Norman Yakeleya

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. Speaker. I, too, on behalf of the Sahtu region, want to send our condolences to the families of the RCMP members who were killed; especially when in our small communities they become like family members.

I would like to do my Member's statement, Mr. Speaker. I want to say that today is an historical day for hockey in the Northwest Territories. In 1825, Sir John Franklin wrote in his journal about hockey being played on Great Bear Lake. Mr. Speaker, do we know that the birthplace of one of our past-time sports, hockey, was played in Deline on the largest hockey rink in Canada...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, a lot of interest too I’ve read in the Minister’s opening marks with regard to this important department. I find it very interesting that the operations budget for the department has increased this year from last year, as stated in his presentation, by $460,000. I guess I will save some specific questions for later on in terms of the reason why there are increases in the operations budget and we’re making some cuts in other areas. The increase is $460,000 from last year’s main estimate. This increase is to help our communities become safer and provide...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, thank you to the Minister. However, sometimes the call of the community falls on deaf ears by oil companies where an oil company in Colville Lake had run over some traps in that area even though the community probably wasn’t informed. The Minister of MACA gathered all of the leaders in November to hear what the leaders want to say about the oil and gas. I would like to ask the Minister of MACA, does he have any plans for the same, specifically for trappers in the Sahtu or any other regions to organize a regional meeting with trappers to discuss the impacts of...

Mr. Speaker, trapping is important for our life in the Sahtu. In the late 1980s, the trapping industry was pulling in over $5 million. In the year 2002, it is barely breaking the $1 million mark. Mr. Speaker, trappers are being affected by the oil and gas activities. Now they propose the Mackenzie gas pipeline. I understand that the Government of the Northwest Territories is the intervener at the hearings. I would like to ask the Minister of RWED, as being the lead in the oil and gas industry, what is he doing to consult with the trappers in terms of the pipeline? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budget shows the repairs for some work in Fort Good Hope on Chief T’Selihye at $15,000. I wonder if the Minister can expand on what type of repairs can be done for $15,000 in the school with so little money. Maybe the school should be replaced instead in 2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the status of schools in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, Chief Albert Wright School was built in 1970. Two years ago, they had a serious incident where some of the walls in the school were cracking. The permafrost underneath the building was shifting and they did some work on there and ventilation was a problem. They reported some rotten walls on the foundation. I would ask the Minister if he could give an update on the scheduled repairs to Chief Albert Wright School in Tulita...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met with the Minister and his officials on January 18, 2005, to review the main estimates for the Department of Justice.

The committee noted expenditures of $79.803 million for operations expenses and $1.78 million to be spent on capital projects, of which $1.092 million is to be spent on preliminary work on a new standalone courthouse for Yellowknife.

A wide-ranging discussion on a number of issues, including proposed employee layoffs and shutdowns of facilities and services took place. The committee has the following comments...