Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Statements in Debates

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister in regard to the Sahtu and the development that’s happening. Is there somewhere in the plans that the department is thinking about possibly looking at some infrastructure such as a Sahtu trades centre that would help with the work that is going to possibly be happening in the next couple of years to start preparing our people to take courses, enter into some long career job opportunities at the oil companies or the building up of the Sahtu that’s going to be required.

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

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 28, 2013, it shall be adjourned until Monday, March 4, 2013;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to March 4, 2013, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been...

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

I believe the Minister’s willingness. When I sat with him in Colville Lake, people and good old people, he wanted to do something different and do something that would make sense to the Aboriginals who have hurt our communities and their people. I want to ask the Minister if there’s a possibility of possibly having some time to invite the Social Justice Committee members to go to Kozo Lake and look at that project, talk to the contractor and possibly talk to some of the people who are doing time there right now and see the benefits of on-the-land treatment programs for people in the North.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the need for people to go on the land who have done some pretty serious damages. The people and elders in our communities talk about that. I want to ask the Minister what the status is of the two communities who have made this request; Colville Lake for integrating people back into the communities and, of course, the community of Fort Good Hope, who wanted on-the-land treatment programs for people who are sent to our correctional institutes here.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people in the Sahtu have always talked about going out on the land. Unfortunately, some of our people end up in correctional institutions. I’ve listened to Colville Lake people, people in Fort Good Hope and Tulita, Deline and Norman Wells. The older people talk about the power of going out on the land and getting healed and being taught.

Unfortunately, this government has only two, I think, on-the-land treatment programs or healing programs or correctional camps that are operating, if not maybe one. People in the Sahtu are saying that and the elders are saying that...

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

I’m looking to this department under the leadership of the Minister to provide some direction and directive to the Sahtu educational board, the Aurora College people and the Sahtu training committee to come together with a strategy. The goodness of this government here has agreed to put a new wellness centre and a long-term care facility. That’s a $41 million infrastructure that’s going into the Sahtu. I certainly appreciate it and the people in the Sahtu appreciate it. This year alone, the oil companies have already spent about $100 million or more for the oil exploration, and it’s looking...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say that it costs $220 to fill up a 150 type pickup in Norman Wells. My question is if this motion is going to investigate and look at it and that’s it, I just want to know why. I will be supporting this motion.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s been estimated that 85 percent of crimes in the Northwest Territories are alcohol and/or drug related, and 90 percent of offenders in the Northwest Territories correctional facilities have addiction issues. A high percentage of these offenders and people in the correctional institutes are Aboriginal people.

What Aboriginal context, what type of Aboriginal programs do you have that are operating now in the correctional institutes that we can also possibly offer on-the-land programs?

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

In the latest numbers that I have received from the department, it costs the Government of the Northwest Territories about $107,000 a year per inmate to keep them at one of our correctional centres here. I want to ask the Minister what it costs to have an on-the-land program. Do they have one yet in the Territories? What does it cost for having people on the land at that type of program?

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, the departments of Municipal and Community Affairs, Justice, Education, Culture and Employment, ITI, ENR and the Housing Corporation all function as stand-alone regional units in the Sahtu. We have some control in the region. We have devolution. However, we learned yesterday that the Department of Public Works and Services does not have that yet. Public Works still works out of Inuvik. I want to ask the Minister if there is anything in his plans to have the Public Works office be relocated to have regional authorities like the other previous departments I...