Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, from what I’m hearing, the toll system design will be done outside of the GNWT where a private company would design the system and work in conjunction with the Department of Transportation to set up this toll for the Deh Cho Bridge? This is what they’re budgeting for in terms of this work?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister also commit to working with other Cabinet colleagues in terms of how they could probably put together sort of a training package, if that makes more sense in terms of the Department of Education or Aurora College, in terms of looking at a home like this in the Sahtu or any of the other communities in the North that makes sense?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just on the Bear River bridge, has the department given any consideration to ask the federal government, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation or the Minister of Finance within the federal government if there was a project somewhere in Canada that somehow didn’t make it or had some cancellation, can this bridge be considered as a possibility for funding, seeing if this bridge could get some support from the feds?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister is correct; there was some log construction homes done in the past and, certainly, we learned some valuable lessons in there. I think there are some companies out there now that can design certain log homes and certain people could have certain ideas as to how to build.

I would ask more specifically in terms of Colville Lake, in terms of the trappers, in terms of a similar house that they could have a very basic home that when they want to go out to the trapline, they can close down their houses and come back when they open up. Something very simple, very basic...

The one concern, that I know the department has been in discussions with the leadership in Deline is the realignment of the road from the mouth of Great Bear Lake and Bennett Field, specifically at the mouth of Great Bear Lake where there is a burial site and the department has been talking with the community in terms of moving the road off the area where the burial site is. I know the Minister has had his staff go to Deline and are going to do work.

My understanding is there was some discussion as to how soon this can get done. My previous discussion with some of the officials is that they...

Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is in regards to helping the people in the Sahtu, especially the people in Colville Lake who have asked me on numerous occasions if they can build their own home, simple homes in the communities where these young families, older people that could build a simple log home, simple home in the communities that would help the GNWT with these resources. The benefits of these people in my communities in the Sahtu, again Colville Lake, is to harvest the logs and have some skill capacity development going on in the community, get people working. This would...

Mr. Gabe Kochon was chosen as senior trapper in the Sahtu region. Gabe Kochon is one solid trapper. I want to ask the Minister, with regard to trapping for seniors, are there some programs dedicated to seniors like Gabe Kochon to continue that way of life?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are with regard to the outstanding trappers we have in the Sahtu and ITI’s program. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Robert Kochon of Colville Lake had the highest sales in trapping and also the highest pelts in trapping. What is this Minister of ITI doing in terms of supporting our way of life in the Sahtu, especially with trappers like Mr. Kochon? What are the programs he has to support this way of life?

Can the Premier tell me if there is going to be any types of formal discussions in terms of constructing the Mackenzie Valley Highway, similar to questions similar to what the MLA for Kam Lake has talked about? Can we see some solid commitments from the feds or can we see that there is a possibility of even looking at the beginning of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the construction part of it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Premier questions regarding the Mackenzie Valley Highway.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that some time ago the Government of the Northwest Territories put a proposal before the federal government regarding the Norman Wells oilfield proposal in terms of possibly looking at some funding options to see if this process could be looked at and see if the federal government could entertain this proposal to construct the Mackenzie Valley Highway.