Norman Yakeleya

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...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My last question to the Minister. I will look forward to the Minister bringing information forward to the committees in terms of the best methods of recovering money and also money that’s been given out to the organizations. In their hearts and their minds…For some odd reason, something went wrong. There are some safety mechanisms and more preventative measures in terms of catching these past learned lessons and having more successful recovery of the various contributions that go out to individuals. We need some safety checks or coaching or a checklist that the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Braden indicated there was over $400,000 being written off this year. Is this a trend that this government is doing in terms of writing debts off? Have you seen this trend from the past few years around this figure? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Premier what steps is this government taking to resolve concerns of all the interested parties with regard to pipeline development?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Premier of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, Nellie Cournoyea, the chair and CEO of IRC; Fred Carmichael, president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council; Grand Chief Frank Andrew of the Sahtu Dene Council; and the interim president Raymond Taniton, chair of the Sahtu Secretariat, put forward their views on the circumstances surrounding the recent court decision by the Deh Cho. In response, the leaders of the three settlement claims expressed their opinions that the legal actions taken by the Deh Cho represent a threat to the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will stay on the theme of elders. Mr. Speaker, from August 9 to 11, 2004, the first Sahtu Elders’ Conference was held in Deline. The purpose of the conference was to bring elders together to discuss important issues regarding the communities of the Sahtu region and to talk about forming a Sahtu elders’ council. That would include elders in a decision-making process on an ongoing basis.

Mr. Speaker, traditionally, aboriginal elders played a key role in our communities. Their wisdom, experience and stories are crucial to the success of our people. During...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It seems that it’s a bit of a rollercoaster here in the Northwest Territories in terms of debt write-off. Does the department have an analysis of expected risks for this year or next year in terms of debt write-offs? Can you crystal ball in terms of what may be expected next year and the potential development in the NWT? In going into business and some ventures, there is some degree of risk. You go through the process of having trust in the organization. Personally, I lend money out and I am not 100 percent sure it’s going to come back. Sometimes you have to cut...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is to the Minister of Justice. The Sahtu elders were concerned about the placement of our people who are incarcerated in correctional institutions in the North and outside the Northwest Territories. The elders would like to have a proposal for an on-the-land project in the Sahtu.

How many Sahtu people are incarcerated in correctional institutes in the Northwest Territories and outside the Northwest Territories?

How many people from the Sahtu are considered territorial or federal offenders?

What types of correction programs are offered...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier of the Northwest Territories, does the government have any concerns about the views of the Deh Cho First Nations regarding pipeline development? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also recognize the elders. Way to go.

---Applause