Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ITI. In my Member’s statement I made a brief comment on the Canol Heritage Trail. The Canol Trail follows the traditional Shotagotine Dene trails through the Mackenzie Mountains and was used over thousands of years by the Sahtu Dene and Metis. Over the last eight years, 87 hikers have had a very intimate experience with the Canol Trial. Over the eight years these hikers have experienced the value of these traditional trails.

In order to help tourism and other people who are going to take part in hiking on the Canol Trail and hiking by...

Thank you. This spring, people in Deline, Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells and Tulita certainly took advantage of the geese coming over into the Sahtu region and one of the advantages of our communities that show a lot of people going out on the land was because of their agreements with the helicopter companies that they have. The helicopters today are being used by community members to get people on the land. I want to ask the Minister in regard to supporting the families and the communities in regard to some traditional programs, I guess we could look at where we can do some...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ITI… I talked about the activity of the Sahtu people who still continue to use the land through different methods, different avenues we have today. I know that I did ask a question at one time, I’m not too sure if it was to Mr. Ramsay, on the support that’s given to people who want to continue to strengthen and pursue their traditional way of life in the year 2014.

I want to thank Members and colleagues and say, in my grandmother’s words, when I asked her about her husband, Chief Albert Wright, about the future, Chief Albert Wright said, “Go onto the land. In the future it’s going to be very valuable.” That’s where I take my inspiration when I hike – in the past years there have been 87 hikers on the Canol – is to go on the land, live on the land. You know what? If we continue to go on the land and teach our children the value that anything in life that you want, you need to practice it first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister, given all that we know about the Canol Heritage Trail, the federal government is working with the work committee, the land corporation authority under our land claim, specifically Chapter 17, Protected Areas. That’s where we speak to some co-management decision-making development of the park and the territorial government’s mandate under the territorial parks with ITI.

Given all of this, I want to ask the Minister, can a type of co-management committee be started up and look at what needs to be happening to get this park in its proper place...

Mr. Speaker, certainly the Minister has been very clear to use in the House that it’s still the authority of the federal government until other issues are resolved with the Sahtu Land Claim corporations and the territorial government. Once the authority comes to the territorial government, this park will be the largest territorial park in the Northwest Territories, and I continue to support the discussions. The territorial government can then work with the Sahtu Land Claim organizations on the operations, development and management of the Canol Heritage Park and Canol Heritage Trail.

I want to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, I know the communities have done a great job with the helicopter companies and have somehow made arrangements for that benefit to happen every spring, and certainly in talking to the helicopter pilot, there were a lot of hours flying into the communities bringing people out to the spring hunt and locations where they were going to spend some time. I just want to continue to support that avenue.

Is there any type of programs in ITI that will look at a youth program that will specifically teach the youth about the traditional way of life given by some of our...

Thank you. In the Sahtu region, there is a high rate of families that are not working today that are looking for work. A lot of these families would love to pursue a lifestyle on the land.

I ask the Minister, has he had any type of discussion yet as to what type of activities or programs could be looked at to support young families who are not working, who want to go on the land? Is there any type of family harvesting assistance program for these young people?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate our elder Mr. Edward Oudzi from Norman Wells on being selected as the territorial recipient of the 2014 NWT Outstanding Volunteer Award for the Elder Category.

Mr. Oudzi is a well-respected elder and is especially known for his traditional knowledge, spirituality and his tireless volunteering in the town of Norman Wells.

On behalf of the Sahtu region, I pass on good wishes to Mr. Oudzi for his outstanding volunteer efforts, and all the best to him, his family and his community. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This spring I’ve had the opportunity to go on the land with my family. I brought my little boy out there. He’s 12 years old. Being out on the land for 11 days, I truly believe that the land is alive and well, and the land is the boss. The land has certain laws that when we’re in a certain type of environment that we really don’t understand. I know that when I was with my son, we were talking about walking with his grandparents on the land. His grandparents from my side of the family are not alive anymore, but they have put a place where we can go and fish, hunt and trap...