Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was reported, on October 26th at 12:15 p.m., that communities along the Mackenzie Valley, specifically in Fort McPherson where they are dealing with underage drinking, ran around to see how they can resolve this issue. It’s also reported that communities are dealing with the hard drugs like crack addiction, and also in Yellowknife and in Hay River. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, can he inform this House of what type of strategy he is working on in terms of dealing with these issues in the small communities and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier knows that I also tried to get into that region to meet with the Sahtu people. How soon would the Premier be able to contact the Sahtu officials to set up a date and a meeting with them? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all too often I hear stories from my constituents about government contracts for work in the Sahtu being awarded to companies outside of the region, and about local people being turned down for government jobs. All too often, Mr. Speaker, I hear excuses from government, like they did not meet the educational requirements, did not meet our standards. These excuses tell me that the GNWT is not living up to the spirit of the Sahtu Land Claim Agreement and, in particular, the economic measures chapter.

There are many capable people and businesses in the Sahtu...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I have short comments to the Premier. I want to thank the Premier and the Deputy Premier for going to Ottawa and working on our behalf. You came back with some good news. We see some changes that would affect our government. But, also, I believe you took the message to Ottawa from our last discussion here last week. I want to ask the Premier regarding his discussions about the aboriginal land claim groups that have settled and the other land claim groups that are in negotiations on self-government or land claims issues themselves in terms...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when he has this social envelope meeting with the other Ministers, would the Minister commit to possibly looking at bringing some other people from the communities in terms of maybe looking at a solution in the North? I know we can deal with this issue in the Northwest Territories. That can be done. We could pull our people together; they are smart. I believe that the Minister wants to have that happen also, so would he look at possibly bringing in some people from the communities to look at this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand the process that the Department of Health and Social Services has taken over the years in terms of getting community wellness workers in the communities. Can the Minister provide some type of report card and see how effective these workers are in terms of combating the drug and alcohol issues? It seems like it is on the increase, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I want to ask request the Minister what type of plans does his department have in terms of working with the federal government to ensure that maybe the federal government does need to phase out the funding for housing here, similar to what the government has looked at with the First Ministers’ health funding or the equalization payments? Surely this government can question the federal government in terms of looking at housing as a crucial and essential need for the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is on log housing pilot projects in the Sahtu and Northwest Territories. Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding is declining; $33.2 million will be phased out by the year 2038. This is a substantial challenge to the GNWT as a whole, and the NWT Housing Corporation in particular.

A creative solution is needed, Mr. Speaker. According to the community housing needs and detailed results, tabled in the House on October 21st, 35 percent of houses in the Sahtu are in core need. Overcrowding is a problem. Between 13 and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, in reference to honourable Minister Krutko’s statement with respect to the 30 years of celebrating the Housing Corporation in the Northwest Territories, one of the questions that has often come up in our small communities, especially amongst the elders, is the promise that was made by federal government agencies in terms of housing and how they get into housing.

This is very young, in terms of the Housing Corporation being in the Northwest Territories; only 30 years. Previous to that there were other houses in the Northwest Territories that were managed by...

Winter’s coming. This is fall right now. Winter’s coming. Wait until it gets really cold, minus 50 and 60; that’s winter. These people need major repairs in their homes and yet we can’t do it. That’s why I support this motion. I support the Minister going down and getting a good deal from our federal government. We’ve done it with health, we’ve done it with equalization. We need to do it on…I’ll maybe have to retract that. I’ll have to wait until I hear from the Minister of Finance. However, Mr. Speaker, this is why I’m in full support of this motion and I’m passionate about this motion. Thank...