Robert Hawkins

Mr. Chair, so I guess this is the way they wind the clock down on me on this one. Is this money that’s being requested, the $5 million for the Tuktoyaktuk side brings it to, I guess, Source 177 is $5 million and it’s a fiscal commitment in this budget year up to March 31st. What guarantees that money will be spent? I’m not talking about the $60 million. Thank you.

The deputy minister said earlier that they needed to drill more holes, I assume to test gravel sources. Where is the gravel that they believe they’ve found? Is it enough and what’s the quality of the gravel? In essence, what does drilling more holes and testing mean?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just quickly, I know some Members may prefer something larger. Myself, I prefer a vote in this Assembly. I think the people elect us for a particular reason: to lead on these particular issues. As proof, as you noticed today, we had five out of the seven Aboriginal groups signing on, so it shows broader support for this initiative, by all means. I prefer a public vote in this Assembly, and maybe the Premier could speak to how he feels that that will get the message on and carry forward these initiatives. Because I think citizens want to know are their leaders leading...

With the budget publicized, how do we know that we’re going to get the best price for this particular project?

That’s certainly good news that it sounds like something’s coming. We have to be fair. I mean, it doesn’t just show up. Some work has to be done.

In the Premier’s very well-crafted comments when he was speaking here before the Prime Minister, he had made mention of a vote. I’d like to know, or ask the Premier, what type of vote is anticipated on this final Devolution Agreement and when can we expect to see this.

Is anyone sharing any risk on this particular highway besides the Government of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few people I’d like to recognize, but first I’d like to start with the Pages here today. Chad Martin is from Mildred Hall School and he’s a constituent of Yellowknife Centre; as well as Miguel Gordon, who is a Mildred Hall student; and although not a constituent of Yellowknife Centre, Muhammad Awan is a Mildred Hall student. So I’d like to say, in some way, in some form the Mildred Hall students all belong to Yellowknife Centre, who I get to see regularly and I’m very proud to go to that school quite often as a parent of two kids that go there.

The other person...

When will we know if this will be a tender or a negotiated contract?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I completely disagree with the assertion of the Minister’s. This is, quite frankly, smoke and mirrors. By laying this information out in a way that we can’t get public consultation, I have been prohibited strictly from seeking information by this government because the words confidential have been stamped on all the information we’ve constantly been receiving in private briefings. This Minister should enlighten this House how he gave us the fullness of all information in a confidential manner, in a manner we can’t seek public information and guidance from this, to...

Is the Minister saying that now that we’ve printed this in a plain language document that that’s become a risk?