Norman Yakeleya

Is there any sense of this good government going to see Ottawa and the Minister and saying, given that the Constitution has been settled, the Metis people are in the Constitution, is the federal government by any way going to help with our government? Because you do the math of the core funding of $20,000 for a political, constitutional organization, and this is what our government is doing, but the federal government is nowhere to be seen. Is our government doing anything to increase this core funding? This is shameful to give a political organization this type of money.

While we appreciate it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations questions. I listened with interest as the Minister talked about the Metis people organizations in the Northwest Territories. The Premier mentioned $20,000 to the Metis organizations.

Can the Premier inform the House as to how many Metis organizations have received this $20,000 and what is the $20,000 for, for these Metis organizations?

Mr. Speaker, some of the federal government’s responsibilities in jurisdictions do not include the Metis people, such as the University and College Entrance Program.

Is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with the federal government to ensure that the Metis are treated just as the Inuvialuit, Inuit or the First Nations people?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today celebrates the strength of the Metis people. Despite the presence of the colonial powers, the churches, governments and residential schools, the Sahtu Metis have stood strong and have stood for their rights. My questions today are for the Minister of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Can the Premier describe this government’s efforts to further strengthen Metis economic development and participation in major development projects?

I look forward to that information. The Minister has been collecting this information so if I go to the Sahtu and would know how many survivors are actually in Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Tuktoyaktuk…(inaudible)…any other communities, I would know the exact number of survivors that either passed away or that have gone into schools in the early 1900s. Is that what I’m hearing? You have the numbers and I’d be able to get those numbers?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks, Ms. Bisaro.

ATIPP Legislation for Municipalities

The Information and Privacy Commissioner has repeatedly recommended that the GNWT complete the work necessary to establish legislation governing the collection, use and disposal of information by municipalities. This recommendation is reiterated again in the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2013-2014 Annual Report, along with a notation indicating that the Information and Privacy Commissioner looks forward to providing input on a discussion paper being prepared on this matter by Municipal and Community Affairs...

I have one short question, Mr. Chair. I want to ask, given the situation in the North here, and specifically the Sahtu region, are the partnership meetings that are happening in our region in the Sahtu that involve various departments still active and they’re still making suggestions and recommendations with the government, oil companies and the communities and making some progress in the work that could be done and what work can be looked at and making plans for just in case the industry does come back on a large scale or a small scale?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My comments would be more reflective of the situation that we have in my riding around the oil and gas. I do want to thank the Minister and the staff for doing the best they can in the situations of our economic opportunity and working with the region. You responded and you’ve done some things that were greatly appreciated in our region. Right now we have Colville Lake with some activity going on there. Hopefully, in the future we’ll have some other work being done around Conoco’s lease in maybe other areas. I do want to say to the Minister and the staff that you’re doing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, February 12, 2015, it shall be adjourned until Monday, February 16, 2015;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to February 16, 2015, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and...

On the winter road from Norman Wells to Fort Good Hope, just before we get to washboard alley there, there’s a bridge that’s sitting there all by itself. So, there are over $1 million in assets sitting there. I want to ask the Minister what is the bridge there for, because it has been sitting there for the last 11 years since I’ve been MLA for the Sahtu. Is that part of the highway decorations, or are we going to use that bridge? What is the government going to do with that bridge?