Tom Beaulieu

Today I wish to acknowledge a young athlete and role model, 16-year-old Amber Mandeville of Fort Resolution.

Amber enjoys being out on the land, helping others, giving meat to elders, and taking visitors up the Talston River and Jean River. Last year, Amber was chosen as top junior ranger and was also a recipient of the Youth Award for Akaitcho Territory Government. She volunteers as a gym supervisor, coaching younger children in badminton and soccer. Amber is the only youth from Fort Resolution in this year’s Arctic Winter Games.

Please join me in acknowledging and congratulating this young...

[English translation not provided.] Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, back on November 28 I spoke about infrastructure needs for the youth in Tu Nedhe, the Tu Nedhe riding. On Monday I talked about providing support to communities to allow them to hire qualified recreation staff. Today I would like to talk about input that I have received to date on the issues from the communities.

In Lutselk’e they have a new arena, but they do not have the staff to properly maintain the facility. As well, the community is not fully prepared for the high O&M costs of running a community arena. And they...

So this would be one of the expenditures that could be reimbursed?

In one of the previous replies from the Minister pertaining to the new deal, the Minister indicated there would be evaluations on the new deal. Can the Minister tell me if the evaluation of the new deal has been planned for Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

I'd like to pass my condolences to the family of Noel Abel, from Lutselk'e, who passed away just before lunch yesterday, February 11. Noel Abel was 84 years old and lived in Lutselk’e all his life. Noel Abel was one of 17 siblings and was the last living man of the family. I believe there is only one member of that family still alive, and that's Vicky Sanderson, also from Lutselk’e.

Noel had many, many relatives. I spoke to a couple of his nieces yesterday, and they tell me that Noel had 50 to 100 very close relatives, counting all his...

I listened to and read the Sessional Statement by the Premier from Wednesday. I have a few comments on it.

I think during the last government there was a lot of effort put into negotiations across the Territory. There was a lot of effort in housing, whether it be the social housing kind or the housing of professionals for market housing. A lot of time was spent on resource development, non-renewable resources and renewable resource development.

I’d like to see our attention shift just slightly, not because all of those things aren’t important, but because this government has to have a vision...

Mr. Speaker, if the community is able to hire qualified, properly trained recreation professionals, that usually means the individual will be hired from outside the community, in many cases from the south. Because of this, sometimes problems can arise because of cultural differences between the new employee and a community and its residents. It would be ideal to hire local individuals who work with recreation professionals and the community. Would the Minister commit to developing standardized job descriptions and pay scales for these local recreation positions?

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to acknowledge an educator in my riding, Moh Odeen, principal of the Deninu School in Fort Resolution. Recently Moh was recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals.

South Slave Education Council Superintendent Curtis Brown said that “Principal Moh Odeen is an inspiration and role model to students, colleagues and community members…his unwavering dedication to education and to young people cannot help but make a difference….”

Originally from Guyana, Moh’s perspective on education, in his own words, are “From the time they arrive in school, I want the students...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, colleagues.

Are we doing all we can to support our communities? It’s true the government has a number of recreation and youth programs available. What good are they if the communities cannot take advantage of them because they do not have qualified, properly trained recreation staff? Healthier individuals, healthier communities, are only possible if we have the right people working to deliver these programs.

Later on I will ask the Minister of MACA questions on this.

So I guess that’s about it. I guess, again, I’d like to say that my main points continue to be youth, cost of living and making sure that they have programs that fit the people. Thank you.