Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's offer in terms of offering some suggestions to proposals. He's being quite open about receiving them. I want to know now the next steps in terms of advising the stakeholders. It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that during the Joint Review Panel hearings that communities have indicated that alcohol and drug treatment is the number one issue. We heard it over and over again. So I'm trying to understand why do another community consultation with the stakeholders? We know what it is. We read in the newspaper on a weekly basis on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this summer, I guess we are going for a little walk in the mountains. We’ll see what happens in the seven days. I appreciate the Minister’s full support on this and getting some recognition and support. Will the Minister be able to come to the Sahtu and to the Canol heritage summer tour, so his physical presence, not just by his words, and have him show up during the summer in Norman Wells?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in terms of the working committees now being implemented or in place, can the Minister advise the people in the Territories and also in the Sahtu region when we can see a viable management plan that would see the Canol canyon heritage trail be turned over to the people in the Sahtu for enjoyment of all tourism? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister then inform the deputy that has to again allow his employees to look at it? It is sensitive, however, it hits right at the crux of a constituent and it does tear away from one solving one issue. It’s going to create a problem for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment by having one of my constituents in an income support situation. That’s just terrible. So would the Minister again inform the appropriate deputy that he reconsider on this issue, this policy? I know it’s sensitive, so I’ll just leave it at that. Would the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s response. What is the process for this government that may call into question in regards to the approval for that department to give their government employees the clearance to bid on government contracts? Will the Minister consider reviewing that policy, because right now it is a concern for one of my constituents in the Sahtu region? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Believe me, the lights are on on this issue.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister again, and I will make this very clear. Please do not consult. We have studies, mountains and mountains of studies of this program, this issue. Do not consult. Get the action, get the money. Prime example, the Minister of Justice has a pilot project of a wilderness camp in Fort Good Hope. It’s dynamite. It’s working good. Let’s get started. Let’s hammer out the issues later on as they come about. Can the people in Sahtu or…Let’s get a pilot project on. Bring the families...

Thank you. I will raise my voice in the House. I don’t have to? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the $500 million has been committed. Residential school money is out, or shortly will be coming out. The communities want drug and alcohol programs in their communities. Tl'oondih has as good program in Fort McPherson. There's good programs down the Mackenzie Valley. Let's get the programs into communities right now. Let's not do any more consultation. Get the programs in there. There's workers that need the help and their families need help, so let's not do any more consultation. Get the programs in the communities. So I'll ask the Minister...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke about the drug and alcohol programs in the Northwest Territories and I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, has his department reviewed the situation of the drug and alcohol treatment programs and would his department consider a project-by-project of treatment programs on the land versus the residential units that he has now in the Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m going to also support this motion here and I look forward to the Department of Justice in terms of how they’re going to roll this out into the communities. I had several constituents of mine be turned away because of previous criminal records that were nine years old, and to have these members that are now changing their way of life and actually making some valuable contributions to these land claim boards or other type of boards that we advertise through the government, sometimes their criminal convictions hurts them and they’re not considered to sit on several...