Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of RWED. My Member’s statement was about the federal government’s unacceptable delay in dealing with the radioactive, contaminated soil mountain in Tulita, as well as other contaminated soil mountains in the Northwest Territories. I find it infuriating and I’m upset that the federal government has taken this long to deal with the issue and take action on it. Mr. Speaker, it’s well past its time that this issue should be resolved. My question to the Minister is will the Minister approach the federal government...

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if a favourable response is not received from the federal government within a reasonable time, will the Minister consider legal action to force the federal government to fulfill its legal obligations and to do something for the people of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. The temporary solutions; I don’t know the definition of the federal government’s meaning of temporary. It’s been 10 years we’ve stored it in Tulita and finally the Minister is willing to look at this on behalf of the people in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister when will he approach these federal agencies. Can he give me a specific time when he will approach the federal agencies to start the action to clean up the mess as he said? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I urge the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development to do all that is within his power to push the federal government to clean up the contaminated soil mound in Tulita as well as other contaminated mounds in the Northwest Territories once and for all and as soon as possible. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to make a statement about the radioactive contaminated soil mound in Tulita. To be more specific, Mr. Speaker, what I will speak to today is the infuriating federal bureaucracy that can’t seem to get it together to take action on this issue.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, a 2,200 kilometre water transportation route was being used to move uranium and radium ore from Port Radium mine on the Great Bear, down the Bear River, up the Mackenzie River to Fort McMurray where it was shipped by rail to Ontario. The waterway system was called...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s all for now.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before that, they couldn’t do that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. In light of the recent opinions that drug and alcohol is the main issue for the potential pipeline development in the North, can the Minister provide the following answers for the Sahtu region:

What is the average cost to have a client participate in an alcohol and drug treatment program in Hay River?

How many clients in the past year, 2003-2004, have participated and completed the alcohol and drug treatment program in the North?

How many clients were referred to southern treatment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of RWED if he would commit to talking to our northern trappers, aboriginal trappers, and to look at a game plan because this agreement is only for one year. I have trappers now who are going out on the land, and maybe they need to sit down with our trappers and really look at the significance of the closure of this facility that’s in Vegreville and to let the trappers know the extent or the impact of such a closure if we are not successful next year in renewing that agreement with the federal government. Thank you, Mr...