Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the infrastructure needs and some of the things that are happening in the Northwest Territories. I also made comments to the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline initiative and Mr. Ramsay, the Minister of ITI, talked about the Mackenzie Gas Project. In light of what we have heard and read, that we are downsizing and there is not much of an uptake now from the federal government or the oil companies to look at the Mackenzie Gas Project and not knowing whenever that will come to light, within Mr. Ramsay’s department is he looking at other big...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I listened to the Minister of Finance in the budget address this afternoon, I’m hoping that throughout this whole session that we would have ample opportunity to have some of our wishes on this side here be included as part of the discussions.

Mr. Miltenberger talked about the Great Depression in his opening statement here on our finances in the Northwest Territories. Through the Great Depression I understand also there were many opportunities for people to get out there to find jobs, to find opportunities that would benefit them in the future. Also, a lot of wealth...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Ramsay talked about some of the sizeable, significant things that could happen in the Sahtu. I want to ask the Minister if he can let his Finance Minister know, and Cabinet know, that next time they do a budget and report that, you know, we could have some indication as to some of the things that could be happening there.

Right now we’re talking a lot of Mackenzie Gas Project, but we don’t know when that’s going to be built. Whenever I guess is sometime way in the future, but something’s happening in the Sahtu right now that should have had some attention in the...

As the Minister mentioned, the Sahtu could be a real busy place like a beehive. I hope he’s not referring to us as honey buckets here and being dealt with in the last four years in Colville Lake. I want to ask the Minister if they’re looking at high-level discussions in the Sahtu because of the shift of the playing and just the way things have turned out. Is the Minister willing to look at maybe opening up some discussions on a Highway Strategy in our region for oil companies, communities that we can possibly have a new discussion paper on looking at some new initiatives that could happen...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister assure me or the House that he’s bringing these types of discussions to the Cabinet level where they’ll have some discussions? It just makes sense and makes it right that we do, looking at decentralization of a Transportation department and make it into the Sahtu. Will the Minister then provide me with some concrete information saying that we’re going to have this discussion with the Cabinet? Can the Minister do that for us?

I’d like to ask the Minister when we can have some serious discussions where this government can say let’s make a move in the Sahtu, let’s look at moving some of the transportation responsibilities to the people in the Sahtu. When can we do that? When can the Minister provide this House and me with some discussion paper that this is the right move to make for this government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge all those ladies who were recognized with regional Wise Women awards this year. This is a very prestigious group of women who in their regions deserve to be recognized at a territorial level. It is my pleasure to acknowledge our selections this year.

Mrs. Ethel Blondin-Andrew has been chosen for many reasons, and for many reasons I will not list them here, only to say it was a wise choice. I want to say thank you to Ethel, and continue to lead where no man dares to lead.

Last year in the Sahtu the oil companies spent $80 million in the Sahtu just for looking at oil and gas exploration. They are expected to do double that this year. Further on they’re supposed to do a little more. We know there is business happening in the Sahtu. We’re asking this government, we’re willing to help the North, will you help us and start by putting some of these regional offices such as transportation? I know sooner sounds a lot better to me than later. Can the Minister, within the three years of this government, at least start seeing some shift of the regional transportation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, I’ve heard the exchange between Premier McLeod and the honourable Member for Hay River, Mrs. Groenewegen, on this decentralization. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation about one issue that’s been bugging me for awhile.

As you know, the issue of the Tulita district, Norman Wells and Tulita, that there seems to be some interest by some oil companies to look at some of the work that could possibly happen. So I wanted to ask the Minister in terms of the decentralization issue – the Premier is saying you can count on us –...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to add my Member’s statement today to talk about the potential benefits to the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. I want to say, first of all, congratulations to the GNWT and their negotiating team for working with the people in the Sahtu and allowing them flexibility, and more importantly, for the Sahtu people to come to a decision to sit at the negotiating table on devolution. This gives them some flexibility to come, as I said in my press release, to negotiate our own faith within the Sahtu and the Northwest Territories.

This is not a done deal yet...