Norman Yakeleya

Would the Minister of Health and Social Services look at this policy, this compassion policy we have within the next, say, before the business plan so that we can have some discussions with the appropriate committee and see if it meets the needs of the people? Bring forth the policy maybe by May or June, if that’s possible.

Thank you, Minister, for the clarification. This then poses another question. If they were there in 2008, today is 2012. Four years later we’re finally capturing them? Shouldn’t they have been captured in 2009-2010 or 2010-2011? I guess that’s why I raise the question. I understand what the Minister is saying. Are we just a little slow in government here in capturing some of these positions? That’s just a comment for the officials in approving budgets like this. For me it seems like we’re slipping it in. That’s my comment here. We’re about four years catching up on some stuff that maybe should...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to ask the Minister of this department here, I notice we had a position added there that is in the interim appropriation here and that the added senior department, I could say ADM, why is it in here, then? Rather than go through the normal channels as we usually see it and why is it here in the interim appropriation bill?

The Minister said yesterday that the Nats'ejee K'eh treatment facility has about a 49 percent occupancy rate. Can the Minister look at that treatment program? I know the Deh Cho health services board operates that. Can he look at that as a way to increase the on-the-land treatment programs with the money that they’re not using in the other regions where the communities like Colville Lake say we want on-the-land treatment programs for the people? This is the people’s land and this is where they want to heal. Can the Minister look at that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think my song on the devolution is “A Long and Winding Road.” I want to ask the Finance Minister when we look at a piece of legislation like that, can he work with his colleagues to look at types of support that the people have expressed through the Sahtu leadership meeting on programs, such as the Minister of Health and Social Services has conveyed to my people when we did our tour, and get people back on the land to do the spiritual healing?

Maybe I could make some music here if I put my fingers to the keyboard on this piece of legislation. I want to ask the Minister when we have some discussions to look at the existing Liquor Act and looking at the regional approach to the Sahtu, that the Minister can also look at ways that this legislation will then allow the regional people to have another say at this recent plebiscite.

A regional approach might not make sense in other areas of the Northwest Territories but it makes sense in the Sahtu. Five isolated communities, none which is a large centre. Norman Wells has about 30 percent of the regional population, but they have been given the decision-making power for 100 percent of the regional population. The Sahtu communities only have highway access during the short winter season and the rest of the time are limited to travel by air and water. There are no options to drive down the highway to buy alcohol in large centres like Whitehorse or Alberta. Most of the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. If they were there before and they weren’t being established, so now we want to capture them with the interim appropriation for next year. I think I’m getting a little bit confused here. Maybe if the Minister could clarify this for me again.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we look at on-the-land treatment programs, we look at it from an Aboriginal perspective through a holistic view, and that means looking at the whole four parts of the human being: the mental, the emotional, the physical and the spiritual. The Minister is on track on this process right here. I want to ask the Minister, has he looked at other types of programs that we’re talking about today that could be used as the model in the Northwest Territories, across Canada where people, Aboriginal people, all people can use this type of model for healing their addictions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services when the people in my communities are asking for support and help in dealing with the drug and alcohol programs, can the Minister tell this House and the people in the Sahtu when can they expect to see such types of programs being implemented in my regions that will support my people’s wishes and that possibly could work for them instead of looking at buildings that other regions have. When can the Minister put something concrete in this House to support my people?