Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Justice on the land, the only place where there is justice. That was told to me by a colleague this morning.

I want to talk about the Justice department, the soon-to-be corrections department. One of the mission statements of the Justice department is “working with community members so that communities are safe and secure.” One of the five goals: the department is better equipped to provide core programs and services.

Under the corrections activity description, corrections services provide safe custody and supervision of adult and youth offenders. It also states later on...

The Auditor General’s report, again, states that point 41 of the recommendations…the department said they will review the records, and that’s their marching orders. So, I wanted to state clearly that the directive, that the Minister would, through his review, look at the cost of camp operators, camps that pay a daily rate for the inmates. It has to be reasonable. They have to eat, also. You know, they’re up against a facility that also covers… You know, it’s a different operation at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. So, I want to make sure that the camp operators, if they’re going to go...

Also in the Auditor General’s report, under point 41 it talks about the closure of wilderness camps and it also talks about, at the same time, the expression of interest that Mr. Ramsay has indicated is provided as potential to reopen these camps in the Northwest Territories.

I want to ask the Minister, would he direct his department staff to try harder, with a winning attitude of yes, we will do what we can with our best capabilities to open these camps and look at the areas that need to be expanded to make sure that these camps are a success by providing the resources to these camps, rather...

Wilderness camps are a valuable method for allowing offenders to maintain and enhance their traditional knowledge and skill to help in reintegration and rehabilitation when released from custody.

In closing, we need a strong commitment by this Minister to direct his officials. Let’s make these wilderness camps a success and get the resources to do that. Thank you.

The Minister is correct. I have copies of my Member’s statement and my exchange with the Minister of Education, also the Minister at that time, the Minister of Public Works, talking about the work that’s been done on the Deline school.

I want to ask the Minister, it’s like having a plate or a bowl of Jell-O and putting straws in it and putting a building on there. The building is shaky. It’s moving and it’s falling apart. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men can’t keep Deline’s school together again.

---Laughter

So you need to build another school. The Deline community is asking this...

Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of a well-known verse that it takes a community to raise a child. However, it could be said it takes a community to educate a child.

I have made several Member’s statements on and about the ?ehtseo School in Deline. Recently, I visited their school, last week. They need a new school. Knowing the financial conditions and situation in the Northwest Territories and what we are possibly facing in the coming years, there are overwhelming needs in our communities. We must think differently because of the needs. This will mean we can go further than beyond the financial...

When I questioned the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment when I spoke about the same and similar responses back from the Minister, which we appreciate, I’d like the Minister today to really think and seriously take the opportunity to come in to Deline, look at the school, look at the conditions that we’re subjecting our children going to school in these types of conditions. It’s amazing that school is still together with the condition that it’s in. If you look at the foyer and the school gym, the foyer and the school gym are falling apart. I think the only thing that’s holding them...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I mentioned that I recently went to Deline and went to visit the school. I want to speak to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Does the Minister know, given the assessment of the Deline school, that the school literally is falling apart? Does the Minister know that?

In regard to the energy briefing note that I received from the Minister’s office, that in comparison to the amount of oil that’s been reported, and just on the best guess estimation of recoverable oil in the Sahtu region on a comparison basis, the Norman Wells conventional oilfield so far to date has pumped 274 million barrels of oil. There’s a huge amount in the Sahtu.

I want to ask the Minister, based on his reports and his understanding to recover that oil, we have to use the new technology called hydraulic horizontal fracturing. Does the Minister feel confident, given the time that we have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would strongly suggest to the Minister and also to our CEO, go to the homegrown, qualified statutory social workers in our communities, sit down with them and say, “what’s the issue,” because certainly they aren’t being heard. This has been told to me. This is not happening. They’re telling me directly. I’m saying right now in this Assembly to this Minister, if they can do that we would certainly clear up a lot of issues that will put people in good positions within the Sahtu health board. There are some issues that we cannot speak of today in the House that need to...