Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier of the House. I want to ask the Premier about a motion that was passed several weeks ago about the caribou issue. We had a motion that gave direction to the government on dealing with the caribou issue. I want to ask the Premier where that motion is at.

With the council of grandmothers and the NWT Seniors’ Society, that is apples and oranges. I want to talk more about the oranges as the council of grandmothers and their value. Would the Minister consider, besides identifying the problems, what opportunities or positive things you can see that could come from a council of grandmothers to guide us in the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is a beautiful day. Throughout the North many people are busy doing their things, either with family, with their work or in their community. Mr. Speaker, our elders tell us to pray each morning for what we want to accomplish in life or for other people. Mr. Speaker, our elders say without the Creator in our life and not putting God first, things become very hard for us.

Mr. Speaker, these are very important words to us; more importantly, hard to live up to at times every day. However, it is told to us for a reason, Mr. Speaker. I think sometimes it...

I want to ask the Minister or Premier on building relationships with the aboriginal governments on this very important issue. This issue is very critical for us to go forward. I want to ask the Premier about this deal, having it satisfactory to the Yellowknives, to the Tlicho, to the people of the Northwest Territories to go forward on bigger issues with the government. Is the Premier committed to ensuring this deal can get done soon? This week?

Can the Premier give us an update on where things are with the Yellowknives Dene on how they’re trying to work out a deal on the harvesting?

I certainly agree with the Minister about the NWT Seniors’ Society representatives. These are grandparents from across the Northwest Territories. I do want to focus on a council of grandmothers. Grandmothers have a special role in the community and lives in childrearing and bringing up the children and laying out the foundation. Does the Minister have a willingness to look at even one from each region in the role of a council of grandmothers during this Legislature or even with the department? Would the Minister be interested in seeing if this is an initiative she would undertake?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement had to do with mothers and grandmothers. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, I know the previous government had a council of grandmothers and I thought that was a wonderful idea. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if that’s something she would be interested in initiating or looking at, having a discussion on starting up the council of grandmothers again with this government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s not what I want to hear. Maybe I’m asking the wrong way. What I’m asking for is when there’s a significant event or site recognized in the Northwest Territories, there is some kind of celebration, recognition, there’s funds, there’s stuff going to that event. Just like when they had the paving of the highway here, the last kilometre was paved, they had a big celebration. So I’m asking about that in regards to Deline. After feedback, after the process, what is this government going to do to signify if this is an event that is going to be supported by this...

Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister, in terms of after the feedback on March 3rd, what’s the process, what will happen after that process. And I want to ask him again: what’s the significance of this piece of information that’s been in the paper, in terms of Deline, in terms of resources, funding and recognition? What’s the significance?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently was informed that the community of Deline has been designated as a territorial historical site. In honour of that I’ve come up with a Sahtu hockey song that was written by Stompin’ Tom Connor. I won’t be able to sing, Mr. Speaker, but I’ll do my best.

Hello there, we’re on the air, it’s hockey night tonight. There’s confusion here, confusion there, so I’m here to set things right. On Grey Goose Lake, the snow was late, and the ice was smooth and clear. Someone roared, “Sir John scored,” the first hockey game was here.

Here’s the chorus here: Oh...