Robert Hawkins

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Your loyal and hardworking Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure is pleased to report on the review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 3, the Wildlife Act, is a product of over 15 years of work to replace existing wildlife legislation which dates back to 1978. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure conducted extensive public consultation on the bill and has reached consensus among its members that the legislation is ready for consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

Bill 3 was referred to the...

I appreciate the Minister’s answer. I think what’s important here today in the dialogue, are these are some of the concerns we’re going to build on, and certainly we want Northerners to give us feedback.

Earlier today it was talked about the Bakken. There was a rupture in the pipeline and 20,000 barrels of crude had spilled. For two weeks no one was informed. That was almost the exact same time this study tour was there.

One of the things that had arisen when we were in Alberta last year, talking to the BC regulators and the Alberta regulators, is about full disclosure of information.

I ask the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ll just quickly run through a few of them. Although a number of them have already been mentioned, it is certainly worth noting.

I have expressed over the years, 10 years certainly, the need for an expanded role for Aurora College and certainly for the Department of Education to respond to the need. Aurora College has, within themselves, outgrown their existing space here in Yellowknife. I’m certainly always pleased to hear Members like Mr. Menicoche talk about how they want to work with other Members to achieve our goals, too, so I look forward to him helping this...

Mr. Speaker, for my final question of the day on this HPV vaccination, I want to make sure it is absolutely crystal clear in this House today that the Minister is saying he is going to see if he can correct it. He says he is going to see if he can fix this process to ensure that they are fairly covered.

I want to make sure it is clear before this House and certainly clear for the people of the Northwest Territories. If this is not the case, I would like the Minister to clarify this in the House through a Minister’s statement, explaining why these young men will not be getting the vaccination...

Mr. Speaker, I am elated to hear the fact that all people matter, according to the Minister, but I would like to hear when young men will matter in this particular case.

What can the Minister commit to today on clarifying this huge error for a huge percentage of our population? Young boys matter, as far as I’m concerned. Young men matter, and everyone. These kids matter.

What is the Health Minister willing to do today to show that they matter to the families out there thinking that this is a much needed vaccination? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the summer the Premier told me that he’d like to be the first repeat Premier and he was thinking about running again, he told me.

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Well, you know what? After listening to the way he spoke to me yesterday, he’s certainly not going to get my support unless he pulls up his socks.

When I listened to the Premier’s responses, and I can tell you I received a number of e-mails and comments from individuals in our community; they were quite disappointed. It seems very frustrating when the Premier’s response to the Members, who have legitimate, reasonable questions...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table my news release regarding an innovative idea on how we can stimulate some good thinking and maybe some ideas to help solve the Giant Mine problem where we have arsenic that will be perpetually taken care of. I am suggesting, let’s reach out and coordinate. My press release spells that out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In his inquiry, if he finds out it is a clerical issue or it’s a money issue, will he issue a directive from his office to ensure that this process starts right away? I am being contacted by families who are concerned that their young boys, their children are being left out of this process. Again, a much needed vaccination that is accepted across Canada, why not in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Worldwide the Human Papillomavirus, or commonly known as HPV, is a common sexually transmitted disease. I could go on at length, but it’s not necessary today, regarding how many problems Northerners have with sexually transmitted diseases and the fact that it is a real problem here. It is a problem whether you live in a large or small community, so we must do whatever we can.

In short, when was this program for vaccination rolled out? The NWT was one of the last jurisdictions. It would have been the last if we didn’t have Nunavut behind us, to finally implement this back...

I know the Premier was listening closely to my Member’s statement, as I know he always does, of course. He hangs on every word. I’m sure he would recognize that not at one time in my Member’s statement or in my press release the week before I talked about stopping what we’re doing today, because the engineering solution today is probably the only solution we have thus far.

But the same innovation that brought Banting to the solution for insulin, and the same spirit and drive of why people fight the good fight against cancer every single day is because they’re looking for that solution and they...