Minister of MACA to outline some programs and if he would work with the Minister of Health through the Community Wellness Plan, or with the Ministers of Justice, ITI and Education that would put together a comprehensive youth land centre camp that would support the community wishes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of MACA. I could also ask other questions to the other Ministers, but this one I want to focus on with the Minister of MACA and ask him what types of resources are available for a youth centre in Fort Good Hope. At the same time, I want to congratulate the communities of Ulukhaktok, Fort Resolution and Deline in regard to their youth centres. I want to ask similar types of questions to the Minister on a youth centre for Fort Good Hope.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There’s a better way to live and the people of Fort Good Hope want to help their young people find it. We have elders centres, we have recreation centres, we have health centres, and the youth today in Fort Good Hope want to have a place to call their own.

Today we need to focus on establishing strong youth centres in Fort Good Hope. A youth centre would give young people a place to go in town and outside of town after school where they can be held accountable to running their own centres, whether it be in the bush or in the community of Fort Good Hope. They will learn...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I bring this motion to the floor and I thank the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre for seconding it. I would ask that this motion be supported by all Members in this House here to look at the Nutritious North Program that was introduced in 2010.

Mr. Speaker, the old Food Mail Program worked well and we had regular users in our communities and retailers using it with the help from Canada Post at that time. The department did a review and now they’ve opted into a new Nutritious North Program. Basically it was taking the subsidies out of the hands of the people in...

Fair enough, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his openness, just as the Minister of Justice talked about the Community Safety Strategy where we’re taking a lead from communities in the Sahtu. So I look forward to the Minister possibly looking at this concept and getting a brief update as to his discussions with the other Ministers on this concept. Thank you.