Sheryl Yakeleya

Member Dehcho

Mrs. Yakeleya was elected to the 20th NWT Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Dehcho.

Mrs. Sheryl Brenda Yakeleya was born and raised in Fort Providence. NT.  During her younger life, she lived on the land with her parents. Mrs. Yakeleya has also resided in Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Norman Wells, and Tulita, NWT. She holds a Business Administration diploma and Office Administration certifcate from Aurora College, as well as a Training of Trainers certificate from the Nechi Institute. 

For many years Mrs. Yakeleya has dedicated herself to serving community, by talking to people and working for them. She served as a Board Member for the Native Women’s Association and has volunteered with a variety of community social events. It was this active involvement that inspired the people of her community to encourage her to serve residents at the highest level as an elected politician.

Prior to being elected Mrs. Yakeleya worked in the Indigenous Community Wellness Division in Yellowknife, a Contracts Administrator for the Norman Wells Housing Corporation and most recently as a Family Mentor Worker with the Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre, and Caretaker for the Seniors Home in Fort Providence. She also was employed as a Community Program Coordinator promoting community wellness and justice.

In her spare time, Mrs. Yakeleya loves to read, sew moose hair tufting, sing, clean, and organize.

Mrs. Yakeleya is married to Mr. Norman Yakeleya, former MLA for the Sahtu in the 15th, 16th, and 17th Assemblies, as well as former Dene National Chief. Together they have 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters, and 3 granddaughters.

Dehcho Electoral District:

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Social Development
Public Accounts
Sheryl Yakeleya
Dehcho
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143

Statements in Debates

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 24-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Department – Infrastructure, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you. No further questions. Please turn to page 157.

Finance, directorate, operations expenditure summary, 20242025 Main Estimates, $113,351,000. Does the committee agree?

Committee Motion 24-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Department – Infrastructure, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for the Sahtu.

Question 245-20(1): Housing as a Human Right
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have question 3, but I have some things that added underneath there. So can the Minister commit to providing more outcome based measures in NWT  in the Housing NWT annual report  commit to measuring and reporting on the number of houses in core need by community and the number of homes brought out of core need annually. Thank you.

Question 245-20(1): Housing as a Human Right
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of housing. Can the Minister describe her position on acknowledging housing as a human right in the NWT. Thank you.

Question 245-20(1): Housing as a Human Right
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Just more of a comment, Mr. Speaker. I just want to thank the Minister for that, and I look forward to that information. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Question 246-20(1):

MR. TESTART:

MR. SPEAKER:

HON. R.J. SIMPSON:

Question 245-20(1): Housing as a Human Right
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. Second question is can the Minister describe discussions that have occurred at the NWT Housing Forum to acknowledge housing as a human right. Thank you.

Member’s Statement 242-20(1): Housing as a Human Right
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last sitting I moved a motion for the Government of the Northwest Territories to recognize housing as a human right. Mr. Speaker, I believe that housing is a human right because without housing, there's no foundation. Without a place to call home, there's no structure, no stability. How can we expect people to go to school, participate in the workforce, or raise their families, to live freely, if they are inadequately housed?

Mr. Speaker, acknowledging housing as a human right implies that the government has to implement policies and programs to...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, I spoke of well, talking about medical travel. I looked at the and it looks like there's a significant drop in the main estimates from 20222023 to 20242025. That's a huge number that it dropped. And I brought up a constituent concern last week about that individual that was in Edmonton, could not be brought back to the North because an incident happened in Edmonton. And this individual had paid taxes all his life in the North. He needed assistance to come home. And I mentioned that his health was taking a toll for the worst. Well, I regret to inform this...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 20)

Thank you. Is there support to assist communities to develop a communitybased treatment program? Thank you.