Norman Yakeleya

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. Now that the dust has settled in Tulita with health concerns with regard to elders, I have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Henry Zoe, with the chipsealing program scheduled for the communities. In 2007-08, the community is going to see some action in terms of the dust. Can I get a commitment from the Minister to work with the hamlet council to find an interim solution to the dust problems in Tulita while the community waits for the chipsealing program? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, summer is here at last. The summer brings many enjoyable things: warmer weather, longer days, summer holidays, time out on the land with the family. Unfortunately, the summer season also has a downside: terrible dust in the Sahtu communities. It is not the first time that this problem in the communities has been raised in the House.

It was a real concern for some of the Members during the 14th Assembly, and for good reason. Dust is a serious health concern. No one is immune to the negative effects of breathing dust. Mr. Speaker, the elders in our...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Minister. The issue I have here goes back to the federal government in terms of their revenue resource sharing, the money they take out of the Northwest Territories. It seems that we, as residents of the Northwest Territories, always pay for it. We know that doing business in the North, the cost is extremely high in isolated communities such as my region. Even to attract good workers, you have to do extra initiatives to hold positions of workers in our communities. Also the programs that are dear to people’s hearts are sometimes being called into...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. The bridge, I understand, without having the information in front of me, is fairly new. Again, I have had enquiries about the bridge and why this has happened. Would he consider that those that are made from this type of model or the type of design that is in other communities, it may have been caused by just the erosion of the banks that are situated in Fort Good Hope? Would the Minister inform or advise us that he would look at other bridges of similar design that maybe have some similar incidences in other communities? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to ask a question to the Minister of Transportation. Things are happening in the Sahtu, and especially in light of some recent news over the last couple of days. The community of Fort Good Hope's bridge was shut down, their bridge is falling down. The people over there are quite concerned with the situation and they have to take some extraordinary steps to ensure that transportation flows freely in Fort Good Hope. There are quite a few concerns from the people. I want to ask the Minister if he would inform the House in terms of the status...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I was really quite happy when I heard about the Tl'oondih Healing Society and the partnership with the Department of Justice. Is this program going to be considered to be used across the Northwest Territories for other regions or communities that may wish to enter into arrangements similar to the Tl'oondih Healing Society and the Department of Justice in terms of reintegrating our own people back in our communities? The best way, and I applaud the department again, is on the land. The elders have always said to have more of these types of program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Charles Dent. Mr. Speaker, I understand that some time ago the Tl'oondih Society had a program for inmates in the North. I wanted to ask the Minister, could he inform the House as to the program and give the House an indication in terms of how the program went with Tl'oondih Healing Society and the inmates from the Northwest Territories? Thank you.