Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was reading the news the other day, including the news release that the Premier had created a special envoy position in Ottawa, and we're hearing a lot of little hoopla about, well, doing things differently is bad. Well, and we're even hearing it from that side of the House. So I guess my question for the Premier particularly, is, is what mandate has he been given by this House or the people to establish a special envoy position, and where is the money coming from? Thank you.

So just to be clear, again, is the Minister's letter confidential, and was she suggesting she'll provide that to Members? Maybe we'll deal with these one at a time. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I think Members, if I may speak for myself or at large -- I'm not sure in this case -- but I think we were given the assurances this was a Cabinet document to be approved through the treasury board, etcetera; it didn't require special legislation to approve. Has something significantly changed that may put this financing at risk? Thank you.

Can the Minister provide those to committee members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to talk about population growth today. Mr. Speaker, as I talk to employers, they talk about their struggles of getting anyone to work. I had a great conversation the other day with the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, and they are fearful about what's actually happening with the nominee program because their membership, including our community at large, is struggling to find people to fill jobs. They don't care where they've come from, Mr. Speaker; we're dying to have anybody here with a pulse in these jobs to do these jobs, Mr. Speaker...

No, I'm not interested in your parenting -- I have two of my own, and I'm not here to tell you how to manage your kids and I would prefer we don't do that.

So, Madam Chair, the issue is, then -- I think the Minister may have her finger on the issue which is the indoctrination of perspectives and keeping things fair. So what oversight, policy, direction, can be provided to the school boards that can help trickle down through the education system to ensure that they're receiving a balance of perspectives? And sometimes we're going to hear things you don't want to hear, sometimes you're going to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, earlier I was unavailable; my computer died, so. I did want to -- I appreciate the opportunity to return to this.

I did want to follow up on what has been done or said about the nominee program with respect to the numbers. Maybe the Minister can enlight on that or the department as to what action they've actually specifically taken to demonstrate they need the current numbers. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And by no means am I getting into the geopolitical experience or wave down there, and that wasn't the intention of the specific line. But my concern is about young people exercising their opinion and how what oversight or abilities does the department see or have to address these types of issues.

I am aware of another parent bringing forward an issue that the individual teachers bring up on the screen in the classroom, how to complain about civic politicians where they're -- the teachers are exercising their personal opinions and encouraging students to focus their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask a question, not about the money but about the establishment of the envoy, where he got his mandate from, Indigenous governance.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. This brings me to the question of concerns of policy and what type of oversight is provided. The circumstances I'll sort of framework is that I'll start with the beginning is does the department have any policy or influence on the school boards and authorities to be -- I guess I'm trying to say it -- nonpartisan in their political intervention in education? Thank you.