Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My former colleague Mr. Braden fought hard for the dementia centre. He fought hard for the dementia centre in Yellowknife. All of a sudden it’s in the books, it’s on the table, and $15 million is spent. We have over the years been fighting for a centre in the Sahtu region. Now we have to go through the process to get a regional centre for the whole Sahtu region. We would like a piece of the pie in terms of the dollars coming in.

Again, I have seen elders get on the plane in terrible weather. Myself, I’ve experienced where we see people fly out to Edmonton or Norman Wells...

My people certainly would like to know where these millions of dollars are that have been pointed to the Sahtu. I have on the books for 2005–2006 $8.1 million coming into Sahtu Health. In Hansard it has on Friday that they poured millions downtown into Yellowknife in terms of projects: a $15 million dementia centre. We’re asking if this government can put capital into our region to bring the standards of health care similar to downtown Yellowknife — for the Sahtu region to have a regional health and wellness centre that our region can enjoy, just like any other region in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I was privy to the exchange between Hon. Minister Lee and my colleague Mr. Hawkins on a health care issue in downtown Yellowknife.

It says in Hansard that Ms. Lee, the honourable Minister, has stated that we’re pouring millions and millions into downtown services, that one of the richest parts of the health care service is going to downtown Yellowknife.

I was shocked to hear this, because my region has been looking for a long time at areas that we could fill to bring up standards by other communities in terms of health care services. The Sahtu has been asking...

Mr. Speaker, some years ago I remember going to one of the small communities. I was hosted by a family, and when we got up in the morning, we had some breakfast. I couldn’t believe that a family that was feeding the child breakfast cereal…. They had water there, and they had Coffee-Mate. They were making milk for the child. That’s their milk, because the milk is so expensive in our small isolated communities that have no roads, have no opportunity to purchase milk at a lower price. I sat there with the family, a well respected elder and mother, and they were making milk with Coffee-Mate, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My written question is directed to Hon. Minister Miltenberger, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Will the Minister develop a plan of action that includes community renewable resource councils as part of types of fuel spill response plans?

Can the Minister provide an explanation as to why it took four and a half hours to have his officials at the scene of the Rocky Island barge fuel spill and an explanation on why they did not stay at the scene until the barge was safely secure from further spills?

Has the department conducted, in conjunction with local...

I thank the Minister for making the effort to come to the Sahtu and talk to the stakeholders. The Minister has dealt with the Sahtu regional health board. You have talked to them. You have talked to them also as a Regular Member. I remember you coming to the Sahtu region. There’s no difference. There are no changes in terms of our health centres, Minister Lee. In Tulita we’re busting at the seams in terms of our health centre. We’re getting two nurse practitioners in our region. Where are we going to put them? How are we going to have this facility? Where are they going to work in the...

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I would like to know when the Minister is going to work with our stakeholders in the Sahtu to see the Sahtu regional health centre put on the capital acquisition plan.

Mr. Chair, at this time I would like to declare a conflict of interest on this bill.

Mr. Chair, the question I have is on the follow-up to Mr. Krutko’s question to the Minister in terms of the Building Canada Fund. I have a little file here that I have on the Great Bear River Bridge project being delayed, deferred, cancelled, postponed until further funding.

I’d just like to ask the Minister: when can the people in the Sahtu look at a bridge like this? They don’t know what to think, since this bridge has been on the books for a long time. They’re anxious to hear what the government is planning to do in terms of putting this bridge in place. If it does get in place, for us it...

We’ve been hearing “very shortly” for a bit here. I’m not too sure what the definition of the deputy’s “very shortly” is in terms of the time frame. Can we look at something in terms of having the commitment that this bridge will be done and finished? It’s sitting high and dry with no approaches. My people want to know when this bridge will be completed. It’s sitting there. It’s an embarrassment for the government. When will this bridge be done? You have the dollars. I’d like to ask the deputy to expand a little more on this “very shortly” answer.