Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I spoke about the NWT Housing Corporation and I specifically mentioned Deline. I would like to do a second part to my issue with the NWT Housing Corporation. This one has to do with specifically how they assess the income for the public housing units in that community.

The people in Deline find it unacceptable how the income is being assessed, and it’s being assessed by the gross income. I have an example here. A person that is living in a public house in Deline gets charged on the gross income, and as part of that gross income this person pays CPP and EI...

I would like it if the Minister would come to the Sahtu and come to Deline and explain this process here as simply as possible to the people in Deline on this issue here. They still feel that they are being double-dipped by the Housing Corporation and that that’s not fair.

I’ll ask the Minister if he would make a commitment to come to Deline and explain this process to the people in Deline.

The Town of Norman Wells so far has received a letter indicating that they are still continuing to pursue the biomass energy district heating process. I want to ask the Minister, would his government be supporting that initiative through a letter writing campaign when they formulate their business case to present it to the various funders.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate Ms. Doris Taniton from Deline, who received an award for the 2012 Minister’s Cultural Circle Award.

This is an award that is well deserved for Ms. Taniton and the community of Deline. She is known to be very passionate of her culture and heritage, which is a value to be cherished at such a young age.

On behalf of the Sahtu region, I would like to congratulate Ms. Taniton for her involvement and dedication in her community, and encourage her to continue her positive attitude for our youth across the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chair, can the Minister work on this with Cabinet to deem the Sahtu a special economic zone where the federal government then can get some results and dollars into the region? Can he do that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really didn’t know what to say today, because yesterday I had a phone call from my sister. When they say life throws curve balls at you, it certainly does, not knowing what to expect.

My sister called me yesterday and said that a good friend of mine, Mr. Anthony Grandjambe of Fort Good Hope, passed away. I couldn’t believe it.

It’s been a year since Anthony and I worked together and started my campaign in Fort Good Hope. Anthony just lost his wife, Janet, to cancer.

I spent some time with him in Fort Good Hope. We developed, over the 40 years of my knowing Anthony, a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to ask the Minister, my line of questions again are around the Sahtu and the exploration activities that are happening this year and…(inaudible)…well, for a long time. I want to ask the Minister on the transportation support that the community is going to be needing in the future, and again ask for, I guess, a comprehensive analysis of all the transportation to support the infrastructure, again, happening in the Sahtu. I want to ask about the marine and if there’s any thought of his department considering moving a marine ferry up into that area to support the...

The runway extension in Deline, maybe the Minister could help me here with explaining the new Transportation rules on take-off and landing with the type of aircraft that is used in the Sahtu, primarily by NorthWright Aviation. Deline is in partnership with NorthWright and they are stating that with the new Transportation ruling coming in, that they’re only allowed a certain amount of weight and passengers on their aircraft that could safely fall within the guidelines for taking off and landing. Maybe the Minister could help me understand this, that this is why they are asking for a partnership...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, October 25, 2012, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on October 25, 2012, it shall be adjourned until Monday, October 29, 2012;

And further, that any time prior to October 29, 2012, 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...

The Premier outlined some hard facts for us to consider. He also indicated that the power is in Ottawa here.

I want to ask the Premier, other than knowing these facts here, has he or his Cabinet given any thought to how we can deal with some of these significant changes that will possibly be coming to the Northwest Territories regarding this bill.