Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the other one is that the Minister indicated almost $5 million going to emergency and other repair programs and various programs for seniors and disabled preventive maintenance programs and senior citizens home repairs. So I want to ask the Minister, in terms of some of these seniors’ English being a second language, how is it being communicated to them for their eligibility or the requirements for these type of programs? Or even the disabled. I know it sometimes gets tossed over to the Department of Health because they have to fund certain programs....

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the Minister’s comments, I want to ask a few questions. I think the basic presumption or thing that the people in our communities are looking for is that homes be built in the whole Northwest Territories. The Minister is right and the Members are right. We seem to be always in a crisis mode in the North in terms of homes, how much get built in the regions and in the communities. I am very curious in terms of the number of homes being built in the North and maybe specifically in the Sahtu because, in the last couple of years I have been here, past...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Can the Minister provide a list of numbers of 2004-2005 agency nurses in the North and what is projected for 2006-2007?

Can the Minister provide a breakdown of agency nurses in the region in the year of 2004-2005?

Can the Minister provide the average stay in the role of nurses in the regions?

Can the Minister provide an outline of reducing the role of agency nurses in the regions?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When can the Northwest Territories, along with two powerful Premiers on this committee, Alberta and Quebec, when would this council make the national energy strategy known to the other Premiers so that they can go forward to the federal government and, like Mr. Williams said, hopefully we can have all 13 areas in Canada, or provinces in Canada, all 13 be like Alberta. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honour one of our constituents in the Sahtu region from Tulita. Her name is Stella Bayha-Yallee. She has 25 years of service as a housing manager in Tulita. I wanted to say that to the House, that she is one of the longest-serving members of the local housing authorities in the Northwest Territories. In light of all the stress, heartaches and bellyaches, she hung in there and stayed with us. She is a valuable member to the community, but also, more importantly, a valuable member to the Housing Corporation in terms of changes that we are going...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Transportation. Last week, I indicated that I was in the Sahtu in a regional conference. One of the elders from Fort Good Hope said that the road is so good up in the Sahtu, it is beyond the gold road now. It is scary there. I want to thank the Minister and the Premier for the work. The elder said that he can put his coffee cup on the dashboard now and not spill the cup. I want to ask the Minister for an update in terms of the winter road in the Sahtu in terms of the bridge work that is going to be put into various...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the invitation from the Minister. However, Mr. Speaker, I want to ask again, in terms of the types of services that are being performed, our nurses are working hard in our centres but need these types of services. I am hoping to have something from the Minister today in terms of saying to the people in the Sahtu we will get you this emergency equipment, such as defibrillators, cardiac monitors and IV pumps, that are standard in each hospital across the North. Also, to other centres that need them. I am looking for a commitment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

I have a question for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that Sahtu health is underway with the new health board. I want to ask the Minister responsible for Health what plans are in place for the new health board to have all the health centres brought up to standard in terms of the medical equipment for emergencies such as stroke, heart attacks and such other things that the other regional health centres have had. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this bill allows them to purchase fuel. There’s something else that allows them to distribute the fuel or deliver the fuel. This allows them to purchase, and I understand this bill, I guess there’s something more. Maybe I’m reading into it. I’m going to leave it at that right now, Mr. Chairman. The Minister knows my concerns that I’ve raised and I know this bill is something the Minister is working for the benefit of the Northwest Territories. So I’m going to leave it at that right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have no arguments with the Minister about the way they’re looking at living by this new bill here. My question again is that they talked about buying bulk fuel with NCPC and having bulk fuel in the North here and in the regions. This bulk fuel may be used sometimes as a means to sell to other companies that may see that they have lower prices than the private market. I’m scared that this bill may leave some flexibilities here. We are in the business of too bad for the private businessman. Lower the costs. As they call it, sharpen your pencils. As...