Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Three points I want to speak on in my opening address. It has to do with the motion that the Sahtu Secretariat passed at their meeting. The Sahtu Secretariat asked if the Aboriginal governments and the First Nations governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories talk about a process where they can sit down together and start discussing constitutional development. It’s imperative that the Sahtu people want to have this discussion to continue to protect the dignity and culture of the Sahtu people, more so now that they have a land claim. They want to know how...

I was in Tulita when the students went out to do an on-the-land program, and the instructor said these students were just having fun and they were respecting each other because they depended on each other. But he said once they got back into the school system, they started to get a little more out of that respectable behaviour. I want to ask the Minister would he again look, with his colleagues, the boards, at whether we can put more of these types of programs more than just once or twice or three times a year, have these types of on-the-land programs that would be introduced into the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the bullying and how it is not part of the culture that I grew up in. It was more respect for the people and the culture. I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the Education department is looking at how to include more Aboriginal teaching or mentoring programs that can be introduced into our education system that would look at more of respecting each other, respecting the environment and to prevent bullying.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize the young people in our gallery this afternoon. I’d also like to recognize the former MLA for Range Lake, Sandy Lee. Also I’d like to recognize a former leader, still a leader, Charlie Furlong from the Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the mover of this motion, for bringing this issue to the Legislature today, and also for Ms. Bisaro’s enthusiasm and support to get everybody here to talk about this issue.

It not only affects students in Yellowknife. It affects students right across the Northwest Territories, in homes and communities. Like I said, it not only affects students, it affects leaders, families and everybody.

I want to thank the Member for the motion here. In the motion it talks about some recommendations that this government could do to denounce bullying. Mr. Speaker, in my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister look at programs within the school, like I mentioned to my spouse, that maybe some type of organized program could be there to help the students develop into some wonderful athletes and look at their own self-esteem such as sport and recreation programs that could be used throughout the year?

I certainly look forward to the day when we can have elders into our schools. We worked on it long enough. I think the Minister is going to make an announcement, hopefully soon, that we’re going to have elders in our schools.

Getting back to how do we work with bullying, I know there are many other areas that we need to work on as a society as a whole. However, our children now spend most of their time in the schools Monday through Friday throughout the year. Can the Minister look at a program where possibly it could be a pilot project where the Aboriginal culture could be taught more...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the Christmas holidays the community of Tulita celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of a truly respected couple, George and Celine Campbell. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell made their vows to each other on December 29, 1961, in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I’m proud to say that our community was part of that history when the celebration took place to honour George and Celine. I want to recognize them today for their commitment to their vows and for keeping each other in their hearts. Spending half a century in love with one...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a parent and a community member, I am disturbed by the bullying that I see going on in our society. When I hear about something that’s happening at our school, I ask myself whether it’s just a mirror of the rest of the world that we live in. Where are the kids getting the idea that it’s okay to push each other around or to say mean things to each other or to try to get power over others?

Bullying isn’t just happening in our schools; it’s happening at Aurora Colleges, it’s happening in workplaces, it’s happening in homes, it’s happening on sports teams. Some leaders...

The seniors that I’ve talked to are poor, they need help. The home care is not there enough. These are seniors that need help with medication or groceries or wood or hauling of the water. They’re poor. Quit picking on our seniors. They’ve done enough for us. We’re asking the government to look at a policy to be amended to allow family members to help the seniors in those areas. Seniors are afraid of the government policies and the community is saying that this policy is going against the culture of the people. Would the Minister be willing to look at seeing how we can change this?