Sahtu

Statements in Debates

Debates of , (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my earlier statement, I am very passionate about this issue about housing in small communities. I grew up in my grandfather’s house, and my grandfather's house was taken down by the Housing Corporation who said that they would build a new building there for us. I'm still waiting for it today. In saying that, this is one of many stories that people in small communities have in terms of housing and that’s why I’m quite passionate for the people in homes. Like my honourable friend mentioned to me and mentioned to the House here, that is one...

Debates of , (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I fully support this motion. Mr. Speaker, looking at the housing needs survey in the communities, visiting the people in the communities and looking at the conditions of housing and seeing where the federal government’s obligations to our people are, in terms of giving us affordable housing in our communities and giving us places where we can stay that don’t run into many problems such as our honourable Member for Nahendeh mentioned about mould. Some of our houses in our communities are in bad shape. Hopefully, this motion will give the Minister some good...

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I support the Minister in terms of aggressively looking at some initiatives that would keep our teachers here and have them be aware of the high cost of living in the Sahtu. We are no strangers in the Sahtu region, we know that. I would ask the Minister what would he do with his department in terms of working with the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation to look at some unique initiatives of providing some secure housing to our people in the Northwest Territories and the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister also look at considering the sensitive issue, I know the previous government has made a decision not to get back into the House on this issue with the education or teachers, so would the Minister give some consideration to that issue? Thank you.

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question I am asking the Minister again is what is his department, along with the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, doing in terms of what kind of strategies they have for this issue not popping up in, say, Fort Good Hope or Deline next year? Are they looking at common strategies to work with the teachers at the divisional education authorities in communities to keep our teachers here so this issue won’t be raised again next year? Thank you.

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, gone are the days of the government bringing professionals into our smaller communities, putting them in housing units, pay for their living and working in the North by flying them out on vacation trips and rewarding them for long-time service by keeping them in the communities for a number of years. Mr. Speaker, in Tulita and Sahtu, housing is a crisis for our communities. Schools are losing about 50 percent or more teachers every year. Mr. Speaker, to be a veteran teacher in the school in the Sahtu or the Northwest Territories, all you have to do is stay...

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m not arguing; you know, this whole national security for Canada was driven by 9-11 and anywhere across Canada and the world they're beefing up their security and I think we are falling in line with some other countries about beefing up our security. It doesn’t matter where you live now, there is always potential. The establishment of this new facility or new thing that’s going to happen here at the Yellowknife Airport, it’s like having a restriction on young children buying cigarettes. Yellowknife is going to be like the official airport. All the other airports...

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The activity in the Northwest Territories should – I’ll cross my fingers here -- the pipeline go through, is going to be quite busy with regard to the different regions of the Northwest Territories. Isn’t the federal government a little bit concerned about that level of activity happening in light of what’s happening around the world in terms of protection of our airports and our people? Thank you.

Debates of , (day 28)

Mr. Chairman, just to follow up on Mrs. Groenewegen’s comment, it just doesn’t make sense that the only airport in the Northwest Territories that’s going to have this type of equipment is Yellowknife, and 737s land in Inuvik, Norman Wells and other communities in the Northwest Territories that don’t have this system. I want to know if the Minister would have any indications of future plans such as Inuvik and Norman Wells and maybe Fort Smith or Hay River…Has the federal government given any indication as to upgrading those airports also where 737s do land and take off? Thank you.

Debates of , (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question today is directed to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.

Could the Minister provide detailed information of the direct financial benefits the GNWT has received over the last five years as the result of oil and gas exploration programs in the Sahtu and in the NWT?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.