Norman Yakeleya

Thank you. My questions on the education of the Sahtu people, we have students going out of jurisdictions for long periods of time, out of our communities. We have a great need for seeing a Sahtu tech in our region. So my third question, I understand from the information I got from the department, impressive facts, that we have 30 students from our Sahtu communities attending the Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith. In total, we have 79 students attending some form of college programs in the Northwest Territories. In regard to our students at Aurora College in Fort Smith, yesterday I was shocked to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There’s a saying in Quebec, a child without an education is like a bird without wings. I’m glad to report that the staff and students at the Colville Lake School now have running water and fully functioning bathrooms.

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Since October 10th. That’s 18 days ago. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me that since the community has been asking for a brand new school in their community, can the Minister update the House as to where that issue is at with the community of Colville Lake? I had a meeting this morning with Chief Alvin Orlias and the...

Thank you, colleagues. Education is important because, for example, in Deline the first-ever community self-government is a reality. It means it is now our responsibility to succeed. Yes, we can succeed, providing the changes to education in this government do happen and it happens with our people’s consent. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the self-government realities of Deline.

Will the Minister be creating a K-12 trades program with the shop that they’re planning to build in Deline?

Thank you. I’ll meet with the chief later on and have more discussions on their wish for a new school.

My questions are going to be all on the education in the Sahtu. So, I’m finally getting to see our schools moving into the 21st century with the fully function of running water and toilets. Yesterday I addressed the needs assessment and we’re showing there’s a great need for these programs in our region. Also, I understand there is a feasibility study underway in regards to a Sahtu tech, preparing our students for the labour force.

Based on the needs of a Sahtu technical institution, is that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the surprise and pleasure of recognizing the chief from Deline, Leonard Kenny, and also the chief self-government builder, Danny Gaudet, to the Assembly. I also recognize, I think I see Chief Eddie Sangris from Detah. He’s not my constituent, but it’s also my recognition to him. I’m not too sure of the third fellow in between Leonard and Danny, so I’d like to also recognize an unknown name at this time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this month educators around the world celebrated Teachers’ Day on October 4th. That’s the most honourable job ever held in any position by our people.

Today I rise in the House to discuss the status of education in the Northwest Territories. As our Assembly of First Nations National Chief Sean Atleo said, “Education is detrimental to social and economic health and creates key links to our other priorities, governing capacities and sustainable economic development.” Two large areas, Mr. Speaker. One I think we’re doing very well within the Sahtu; the second we’re...

Certainly the Sahtu is looking for partnerships and is interested in the how’s and the action plan. So I’m asking the Minister, what is the department doing to enhance the findings of life skills? It was a top priority in the needs assessment and job readiness in the Sahtu.

What is the Minister doing to look at some of these priorities as indicated by the needs assessment in telling us this is what’s needed? What is he doing?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the recipients of the cultural awards and especially the recipient from Deline, Ms. Tutcho, along with Miss Tina Tutcho. They are living cultures of the Sahtu, so I want to say congratulations to the staff who put this together.

I’d also like to recognize the mayor from Aklavik, and also a friend of my mine who I haven’t seen for a while, Mr. Stanley Beck. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, the fire season certainly was terrible down here on the south end of the Territories. Knowing the conditions, knowing that we might have had a bad fire season, knowing the conditions and the dryness, is there any other area that has similar conditions down here? People are saying that it’s so dry down in the south part of the Northwest Territories, it’s prime condition for a fire. If the fire does go, it is so dry it will take off really fast and it’s something that we were expecting. Given this and in follow-up to Mr. Bromley’s questions on the review and looking at all of the good...