Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister listed a number of other programs the departments are doing to increase the understanding of Aboriginal culture. I think it works both ways. That’s the beautiful part of reconciliation and healing. I think the Minister has listed some fairly good initiatives by some of the departments.

I do want to say that the Department of Education and Culture so far, for myself I think, has done an excellent job, because those teachers go out for one week on the land and spend a week on the land. It’s a directive by the Minister. For the teachers, you have to go out to the...

Thank you. I look forward to it. I hope they have some digital. We can go on the land and experience that. I’m not too sure. I guess that they’ll adjust to it, so I felt all the time that we have a population in my region very strong Aboriginal. I felt that senior government people need to be immersed into our culture. I feel sometimes that we missed the boat and I found that, with this government here, with the Minister, we may be bridging some understanding amongst ourselves. I do want to say good luck. I do want to know where you’re going to pilot. I wouldn’t mind a time where we could find...

Mr. Speaker, I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House.

Mr. Speaker, the Drive Alive program has been a very successful program. It certainly shows in the records. Has this program had any type of appetite from the other provincial jurisdictions that look at the North in terms of leadership and safety on the road, trails and water? Have other governments looked at the North on the Drive Alive program to say this is one good program and we should also be using it on a national level?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation some questions on the Buckle Up water prevention campaign. What types of initiatives has his department done to allow or to notify the communities of this campaign? Have there been radio ads or newspaper ads? How do the communities, other than what I am saying this afternoon in the House, possibly know that there is a challenge out there for all of the communities to take up this challenge and win some good prizes? What has the department done to communicate this to the communities in Dene, and French and English?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to say to the Minister comments to his staff and his department. I really wanted to express my appreciation for the Minister and staff coming to the Sahtu and visiting us in the Sahtu and coming to all of the communities. I know you split your tour with the Minister of Health and Social Services portions, but I appreciate the two Ministers making it into the Sahtu region and listening to the people and seeing things first-hand as to how we operate and how we deal with things and what some of the challenges are that we have in our smaller communities with the...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Monday, May 28, 2012, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Norman Wells, because of the strict discipline financial fiscal policy they have, they had surplus money. When the situation became an issue for them, almost a crisis stage, they had to use their surplus money to help them keep the light and heat on in their houses. They applied for extraordinary funding from MACA, which MACA said no. They told them they are not eligible and besides you have extra money, so once you guys use that. They are suffering in the town of Norman Wells because they had to use their extra money that they want to do other things with, but they...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask some questions to the Minister of Finance. This morning I heard the Minister of Finance on CBC talk about the budget, and one part that he mentioned was about the Inuvik gas situation and he also added in a couple comments on the Norman Wells gas situation.

I want to ask the Minister what type of support will he be giving to the residents and to the businesses of Norman Wells once they make a decision as to what types of options they have to convert household supplies and appliances and also for the businesses to also convert to either propane, diesel or any other...

When we look down the Mackenzie Valley and you look into the communities, we have small communities. In a lot of our small communities probably about 60 to 70 percent of the people who live in our communities have some direct impact of residential schools, so there’s a high need for this. I want to ask the Minister where in his department is there a policy that says that if you, Mr. Yakeleya, want to go to a program for your family and yourself – and I have a lot of brothers and sisters and they had big families too – where in the policy that we can go to the department and say we want to go...