Robert Hawkins

I am curious on how the department is familiar with construction techniques on this area of permafrost. As we all know, Highway No. 3 has its I’ll call it technical challenges rather than laden it with some description probably fair and certainly unfair. That said, the constant excuse I’ve heard was the reason Highway No. 3 is the way it is in its own state is the ice lenses. I believe it was interesting terminology picked out of the air a number of years ago to explain why the permafrost is fluxing and the matter of the ice lenses. Those were Department of Transportation words, so I don’t...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is the first time I’ve spoken to this particular issue. I was going to parcel my comments on the $5 million and keep them separate from the $60 million portion, which is on the next supplementary appropriation. I can appreciate the fact that Members had to speak to both at the same time.

I’m certainly in a peculiar position when I think of this project, because, to be frank, I feel that not any one person, I should say it that way, but I feel, to some degree, like we’ve been painted into a corner that if we question the project, that we’ve been seen as questioning...

I’m not seeing the gap here. If we told everybody how much we have for this particular road estimate, our fine work all done. Of course, a $300 million road, everyone knows what it’s worth and we’re going to negotiate a contract. What’s to stop the joint venture from asking for, in all intents and purposes, the full $300 million?

I think I’m a little surprised, more so by the words “if we would like to.” How do we get it clear on the record here? Because the way he said it today made it sound like it was coming to the Assembly and it was a foregone conclusion that we would have a public discussion on this and a final vote, of course.

That said, what type of direction does the Premier need to ensure that we actually have a final vote on this particular issue before this Assembly?

I want to say I apologize for when the Minister said God forbid there be any overruns, I said that that’s hypothetical. At least it would be a hypothetical answer by the Minister, I guess, considering any question in that regard last week was hypothetical. At least now you’ve validated that real possibility. It’s odd what a week does.

On the royalty discussion, this is no surprise to the folks in our gallery, and I’m certainly not uncomfortable asking this question. It is a fair and reasonable question on the budget. How much is the territorial government on the hook for royalties? Just be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I spoke, of course, very highly to the Devolution Agreement, and I certainly underscored my support for the Devolution Agreement that has been finalized today. As we work towards implementation, the only outstanding issue is a couple small ones, which are, of course, public appreciation for the finer details of the Devolution Agreement.

My question would be to the Premier and is: When will we have some type of public dialogue that boils down the finer details of what the Devolution Agreement actually means, and what type of process do we...

Have those negotiated contracts already started and with whom?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s probably an understatement today to say it was a spectacular move forward on the evolution of the people of the Northwest Territories and our governance model with the Prime Minister here today to announce that the devolution negotiations have come to an end. Of course, that only means one thing: We are pushing forward to an implementation of, finally, the authority and respect that we deserve. I would say that today is certainly a great day for the people of the Northwest Territories.

In that great day there are a lot of questions about what this future will bring...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister just said going to tender. Is this project going to be put out for public tender?

This is like complaining about the ship that’s already long since sailed. It provides very little value other than those four most satisfying words in the English language, which are “I told you so.” The fact is this provides little value in the lead up and preparing for this particular initiative, because how do we prepare for it in a manner that makes sense to talk about these things? And that’s a failing of the process. That’s a failing of the Minister. That’s a failing of the system. How does the Minister defend that this simple piece of information that was asked for over a week ago or...