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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Norman Yakeleya, the MLA stripped of his cabinet post and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, says he plans to continue representing his Sahtu riding.

The MLA made his first public appearance in the legislative assembly Wednesday since being charged with the offence in July.

Norman Yakeleya: "I'll be right here everyday representing the people of the Sahtu." - NNSL file photo

"I'm right here ready to go," Yakeleya said during a break in Wednesday's session.

"I'll be right here everyday representing the people of the Sahtu. I've been elected, I've been acclaimed, I have an obligation to represent them and I'll do that with every ounce of my blood."

Yakeleya has been in Yellowknife since meeting with MLAs Sept. 30 to discuss his situation and whether he should remain in cabinet but missed the first five days of the fall session. He was absent because "there's an administrative process that I need to respect," he said, referring to his transfer from the cabinet side of the legislative assembly to the aisle where the regular MLAs sit.

MLAs voted unanimously to remove him from cabinet the day after meeting with him. Up to that point, Yakeleya was still technically in cabinet but without a portfolio after Premier Floyd Roland stripped him of his responsibilities just a few days before he was charged with sexual assault.

On Tuesday, Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Robert McLeod took over Yakeleya's portfolio as minister responsible for youth, Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission. MACA had been held in the interim by Health and Social Services Minister Sandy Lee. She retains Yakeleya's former responsibilities for seniors. Roland remains minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation.

Yakeleya, speaking to reporters for the first time since he was charged, refused to discuss his legal troubles. Yakeleya pleaded not guilty to the single charge last month. His next court appearance is in Tulita - where police say the sexual assault occurred - on Dec. 18 for a preliminary inquiry.

Yakeleya said he holds nothing against the MLAs who voted him out of cabinet. "There's no hard feelings," he said.

"These are colleagues that I work with. They understand my situation. They understand I have to represent my people. There was a process I had to go through and it was respected, what I had to do, and the assembly as a whole did what they had to do."

For his first day back as a regular MLA, Yakeleya focused on his former seniors portfolio, questioning Lee on why there wasn't a separate government department for seniors instead of the token ministerial representation they have now.

"Would you bring this to your (cabinet) colleagues," he asked during question period.

Lee replied that fiscal restraints on the government won't allow for an expanded bureaucracy.