Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to continue.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, these significant days in our people’s lives, sometimes I think it would be a wonderful consideration if the government could take it on its onus to advance these types of issues forward in terms of a motion like this in the House here. So I would appreciate if the Premier could take it on in his leadership to engage the Members to see if something can be done within this short life of this Assembly here, to recognize this important day for the survivors of the residential schools.

I’m not too sure if we’ll have enough time for how quickly we can engage the Members to see if we want to do something. I want to ask the Premier in terms of his leadership, in terms of the leader of this government here, in terms of taking a leadership role to say something on behalf of this government in terms of May 26 being the day that we recognize, in this government here, as the national reconciliation healing day for residential school survivors. Will the Premier do something?

…the church is sorry for its role in its attempt at assimilation of aboriginal people of the North. This is one more step in the healing journey, but more and more and more must be done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation of residential schools in Canada. The date is sponsored by the Nechi Institute of Alberta, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and Presbyterian churches in Canada.

In October of 2005, this Assembly formally recognized the day by a motion in this House. We are still the only Legislature in Canada to officially recognize this important annual event. We passed this motion in support of our communities, our families and individuals who attended our residential schools and who continue to endure the...

Mr. Speaker, the town of Norman Wells would be very appreciative of the Minister’s response. I want to ask the Minister in terms of another source of funding under the Emergency Measures Fund, or are there other emergency funds his department has that could also help with this situation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How can the GNWT help the town of Norman Wells with the seawall project that was budgeted for $613,000? I would like to ask the Minister of MACA, how can his department help the town?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly I will be sending over a housing package to the Minister in terms of the needs here. Again, Mr. Speaker, because of the uniqueness of the challenges in the Sahtu, hoping that over time here the Minister will be able to look at some of the unique challenges in the Sahtu. I think he needs to hear from the people in the communities who are actually right on the ground in terms of what challenges are faced here. Yesterday I received a call from an elder whose house was frozen up. They wouldn’t give any service because he was in arrears. This is an old man in...

Mr. Speaker, I say this in terms of the uniqueness and challenges in the Sahtu to construct houses. I am very happy. Yesterday the Minister had some positive exchanges with Mr. Menicoche in terms of the threshold communities like Colville Lake or Fort Good Hope. They need to come together and look at some of the challenges in terms of land and buildings, in terms of reading requirements to obtain a house here. That is why I asked the Minister if he would consider from his department to bring people together in the Sahtu and look at some of the unique challenges of constructing these homes here...

Mr. Speaker, again, the town will be very appreciative of the response here. In terms of this situation here, can I ask the Minister in terms of instructing his officials when they do meet with us, what constitutes emergency measures such as a situation like this with Norman Wells? Does this type of funding that the town is requesting fit in some type of policy that constitutes an emergency for this situation?