Norman Yakeleya

Thank you. It’s my understanding that Education, Culture and Employment has been the lead department to monitor and coordinate the GNWT’s support with the TRC Commission. I want to ask the Premier, through the Department of Education and Culture, collecting the archives and the photographs and putting this historical event together for the survivors and the community, if this even, or this collection at the end of the TRC process, will be made available to all the residents for a show and explain the history to the people at any public venue that could be sponsored by this government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has a five-year mandate, and that is to examine the legacy of the residential schools in Canada. Inuvik will host this historical healing moment of our past. We have a lot of GNWT employees who have been impacted by the residential schools and the effects it has caused. I want to ask the Premier how will our government support them in this Truth and Reconciliation event in Inuvik.

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?

Mr. Speaker, the residential school has been a very tough issue for a lot of communities. The residential school has also contributed to a lot of violence, a lot of addictions and a lot of different forms of abuses in our communities. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, in 1998, when I did some of my training, a consultant from Santa Cruz, California, said to me that the residential school was a real festering ground for these kinds of things to happen in the communities. I didn’t understand what he said, not until today.

Mr. Speaker, we know personally that some of these survivors are in jails...

I have some information, thanks to the Minister, that he passed on to me. That’s what I want to look at in terms of one of my communities, where if a number of people do not do anything, they will be asked to leave their public housing units; a total of 10 adults, not counting the children. I want to ask the Minister in this regard, we will have a homeless problem in Deline. Can the Minister in any way, through his leadership and direction, look at putting a little more emphasis and resources to working with these people? There are 10 adults that need to see where they’re going to be housed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform the House how many of these summer students have come on board with the Department of Transportation or PWS such as engineering or bridge construction or any other fields that the department is working in?

Mr. Speaker, we need to fix our own house. Let’s start with the foundation and location, move them to the communities, build it up from there. It works.

Mr. Speaker, housing is a government responsibility. We’re all in this together. We need solutions like a tenants relationship officer, solutions like working off the arrears, solutions like garnisheeing a percentage of their wages, or volunteering in the community with coaching or working with the elders. It may not fit the government policy, but, hey, it’s the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we need the attention of this government today...

Mr. Speaker, last year the Department of Transportation hired 31 students. Certainly, then, we want to see that number matched or even to increase. I want to ask for clarification, because the Minister is also responsible for DPW. When he said 34, was that the combination of both departments? I just want to ask about the Transportation numbers. Can the Minister clarify those numbers for me?