Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have some e-mails here based on the dental services that we have in the Sahtu, and usually when these issues come to us as MLAs, it comes to us in the form of emergency services either by the dentists’ service there in Inuvik or in Yellowknife and that we ask our Health department to either reimburse for hotels or travel. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, I know this is a federal non-insured health benefit and for First Nations people. We also have residents who are not First Nations. Our dental services in the Sahtu are not very good. Over...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $550,000.

We’ve been talking on this side about the different initiatives or projects. These will then look at the GNWT’s priorities and beyond, I guess, forever. So this new report will then undertake this major initiative to explain to us what the priorities are in light of what we’ve been hearing today and the last couple of months.

The issue of the long-term care facility in the Sahtu has been long-standing. Like I said earlier my Member’s statement, I’m grateful for the 16th and I’d certainly appreciate the 17th Assembly and this government here to keep their eye on the ball or the prize to build a long-term care facility in the Sahtu region. This is the only region without a long-term care facility. I want to ask the Minister, since this is the first one we built and I think it’s the only one that’s going to be built in the Sahtu, what is the Minister doing to work with the people in the Sahtu to prepare for the long...

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Did they release an NWT energy report in the 16th that’s going to be looked at in the 17th?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I want to know when the Sahtu long-term care facility will begin to see its construction.

Not specifically any type of project. I think I’m just looking at the overall photo of the economic model the government is working on. I know we talked about some mines here are closing down. We know their lifespan. Imperial Oil, that pipeline they say every 10 or 15 years, ever since I was young, it will be done in 20 or it should be done in 10 years. Mr. Chair, I’m over 50 years old and that pipeline is still running and we keep saying 10 years and 20 years, but nothing yet. So is there any type of… I guess what I’m looking for is some type of economic model that shows the impacts.

I’ve been a Member as long as the Minister’s been a Member and this has been a passion of mine for a long, long time. The Minister knows where I’m coming from. He would sit with us one day on this side and now he’s a Minister. He’s actually the Minister of this project here. So I’m hopeful that Minister keeps an eye on this and works with the people in Deline and myself to get and keep this issue going here.

I want to ask the Minister in regard to the energy plans in the Northwest Territories. I know the communities have been busy working on their energy plans. I think there’s some correlation...

Just closing on this Canol and this…(inaudible)…proposed territorial park, his department has been very good with me and good with the people also, in terms of moving this along. It’s just a slow, slow process and sometimes very frustrating because a lot of government hands are in it and take the assessment. Even the previous ITI Minister, I have been at him in getting this project on the go. It’s a beautiful area and I know it’s something that I’d like to see in the jurisdiction of the Northwest Territories, but you don’t want to take a beautiful park that has a lot of liabilities without...