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
Member Sheryl Yakeleya
Dehcho
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

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

Statements in Debates

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...

Committee Report 2-20(1): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Community members raised questions about retrieving records from social media companies throughout a missing persons investigation. Concerns were voiced on accessing records through social media companies that are based in different countries such as in the U.S., and whether that would pose difficulties or if there are policies against accessing accounts or records.

Committee sought information on accessing records through social media, and it was confirmed that information being requested would depend on the social media company, their location, and the extent to which...

Committee Motion 9-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): Main Estimates 2024-2025, Deferral of Department – Health and Social Services, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Like my colleagues that talked about, I too would like to see that. I don't want to see the budget deleted or reduced or whatever but would like to see the position moved into one of our regions.

We need kind of like I said before, we need role models in our regions. We need people in our regions that are at a higher status so our young people can look up to them and say, that's what I want to be when I grow up. And we don't have that, and everything is centralized in Yellowknife. It makes it hard for us in the smaller communities. The government needs to help stimulate...

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really elders in the community have talked to me, and I've been I went to visit some elders when I was campaigning and going to visit them when I go back to Providence to stay, and they talked about having nobody to call after hours when if they don't have family members. So they call the health centre, and the nurse can't leave the building. She cannot leave the well, the nurses are not allowed to leave the building. So they can't even go and assist an elder that fell down. And they have nobody else to call so they call the RCMP. And the RCMP too, they're inundated...

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

Yes, thank you. And thank you to the Member for that. I apologize for that. The reason that it's hard on me is because I'm it's a close family member. And I went to see him when I was in Edmonton the last time.

So the next thing I have is what policy change can the Minister make so this is the last family that goes through this? Thank you.

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

I think that would be very useful because I think a lot of times well, it's just my own perspective that there's the thought, but there's just not the know how to develop a plan and get everything in place to ensure that on the maybe year later they have a full program where people can go to and take part in a treatment program. And also look at maybe even staying there for an additional time period after they're finished the treatment program as part of aftercare and then integrate back into the community. I've even thought about using this type of a model for inmates that come out of jails...