Norman Yakeleya

The Minister has indicated certainly some good points there in terms of the medical escorts into our health care system in terms of language, physical. I think that it needs to be stated very clearly, loud and clear, to the health centres to know that if an elder walks in and they are required to go to Yellowknife, Inuvik or Edmonton, that the first question on the list of questions, we’ll have an escort for you who can work with you, not if you understand English or can you travel alone in snow. It should be with the elders, especially with the second language as English, that we are going to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly there are times where there is a perception as to how we push or move or debate or work through issues that sometimes emotions do come to a level where we bite our tongue or we say something. Sometimes that is the nature of the business we are in here. We have some very good heated exchanges.

One time I had made apologies to Mr. Miltenberger when I made a reference to a dictatorship. I didn’t feel good. However, this was done in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I guess what I want to say in terms of this type of discussion, there are only two people that know what...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 8, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the Government of the Northwest Territories set a place and date to have an emergency meeting with the aboriginal people of the NWT to consider their consultative process and come to an agreement regarding the caribou; and further, that the Government of the NWT look at alternative measures to resolve the issue.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the issue here it seems like the rights of the aboriginal people have taken a back seat to the conservation issue here. This is a basic right given by the Creator himself in terms of the relationship with the animals. This seems like it’s been taken away by this government here. That is the attitude. I want to ask the Minister with respect to resolving this issue as soon as possible to give the right back to the aboriginal hunters so they can feed their people. I ask the Minister if he can do that.

The right to hunt and provide food for our people, to teach them many different methods of survival of the aboriginal people. The issue here is in terms of the rights of aboriginal people to hunt for food for their families for their survival. In terms of the attitudes of governments of the past not to recognize aboriginal rights, this is the attitude I see of this government here in terms of putting a ban on hunting without proper consultation with the affected parties. Is the Minister, in terms of his decision with his staff in terms of having traditional knowledge, let the people decide for...

Thank you. I have one question to the Minister here in terms of this page here. It’s health services contribution agreements funding, prevention and treatment. There are programs listed. I wanted to ask the Minister, I know she wrote to me about the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program. We receive about, I say we, the Department of Health and Social Services receives about $375,000. Approximately $280,000 is allocated to southern addiction treatment options for aboriginal clients and I think that’s good to have that there. The remaining funds are used for focusing on addiction...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been reviewing some of my notes from yesterday and from the exchange I had with the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, the issue with me is with the consultation process in terms of looking at the issue of caribou with the aboriginal people. Mr. Speaker, I also understand that the Minister indicated in the House that they were close to coming to a resolution of this issue with the Yellowknives Dene. Certainly, there are two views as to the type of resolution, Mr. Speaker. I find it very puzzling that we are coming to a...

On 8-30, Mr. Chair, in terms of the prevention and promotion funding to the authorities or agencies or NGOs, I’m looking more at the health promotion activities in terms of the high increase in diabetes in our communities, especially to retail outlets such as the Northern Store, the Co-op. Is there anything that this department is working with the retail facilities in terms of promoting healthy food/healthy eating and discouraging non-healthy foods such as lots of candy, pop and that kind of stuff there that I know is a money-maker, but is also hurting our children. Is that something within...

I would leave it in the good judgment of the Minister in terms of what she provides to me and if I could get that information sometime in the short time frame here. If I need more, I will come and see the Minister in terms of what more information I need. I do appreciate the Minister’s offering to look at this. I would like to see if I could get this sometime in the next couple of days.

Thank you. I certainly look forward to the day where I could see what the deputy minister is saying in terms of improved health care services in the communities.

In the description here it talks about recruitment and retention programs specifically related to health and social service professionals. I want to ask, in terms of the recruitment of the aboriginal wellness workers, aboriginal health care providers such as the community health representatives, you know, people in the communities that have been working in this field but they’re not recognized; some of the elders that we use or we go...