Norman Yakeleya

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand alone on behalf of the people of the Sahtu to ask about the possibility of this government moving towards more recognition of the Sahtu with regard to a stand-alone region. My question is to the Premier. I am making a request of this government to devolve some programs from Ottawa to the Northwest Territories. I was asked this request by the Sahtu region, that this government takes the leadership in setting the example that the Sahtu also becomes a stand-alone region where decisions are being made in the Sahtu by the Sahtu people. Right now...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's good to hear that there are discussions happening. I would like to ask the Minister a more specific question in terms of what guidelines this government may look at in terms of having these services moved to the Northwest Territories. It's a crying shame that in today's day and age that is operating out of Ottawa, whereas the Government of the Northwest Territories is looking at becoming more administrative as a territory. I would like to ask the Minister of some timelines that we could possibly see some actions where these services would be transferred to the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the last federal budget, the Minister of Finance, Ralph Goodale, announced funding for the Community Infrastructure Funding Program. What this means is $15 million is allocated to the NWT that was available over 10 years is now available over five years. Can the Minister confirm the implementation of scheduling of the chipsealing program?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s nice to see a lot of young faces in the gallery today. I would like to recognize my partner, my boss and supporter, Cheryl Bonnetrouge, who is in the gallery here. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the record, I do support the initiatives that the Minister is putting forward to this committee here. I guess I am looking at some other initiatives that we will be discussing later on. However, I would just like to state for the record that I have spoken to the people in the Sahtu and they said that they give their support to these two initiatives that are coming forward.

The other one is in some way, I go back to looking at some of the communities and the departments, they can use some real financial planning for programs and services. It goes a long way. One...

Mr. Speaker, I am glad it is called the Jackfish Bridge rather than the London Bridge. Mr. Speaker, my last question to the Minister is in terms of the environmental impacts of the erosion of the bridge, and there is some concern about the potential for environmental impacts to the river and to the jackfish. The river is used by the community during the fall and springtime. Can I ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, for a commitment that all precautions will be looked at in terms of the potential for the environmental impacts in terms of the reconstruction or the assessment of the new bridge that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the bridge has been closed in Fort Good Hope, it becomes quite difficult for people to travel to and from the airport of the community, and the community has gone to some creative and extraordinary measures to make sure that people come from the airport, get across the bridge hauling freight and mail, and it has caused some expenses by the community to ensure that things are taken care of in Fort Good Hope. I am going to ask the Minister how he is going to deal with the incurred costs to the community. I know that it is a concern for them, and I am...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question to the Minister is could we use the Tl'oondih healing model in the communities for early prevention as a first option for people, rather than sending them to a facility here in Yellowknife? Can we use this type of model in our communities to have them out on the land, rather than having them flown down to the facility here in Yellowknife? I would encourage something like that from this department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable Minister. I applaud the government for taking an initiative like this to have bush camps out on the land, and run by aboriginal groups or communities. The Tl'oondih Healing Society and staff have made this a successful program. Can the Minister inform the House if a report is going to come out of his department in terms of other specifics we are going to ask about the Tl'oondih Healing Society and the Justice department program? Thank you.