Norman Yakeleya

I just wanted to ask, the Minister mentioned a second bundle, is there a third bundle? I just wish there was some news on the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to honour Mrs. Judy Lafferty of Fort Good Hope, who was chosen as the Sahtu recipient at the annual Wise Woman Awards yesterday.

Mrs. Lafferty is a traditional woman who has many skills. Her beadwork is remarkable. Her ability to prepare meat and make dry fish is impeccable, and her care in raising a family is priceless.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Lafferty has always mentioned that her learning came from her late mother, Mrs. Mary Barnaby, who is no stranger to the Sahtu region.

On behalf of the Sahtu, congratulations to Mrs. Lafferty and the other well-deserved...

Mr. Chair, that’s all I have to ask.

Who are these industries?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask a question on the $140,000 with regards to the winter road ice paving program and also to enhance the winter road there. Is the $140,000 something that the Department of Transportation negotiated with industry with regards to their use of the winter road, their use of sections of the winter road? Is it to put water on the roads and to do other work to ensure that there’s safety with industry as they haul their equipment through the Sahtu region?

Madam Chair, I just want to let the Speaker know and also the Office of the Clerk that I appreciate the work that their staff do to accommodate us during our busy work as MLAs. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. I have two other themes here. The second one is, with the low prices of the fuel products, are we now into a position where we are now possibly saving money for our territorial government. I’m not too sure how long that will remain in the low bracket of pricing our fuel out. How are we doing comparing that to the biomass, the wood pellets, in regard to putting wood pellets into our communities and using that product now? Because at one time the diesel prices were quite high and so we started to look at other means of energy into our communities, especially into my region...

I would like to recognize Ms. Barbara Hood, also, and the other ladies and the recipient of the Wise Woman Award for the North Slave in the House here.

I would like to recognize again the two young Pages from Deline on this historical week for them, Miss Faith Gaudet, daughter of the chief negotiator, Danny Gaudet; and Miss Hannah Beyonnie, whose mother is Rita Beyonnie who is shadowing the students from ?ehtseo Ayha School in Deline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to the additional information the Minister can provide to us just to continue supporting this program in our communities in our region.

I just want to conclude that from the support that we received from oil companies, I know that in the Sahtu with the breakfast food program, I know Husky Energy has contributed to their communities for a breakfast program, and I want to state for the record that some of these oil companies have done some good in our communities such as the breakfast program for the families. As children, they don’t know. Food is food. They...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the additional information and thank the Minister for the commitment to look at the issue in the Sahtu. I realize that there is some work that is needed to be done, and certainly through the assistant deputy minister, you guys have come through with some good numbers for us in the communities. We appreciate that.

I guess the point that I want to make, there are certain individuals in our communities that certainly look forward to the help in seniors’ heating subsidies or the early child benefit or even student financial services and the income assistance as...