Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, what I’m receiving as some of the complaints from the constituents are that the contract between the Northwest Company and the Nutrition North Program is that the retail store is not so concerned about the diet that’s supposed to be provided under the program for the residents; it’s more concerned with the bottom line profit. So the type of monitoring that this government is responsible for, how is it that this government is educating people on nutrition and northern healthy foods when we can’t even get them in our communities? If we do get them, they’re either spoiled rotten or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize also the lovely returning officer from the Sahtu, Margrit Minder. I’d also like to recognize from this past summer a CANOL 50-mile hiker, Tia Hanna, from the Northland residents in Yellowknife.

Is the Minister meeting with his federal counterpart or other Finance Ministers in Canada to look at this situation here in the North, in light of what we may be faced with? Can the Minister provide us with a brief update as to what type of actions or strategies this government is doing to see that some of these capital projects start and finish on time and on budget?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I talked about the infrastructure projects in the Sahtu and the projects that are underway. There is some commitment to some of them happening in the Sahtu and also to other communities in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister, in light of his ministerial statement on the fiscal and economic updates in the Northwest Territories and the challenges that are going to be facing the 17th Assembly, I want to ask the Minister in retrospect of the projects that are already committed in the Northwest Territories for this year and next year and the year after...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister lay out a little more of a clear path, I guess, in the transition document as to the funding that could be looked at in the 17th or closing this Assembly here as to what are some of the close certainties of the financial revenues that we may seek either from the feds or from our own sources in the Territories?

So we’ve put in the books the projects that we’ve agreed as the Assembly of this government, and now what I’m hearing the Minister saying to the people is that the projects that have already been agreed to, the multi-year funding projects may be in jeopardy. In light of what the Minister is saying to the House by stating the forecast that the government now will have to deal with the capital infrastructure expenditures, is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is our final sitting in the House before the 16th Legislative Assembly will be closed. Some may say, where did the time go, while others may say, finally our time is up.

From the Sahtu’s perspective, we have, and will continue to have, universal issues that need to be resolved with all Northerners. Matters such as the lack of housing units, assessments of people’s health care, protection of our elders, and implementation of specific clauses in our land claim agreements and asserting our Aboriginal rights to the land and how we as Northerners work and live together....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to recognize all the Pages; specifically the two Pages from the Sahtu and the community of Deline: Raymond Bernarde and Jordon Kenny.

I also want to recognize the support in the House for Members, especially for Mr. Jacobson and his family. It’s nice to see them here and to know that the real boss is in the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories declared May 26th a National Day of Healing and Reconciliation. It is still the only Legislature in Canada to recognize the day and acknowledge the abuse suffered by well over 10,000 Aboriginal children in residential schools in the North alone. Of the 150,000 students, there are 80,000 students living today.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission recently travelled to the Northwest Territories, giving voice to residential school survivors and other community members. Tulita hosted a very powerful meeting on May 10th...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Grollier Hall Residential School, Stringer Hall, opened in 1959. Grollier Hall closed in 1996; Stringer Hall in 1970. The community of Inuvik was part of our family. I wanted to ask the Premier what will he do to help the thousands of students -- there are 2,500 students that attended Grollier, and a number of students in the Sahtu and other outlying communities -- get to Inuvik. I know there’s a limited number. How can we help also with the students, the community of Inuvik, to do this healing? How can the Premier help fund the students to get there?