Legislative Assembly photo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

Historical Information Norman Yakeleya is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly November 2015, as MLA for Sahtu

Won his last election, in 2011, with 60% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Acknowledgement 24-17(5): Lucy Jackson - Order Of The NWT Recipient September 29th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, today we would like to acknowledge a well-respected lady from Radihili Koe, Mrs. Lucy Jackson.

Mrs. Jackson will receive the Order of the Northwest Territories on Wednesday, October 7, 2015, at the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly along with other recipients.

Mrs. Jackson is a lady with strong traditional knowledge, along with her supporting husband who is a full-time trapper.

Mrs. Jackson is known for her North Slavey translation in the Sahtu region and across the NWT. She is also a layperson at her local Roman Catholic Church.

On behalf of the Sahtu region, we would like to congratulate Mrs. Lucy Jackson for keeping traditional knowledge alive through her many skills and strong language.

Mrs. Jackson is truly an inspiring lady to the people in the Sahtu, her community and her family. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery September 29th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, I once again rise to recognize a wise elder, Mr. Andrew John Kenny from the Deline First Nation government.

Palliative Care In Deline September 29th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people want their loved ones to live out their last days at home, not in Yellowknife or Inuvik or anywhere else.

People in Deline want to know why it’s so difficult to get palliative care beds in that community. I’ve been working with the community of Deline and have brought this issue to three Ministers so far. My last hope is with this Minister.

I have questioned the Minister on February 23, 2015, seven months ago, regarding the Deline palliative care study. This summer both the Minister and I met with the Deline leadership and we were advised at that time the health staff were planning to travel to Deline this summer, 2015, to assess the suitability. What happened there?

Last week the Sahtu Secretariat met with the Premier and the Ministers. An item that was discussed was the request for palliative care beds in Deline. Prior to that meeting, Chief Leonard Kennedy wrote to the Minister, carbon copied to me, stating, where is the Deline care beds study and stating why they need it. What happened to the commitment he made to the people and I in Deline.

I want to know why does this community request to have palliative care beds in their community have to take an SSI meeting with the Premier, and now we’ve been told that this study will be done in two weeks. October 9th , by the way, Mr. Speaker. The

department doesn’t get the need, doesn’t get the urgency to make this happen. I want to know why the Minister is dragging his feet on this request. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 879-17(5): Protocol For Addressing Deaths In The Sahtu September 28th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly would endorse the Minister’s commitment to bring this back to the region.

Would the Minister consider a strong cultural elders advisory group in the region to help our employees, help our people understand the reasons why we have these certain protocols and reasons why we do different

ceremonies

such

as

the

grieving

ceremony? It’s a very powerful one. If we don’t understand it, we become ignorant about it.

Would the Minister consider, through the department of culture, formulating an elders council in our region, like the Sahtu, to guide us in our daily work and situations we are facing from time to time?

Question 879-17(5): Protocol For Addressing Deaths In The Sahtu September 28th, 2015

I appreciate the Minister’s

willingness to look at school boards and school jurisdictions, but he’s the Minister of Culture and I’m talking about culture in a general sense. Of all the Ministers here and the departments they hold, all government employees need to know. I’m looking at the focal point of the Minister of Culture to look at all this within our region, within our communities and within our culture. All employees should know about the protocol. When something like this, a respected elder has passed or something has happened in our community, all employees should know. This is not about programs and services. This is about building our relationships with the people we work with so they understand our culture and what needs to be looked upon, respected and honoured.

Again, I beg to differ from this government. When something like this happens in our community, there are some people who respect this and there are some people who are very ignorant of this.

I want to ask the Minister, how is this government, through the department of culture, going to respect our cultural ways in our communities?

Question 879-17(5): Protocol For Addressing Deaths In The Sahtu September 28th, 2015

Then I would ask the Minister if he would do a survey, conduct a test to see how well our employees respect our culture such as this type of situation, because I beg to differ from the Mini

ster’s experience or opinion as to how our

employees are respecting our culture when something like this has happened in our communities.

I want to ask the Minister if he’s willing to look at that in his department with all government employees, because I do not see that picture as the Minister has painted in the Northwest Territories.

Question 879-17(5): Protocol For Addressing Deaths In The Sahtu September 28th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture

and Emp

loyment. In my Member’s statement I talked

about a community that has to deal with grief and loss.

I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how many of our GNWT employees in our regions know about the protocol when there’s an elder, a respective loved one or someone in our communities has passed away.

Do our employees know what is to be expected when something terrible like this has happened in our communities?

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery September 28th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to

recognize Andrew John Kenny from the Deline Got

’ine Government. Andrew John has been an

elder and a guide for me for the last 12 years in the Legislative Assembly, and I’d like to recognize his commitment and dedication to the Sahtu people.

Condolences To Sahtu Residents Who Have Lost Loved Ones September 28th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to pay respect to the Sahtu people who have lost their loved ones and offer our sincere condolences. To lose one is a painful experience one goes through. Often our elders tell us that life is precious and we don’t know when the Creator wants us back home in his kingdom. After all, we are his children in the end.

Life and death are two great mysteries that we wonder about in life. Where did we come from and where are we going in between these two spectrums we call life, God’s gift to us?

When someone we love with all our heart passes on, it brings all kinds of emotions, emotions we don’t understand at times. Yet, we have them and it’s difficult at times. Only with time we heal, it is said.

We need to learn from our cultural ways to properly help our communities and ourselves and to help our loved ones pass from this world to the next world with dignity and respect.

We pray for all the ones who have passed away since our last sitting in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho.

Committee Motion 134-17(5): Departmental Status Reports, Carried June 4th, 2015

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Justice provide a status report to Standing Committee on Government Operations at least once before the end of the 17th Assembly, and further recommends that the status report be provided annually during the 18th Assembly, outlining actions taken in response to the Auditor General’s report. Thank you, Mr. Chair.