Norman Yakeleya

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question to the Minister of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

What is the latest assessment of core need of housing in the Sahtu?

What types of NWTHC programs are committed solely to the elders/seniors?

Who in the Sahtu region have taken up the manufactured homes since they were brought in?

When will the NWTHC begin regional discussions with our region on the concept of Novel manufactured homes?

How many homes did NWTHC sell to community members and what programs were used to assist them?

What plans are in place to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say this on behalf of the people, that they wanted to congratulate Minister McLeod and other people who made it happen that we happen to have a very excellent road this winter here. In terms of the bridge, I know that costs and factors are high. That is why I want to ask the Minister in terms of doing business in the Sahtu. It is certainly different in the south here. We have to pay the Sahtu prices for doing business there. I want to ask the Minister, what types of plans are in place for his department to stay in the Sahtu prices, because otherwise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister if there is anything in the policies in the current system right now, because of the time that we take to have our meetings and get the funding approved, to have certain medical equipment in our region between now and that time. Is there anything in the policy that would be of assistance to the Sahtu in terms of assisting people who have strokes or heart attacks that would satisfy on an interim basis? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the assessments. My understanding of some of the centres in the Sahtu is you dare not have a heart attack in the Sahtu because we don’t have emergency medical equipment such as the defibrillators or the cardiac monitors or IV pumps. So we wanted to deem this as an emergency and not wait until the assessment. Other things can be forthcoming; however, we really need some equipment there. How soon can the Minister put these types of emergency equipment into the health centres in the Sahtu? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was inspired by our Members to start beginning to use our mother tongue, so I want to use part of my language here.

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In my language, Mr. Speaker, I want to just let the Members know that I said to thank the good Lord, thank the Creator for today, and that I will speak today on behalf of my people who put me here. I know life is difficult for all of us, and I will do my best to speak for you. I'll give you a voice in the House today. So that's what I said in my language.

I want to say that, Mr. Speaker, in my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last weekend we had a Sahtu/Tlicho/Dehcho economic conference in Tulita. Mr. Handley and Mr. Bell, along with MLA Jackson attended. I wanted to ask the Minister of ITI, Mr. Brendan Bell, the burning question in terms of after this conference in terms of coordinating the communities and the regions in terms of preparing for the impacts, the social issues that will be forthcoming should the pipeline come in this present time frame. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it's time, enough is enough. We have a new government. Some of the old bureaucrats are still in Ottawa. You can change the face in the kitchen table here, but you still have the same cooks brewing up the same kind of recipe for provinces and territories. So I think this government's got to come up with a backup plan. You know, we have to hope the federal government will listen to us, and hope that we…We need a backup plan. We need to get serious and get really down to the brass knuckles of…Our resources are leaving us everyday; millions and...