Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Speaker, regarding Chief T’Selihye, it was reported in News/North that the students heard a big thump and walls were cracking between the old school and new school. In some reports, you can put a hand in between the buildings and feel the outside. I want to ask the Minister of Education about the status of Chief T’Selihye School in Fort Good Hope. I understand the engineer’s report has been out. What repairs will be done to the school this year? There are 167 students in that school, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of RWED, Brendan Bell. Mr. Speaker, I heard on the reports that the communities may have a difficult time in terms of the National Energy Board or the Joint Review Panel in terms of the social impacts of the pipeline. I understand that the report is evidence-based in terms of the impacts of the pipeline. I wanted to ask the Minister of RWED is there anything that his department is doing in helping the communities get this information to the boards that gives them more weight on the impacts that pipeline would have on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the volume has increased and I would ask the Minister if he would consider advising us on this side of the House in terms of finishing up the winter bridges program. I know some people were looking at an all-weather road into the Sahtu. Would the Minister consider having that discussion with the people in the Sahtu in terms of having an all-weather road into the Sahtu region? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week the honourable Premier, Joe Handley, and Mr. McLeod drove up our winter road into the Sahtu. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Transportation. In terms of the winter road complaints from the Sahtu people and the increased volume of traffic into the Sahtu due to the oil and gas exploration, I would ask the Minister if he would inform this House and the people in the Sahtu what the plans are of the department to improve the road conditions in our region for next year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past week, I was in Tulita for a funeral for an elder who happened to be my aunt. Mr. Speaker, in times like this, people in small communities take the time out to support one another in difficult times.

Mr. Speaker, we also had the opportunity of having the honourable Premier Joe Handley and Minister McLeod come to the community at that time. They drove up to the Sahtu region.

I want to say, Mr. Speaker, how much the people in Tulita and the Sahtu region appreciated having Mr. Handley and Mr. McLeod come to the community and give their...

Thank you. I have just a few comments. For the vision of the Northwest Territories, I was really curious in terms of seeing if our government will ask some of our elders. Now, I can see clearly the vision. Now, I see. Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger…

---Laughter

…to ask our elders to ask about the visions for the Northwest Territories. Our elders have always given us visions and stories about our land and people. They have a vision about the Mackenzie River. They have a vision, believe it or not, about the pipeline. My grandmother talked about the cruise missiles coming through the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform us about the socioeconomic agreement? Does it have enough clout or teeth in terms of using it to benefit the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in the small communities will appreciate the employment opportunities and also the business opportunities, but there will also be significant impacts even in the communities. However, the question I’m asking the Minister is that the communities need help in terms of putting together their presentations to articulate to the two panels, and the National Energy Board mentioned that they wouldn’t just go on opinion. So I’m asking what is this department going to do to help the communities articulate the social impacts of the Mackenzie gas pipeline...