Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to thank the Tlicho people for making a contribution to this Assembly through Mr. Lafferty here. The history of the North is filled with stories of contributions that the RCMP special constables have made to the administration of justice. In the early days, many RCMP would have died out on the land if it weren’t for the knowledge and the skills of these special constables that would accompany them on their patrols. The constables were also invaluable in providing interpreting services and helping out the RCMP officers in terms of interacting with the local...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the special constables have played a special and very important role in our communities. Again, it’s one of the many lists of things that the federal government seems to have some control over in terms of how many RCMP are provided in the Northwest Territories. It seems like we’re left to the whims of the federal government in terms of federal funding. Are there any types of plans? I understand that the Minister has talked about meeting with the federal government and his counterparts. Are there any types of assurance or some sort of satisfaction the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is correct that these one-time special constables provide a very valuable service to the RCMP as a whole. Because of the lack of RCMP in the smaller communities, I’d like to ask the Minister on the Special Constable Program, can he provide some written documents to the House in terms of the type of substantial discussions held with the RCMP in the Northwest Territories in reintroducing this program to the North? Thank you.

I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. In the original proposal under the Corridors for Canada, the funding was never identified for roads in that proposal. I am asking for future proposals, but I am not sure if it’s going to be in the future proposal. It’s hard to believe that the best bush road is the Ingraham Trail just out of Yellowknife. It’s paved. You have millions of dollars going in there, yet our region is left out of the all-weather road system. How can the Minister give satisfaction to the people in the Sahtu that an all-weather road that connects the communities in...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the joint ventures that sometimes happen in the Sahtu are 10 percent joint ventures just up front. The southern companies say we have a connection to the local business or the region, and then there are 51 and 49 percent joint ventures. Those are the real homegrown businesses that have equity in the region and sometimes those companies lose out on those 10 percent joint ventures. Madam Speaker, that’s what I am asking for the government to look at, is the real companies in the Sahtu to make sure those monies that are spent by the people who live and...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, some of the business that has been done in the Sahtu…Well there are different interpretations of the joint ventures and they come into the region, do their business, then take the majority of the economics out of the region, not even using the businesses in the region. My question to the Minister is can he work with his Cabinet Members to ensure that northern businesses do have some level of equality or some level playing field in terms of receiving contracts from the government, making sure that some of these outside joint ventures are encouraged to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the member from a Tlicho community, Joe Beaverho. Thank you.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I, too, want to send out my congratulations to the hard-working people in Hay River for the fine event, and thank you, Minister, for inviting us down to the NWT track meet yesterday.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the potential to create a viable future for all NWT communities is before us. Initiatives such as devolution, resource revenue sharing and the Northern Strategy provide us with the opportunity to revamp northern government to reflect concrete commitments to build strong and sustainable communities.

My question is for the Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Is the Premier committed to using these initiatives to strengthen the whole of the NWT?

If so, how does the Premier see it unfolding and taking shape?

What concrete steps are being taken to make...