Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Has the Minister had any type of discussion of an impact fund similar to what was designated for the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, what we call the Mackenzie Gas Project, for oil and gas development in the Sahtu with the federal government?

Thank you. Certainly hearing that is a treat over here, hearing those words.

Can the Minister give us some timelines for the development of the NWT Oil and Gas Strategy? Where are we at with this issue right now?

It’s not the time to be mad hatters, but rather a time to look down the rabbit hole and build up our youth’s potential with a trade school so we can sustainably be masters and commanders of our own destiny.

Remember, Mr. Speaker and colleagues, all those little ones going out tonight, and the young, have a spooky and safe Halloween. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to thank my colleague Mr. Dolynny for bringing this motion to Committee of the Whole. It’s very small; it’s a one word motion. It has a lot of different viewpoints on it.

I wanted to say to Mr. Dolynny, this motion here certainly looks at the government as a whole and the appointments of the positions in HR. Certainly hearing the Minister talk about this one word here then means it has to go back to the unions for discussion, because the unions are part of it, and we’re going to come to have that kind of a delay here. That’s what I’m getting. The unions are part of...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 34, 2015 Polling Day Act, be read for the first time.

That’s why it’s so important to come into the small communities of the Sahtu and talk to us about the solutions. We don’t know, and people in our region are asking, why is the water so low? There was no oil and gas exploration. There were dams that were running low and we had to pay extra millions of dollars to offset the costs for the request for a high percentage of an increase to the power bills.

We want to know from the Minister that NTCL and the Minister, if possible, can come to the Sahtu and talk to them about some of the solutions for barging their supplies into the community. Can the...

Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of Transportation. Over the past fall here, we had some issues with the shipping company, NTCL, and certainly in some of my communities we did not see the full shipment of some of our supplies or fuel into our communities.

I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, has he had any meetings with NTCL to see what was the problem and how can it be rectified so this is not a continuous issue for us every year in the Sahtu or in any other small communities?

Thank you. Can the Minister tell us how this strategy will incorporate findings and recommendations from the recent Sahtu oil and gas needs assessment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment today. I’d like to put aside the trick-or-treat and get right down to the cold hard facts from our oil and gas office.

I want to ask the Minister, has he had any word from any of the oil companies about them returning to the Sahtu to continue their exploration permitting?

Thank you. I’ll meet with the chief later on and have more discussions on their wish for a new school.

My questions are going to be all on the education in the Sahtu. So, I’m finally getting to see our schools moving into the 21st century with the fully function of running water and toilets. Yesterday I addressed the needs assessment and we’re showing there’s a great need for these programs in our region. Also, I understand there is a feasibility study underway in regards to a Sahtu tech, preparing our students for the labour force.

Based on the needs of a Sahtu technical institution, is that...