Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The North American Indigenous Games brought together some very strong and powerful athletes from the Northwest Territories. More importantly, it was done with a very small group of good people, volunteers. I’m very proud of every athlete that went down there, especially the Sahtu athletes, the coaches, the parents and, of course, our cultural drummers from Fort Good Hope. My questions are for the Minister of MACA.

Does he have a final report card on any type of commitments that can be given to the NWT team in three years’ time for the next North American Indigenous Games...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left is Ken Chutskoff, legislative counsel; and on my right is Mr. Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to provide the opening comments on Bill 34, 2015 Polling Day Act.

Mr. Chair, the general election for the 18th Legislative Assembly is currently scheduled to take place on Monday, October 5, 2015. Prior to the passage of fixed election date legislation in the Northwest Territories, the timing of our elections was a moving target. Subsequently, the Parliament of Canada adopted similar legislation establishing the third Monday in October every four years as the date fixed for federal elections. This has resulted in an overlap in the campaign period for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2), and have Bill 34, 2015 Polling Day Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the response from the Minister. Certainly this would help the trappers all down the Mackenzie Valley up to the Beaufort Sea. If the trappers can get some relief, get some support, because the fuel is something that is detrimental to their way of life, unless there’s a program to get the dog teams back in place so they can be used in the communities again. So can the Minister do this within the next three months?

The Minister of Public Works gave me a very interesting fact sheet. The last paragraph in the fact sheet talks about the CHAP program. Through the CHAP program with the registered hunters and trappers in the communities, can they take this fund, walk down the street with their jerry can, go to the gas station, would they be able to, through this program, pay for the fuel that the petroleum products sells through their community government clients? They pay a lower price than the regular clients. Can that happen?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to hold this government to account. In the CBC report this month, the government said people in Fort Good Hope would pay less to fill up their vehicles. Someone told the community of Fort Good Hope they would pay less to fill up their vehicles in the community.

Who said that? Which department? Which staff? If that’s not true, then they’ve got to be held accountable, and that’s what I’m saying. Can you say, I’m sorry, this is what we’ll do for this mistake?

It takes a real government to own up to that responsibility and that’s what I’m asking this government, in its...

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for sharing some of the information and the costs sheets with me. You know there is a gas war happening in Edmonton. It’s $1 per litre.

Would the Minister entertain giving customers, hunters and trappers in the communities like Fort Good Hope, a six-month grace period by selling fuel at the former rate of $1.80? Would he do that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Did you know that we have a lot in common with Ontario when it comes to complaints about government services or agencies? Getting the most grief in Ontario, which the ombudsman addressed in his 2013 report, included, ringing in at number one with nearly 7,000 complaints: Hydro One. Trailing in at second: the Family Responsibility Office of Ontario with 1,157 complaints.

It’s time to get down to the facts. Isn’t it interesting that the top two agencies or the departments formerly complained about in Ontario are probably the top two in the Northwest Territories. Let’s...

Yes, I do.