Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I am sad about this motion. Mr. Allen asked me to consider seconding the motion. Mr. Speaker, I heard that in order to get to the Promised Land, we have to negotiate our way out of the bushes. So I look at this as an opportunity with the Northwest Territories being the promised land because of the potential wealth that we have in the Northwest Territories and the amount of wealth that the federal government takes from the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a unique position. There are unique circumstances in the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. I will take you up on your offer to meet at a later date. As we know, sometimes we send information out to the federal government and some days it takes very long. Like the devolution issue. It takes a long time to get some answers from the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, the present student financial assistance program will provide assistance for 20 semesters of university. Would the Minister consider allowing Metis people to attend the university and college interest program through Aurora College under the overall eligibility? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I stated in my Member’s statement, the Metis people aren’t eligible for university and college entry programs. I realize the department is only delivering programs as directed by the federal government’s policies, however, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me whether the department has ever considered extending the university and college entry programs to Metis people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand the cost of doing business in the Sahtu is expensive because we are isolated and we don’t have any roads up there going into the Sahtu. Everything is flown in and by summer it’s by boat and in the winter we have access to the winter road, but only for a short period of time. Would the Premier consider committing to some good discussions with the Sahtu leadership in terms of moving our region to a stand-alone region that will be fast tracked to the Sahtu leadership in terms of dealing with programs and services with the Government of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I applaud the 14th Assembly and this government to start moving towards the autonomy of the Sahtu region. More specifically, I would like to ask the Premier if he would consider moving FMBS out of the Inuvik area and having the office in the Sahtu region. Right now, we are considered out of the Inuvik region and I would like to ask the Premier to consider moving the Financial Management Board office out of Inuvik into the Sahtu region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the delicate discussions happening with Health Canada in terms of the northern secretariat being moved to the Northwest Territories. I would like to see this government take some leadership of some of the positions of some people who do not want to be moved to the Northwest Territories. We have enough qualified people in the Northwest Territories to take on those positions. Once and for all we should be able to say, if it's part of the discussions, that we have qualified people in the Northwest Territories. It requires some delicate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I understand that Health Canada has an office in Ottawa that administers non-insured health benefits for the people in the Northwest Territories. My question to the Minister is has there been any discussion in terms of the GNWT and the federal government for moving that office to the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning I would like to talk about the importance of the traditional spring hunts we have in the Sahtu as well as other regions in the Northwest Territories. This time of the year, Mr. Speaker, when the days get long, many people across the North are preparing for a spring hunt out in the bush. The signs of the spring unfold before our eyes, especially hearing the geese and the ducks. It brings a lot of joy in people’s hearts. For a thousand years, people have enjoyed this tradition and exercise our right to live off the land. Families come together. They work...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 31, 2004, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that this assembly formally revoke the pleasure of the assembly from the appointment of the Honourable Henry Zoe as Member of the Executive Council; and further, that this assembly recommend that a new Member be chosen to be a Member of the Executive Council.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given the answer from the Premier, I would like to ask would this government consider calling the Sahtu region and these programs…Sometimes we are lumped into the Inuvik region and sometimes we get confused. In some cases, it doesn’t make much sense in terms of the programs that are being developed in the Sahtu region. I would like to ask this government if they would consider calling us our own stand-alone region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.