David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to lend my voice again today to the plight of the 1,100 residents of Northland Trailer Park located here in Yellowknife. In March I last spoke of this issue as residents were faced with intermittent water services for weeks at a time, sometimes without water for a week, because of the aging infrastructure that continues to spring leaks because it should have been replaced over 15 years ago.

Of the 1,100 residents of Northland, there are approximately 600 children, there are day homes, there are elderly persons, persons with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, they cannot endure another winter of broken lines and intermittent water service. On top of it all, Mr. Speaker, is that residents can’t go anywhere. Why is that? Because CMHC has stopped insuring mortgage loans for homes in the park for over 18 months now. They’re prisoners in their own home. To add insult to injury, residents continue to pay property tax to the City of Yellowknife. Well, what is the assessed value of a property you can’t sell, Mr. Speaker?

Again in March I warned this government that if something was not done to replace the infrastructure this summer season, that with a new winter, routine line breaks would occur with much more frequency and, ultimately, would result in a catastrophic line break for the residents of that trailer park. The Government of the Northwest Territories might like to say it’s not our problem, but when that catastrophic water or sewer line failure happens, we will have over 1,100 people, 600 children, being displaced from their homes. It will be our problem, Mr. Speaker. We’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.

As far as residents and Members of this House are concerned, the file has been on a Minister’s desk in Ottawa for 15 months. How is this possible? Yes, there was an election a few months ago, but really, who is in charge of ensuring this file gets the attention that it deserves?

The situation is reaching the brink, Mr. Speaker, the brink of disaster. We can’t afford to let this issue just sit there. We need to take action and we need to find a solution to this problem, Mr. Speaker. Residents in Northland need to have some hope

that someday someone will listen, and that someday they may be able to actually sell their homes and not live everyday in fear of a catastrophic line break that will lead them to having to leave their homes, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was a real honour and privilege to be attending the awards ceremony this afternoon by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regard to the different cultural groups in the Northwest Territories, and more importantly, the Aklavik Dancers and Drummers.

The Aklavik Dancers and Drummers have been performing for some 30 years throughout the Northwest Territories and around the world. Mr. Speaker, without mentioning the people that really deserve the mention, it’s the elders who took the time to revitalize their language, their culture, their songs, their dances. In regard to the late Alex and Hope Gordon, old Mrs. Hansen, and the late Mr. Paul, formed by those elders who felt the importance of revitalizing the culture and language and the dancing and singing of the Inuvialuit people.

But, Mr. Speaker, it’s hard work, and dedication, and commitment, and practice that made the Aklavik drummers what they are today. It’s a real honour and privilege to watch the Aklavik dancers perform, especially with the young children that they have now taught the dancing and the singing, and seeing them perform at such a young age. It’s a real sparkle in the eye of those people performing.

Mr. Speaker, without resurrection of the language, the culture, and more importantly, the dances and the drumming, and the songs, and understanding exactly what is being mentioned and also what’s being performed, it’s something that has to be cherished not only for the Inuvialuit but for other cultures in the Northwest Territories.

It can’t be spoken about without mentioning the loss of one of their performers: Philip Elanik. Again, a performer that basically made you sit and listen, and watch him perform. He had so much energy and so much intensity, and more importantly, his performance and the way he yelled out the different songs and the energy that he carried was so important to watch, especially for those people who had an opportunity to see Philip perform.

Mr. Speaker, he will be sadly missed by the community of Aklavik, the Aklavik Drummers and Dancers, but more importantly, all those who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to have this opportunity to thank the Aklavik Drummers and Dancers for performing, and more importantly, being ambassadors for the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, thank you very much.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of

visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize those individuals that are in the gallery and organizations, the Minister’s Cultural Circle inductees are here with us today. First, in the youth category here with us: Evan Tordiff, along with his mother, Sylvie, and sister Lauren; Abel Tingmiak, elder category that’s here with us with his wife, Marcy Jane Tingmiak, that are here with us; Ben Nind of the individual category here with Natalie Labossiere; also here with us are the Aklavik Delta Drummers, the group category, Andrew Gordon, Eva Gordon, Alexander Gordon and Mary Ruth Meyook; also, just identifying one of our key staff players in this, Ashley Green is here with us. Also, I’d like to recognize my chiefs that are here with us: Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus and also chief of Whati, Alphonse Nitsiza. Welcome. Mahsi.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to welcome Mr. Frank Pokiak from my home community of Tuktoyaktuk. Frank is the chairman of the Inuvialuit Game Council. Welcome to the House, Frank.

I’d also like to welcome Larry and Yvonne Carpenter, constituents from Sachs Harbour. Larry is the chair of the Wildlife Management Advisory Council for the Northwest Territories.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome Andrew, Eva, Alex, and Mary Ruth to the House. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two constituents in the gallery: recent recipient of the cultural award and, most importantly, my uncle, Abel and Marcy. Welcome to the gallery. I’d also like to welcome the good folks from Never Say Die. Welcome.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also recognize a couple of constituents from Weledeh, and we have Ben Nind, who was the inductee for the Minister’s Cultural Circle this morning in the individual category. Congratulations to Ben. I’d also like to recognize Chief Edward Sangris of Dettah, and drummer extraordinaire. I heard him performing this morning. Mahsi.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.