Norman Yakeleya

I appreciate that, again, from the Minister. It sure helps me with questions I have from back home and from my people in regard to the initiatives some of the staff from ENR are going to do up in the Sahtu region, because we’re at the critical point of entering into possibly a huge oil and gas development in the future.

My last question will be this to the Minister, and it has to do with the wildlife, and we’re looking at the wildlife in the mountains west of Norman Wells and it’s close to the oil and gas exploration points of interest. Is the Minister looking at any type of monitoring on the...

I imagine we look alike, Mr. Speaker. I just found out I had a family member that was a Page from Hay River. Michaela was part of my family, so I wanted to recognize her and I found out something new this week. I also want to say thank you to Tony for words of wisdom that he told me some years ago that saved my life. I just wanted to say thank you very much.

Just on this question here, I may be ruled out of line or order here. I want to ask about the infrastructure on the baseline studies. Has there been any type of monitoring from the department on the areas around the Sahtu that are going to do some oil and gas activity, on the air monitoring quality, the water monitoring? Is there any type of infrastructure that’s going in next year to help us with our decision on the oil and gas activity? I’ll just leave that in your judgment, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The well is definitely running dry in Norman Wells. As a matter of fact, by next year, October 31, 2014, taps will be turned off to heat the residences in Norman Wells.

We need to help the people in Norman Wells keep their homes heated and keep their businesses running. At this critical point of survival, now is the time to switch, time to make it a priority of this government to help the people through these types of situations.

I want to state, clearly, in this critical situation for us in the regions, we need to put the people first. We must not leave anyone out in...

Mr. Chair, just one question. This past August the Minister and I and the deputy minister were up in Deline on Great Bear Lake, and we certainly enjoyed the time there, and also we had the opportunity to be on the river and check the fish and the wildlife and the Great Bear Lake, and went on the Bear River and made sure everything was copasetic there with the people there. However, we were using a wildlife officer’s somewhat questionable boat there that seemed unsuitable for that lake. Maybe it was suitable for a river, but that lake there was quite… I’m not too sure if it was a good fit for...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. Mr. Chair, I want to ask a question on the project listing in tourism and parks regarding the Canol Heritage Park. I would certainly like to thank the Minister and the government for recognizing that this park is going to become a territorial park, hopefully within the years left within this government here. The beginning of this park has seen dollars in developing the park like we develop other parks in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister about the infrastructure going into the Canol Heritage Trail and the Canol Doi T’oh...

No.

Certainly, if we were a writer, I guess, and more willing, we would have, but you were on our side, so we really couldn’t move this here now that you’re on the other side there and moving this infrastructure budget for next year. I’d like to, I guess, just make some points here. Maybe the Minister, then, can help me here.

We have facilities that are used for this type of situation in the North here. So is that going to happen to all our facilities when people then start wanting to build around our facilities, that we’ve got to put up security fences, or next year or another couple years, five...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on October 24, 2013, it shall be adjourned until Monday, October 28, 2013;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to October 28, 2013, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact...

I certainly appreciate the Minister’s willingness to have more discussions with your colleagues on this issue. Is there any type of schedule or programming for the Department of ENR, through Arctic Energy Alliance, to look at workshops or meetings in Norman Wells to look at the different types of programs that could be available to help with the residents? Like I said, there are 27 people out of 159 that are making this conversion and this would greatly help the town on the natural gas situation.