Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister doing in terms of getting the University and College Entrance Program funding that would include the Métis to fit in these criteria in terms of applying for that funding? What are the conditions that we need to hear on this side to get people to be eligible for this funding, especially the Métis who are looking for some type of support for that? Thank you.

Thank you. I would appreciate something that the Minister can give me to write or communicate somehow to me so I can take it back to the communities that I represent. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Would he inform the House in terms of the University and College Entrance Program? This program provides funding for up to two semesters and prepares aboriginal people to upgrade their education skills to qualify for university or college programs. Mr. Speaker, this program is to assist aboriginal people; however, Métis people are not eligible to apply. Can the Minister update as to what the progress is in terms of having Métis people eligible for this program? Mahsi.

Thank you. The other one is $30,000 for law and bursaries. These are for indigenous aboriginal students to pursue a law degree. Is that for several students or one student, five students at the most? Is there a limit on it? Has this funding exceeded or are we under-funded on this portion here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, has the department, in terms of talking with the people in Tl'oondih and Fort McPherson, in terms of saying that we have X amount of days, could you fill this? I think they would take that as a welcome sign. I know there are other programs they have to use to make that operation viable, for the community to make it work well. How much support is the Department of Justice giving to the camp in Tl'oondih as to the new courthouse in Yellowknife?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Minister. I hope you’re not going to be building any other facilities in other regions. Like you say, there are camps and other facilities. There is one facility and I know there are other camps around south of the lake here, bush camps that should have more invested into those facilities. There is one up in Inuvik called the Tl'oondih Healing Society that had a camp there. I know there’s work going on up there. I think that’s been a success. I haven’t seen any reports yet from the department’s office in terms of how successful, but I think those type...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A few comments to the Minister and officials. Mr. Chairman, the issue of justice in the communities and the regions has always been an interest of mine and I’m encouraged to hear the Minister has taken some initiatives and some new ideas, I think, to promote the wilderness camps. I think it’s a good move. I told the Minister, Mr. Chairman, that I’d be happy to work on those initiatives and get them closely into the region as much as possible for the inmates. I also understand, Mr. Chairman, the difficulties of having the inmates going to these bush camps and any way...

…crying shame that we’re to get our people into education and college programs and university programs and this policy is stopping a lot of people in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask what other alternative plans this government is doing in terms of ensuring that Metis people have the same capacity or same ability to enter into university or college programs as the Dene or Inuit. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I take it then it will be the departments working with your department, in terms of what projects get funded this year and next year and so forth. I wanted to ask about the maintenance and that in the communities. Have there been discussions with your department in terms of amalgamating the different departments that all have the same service, you know, the office building for plumbing or sewer or for furnace or office maintenance? Has there been any talk with your department to amalgamate into one organization? Because sometimes there are three or four different...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform this House if he has talked to other Members across Canada who have maybe a similar situation in terms of the funding for the Metis people under this program? Thank you.