Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has completed its review of Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act. The committee wishes to report that Bill 2 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By all means I’m sure that these are good people. I just would have thought we would have heard more about their expertise than the life they’ve lived.

My next question, of course, is the last one, which is: Has the Minister been getting any feedback about two particular areas that I am very passionate about, which is youth treatment options and certainly a treatment centre here for Yellowknife for dealing with addictions? Those are two very important recommendations that I hope are coming forward on how to deal with youth on a youth treatment level, and certainly, as I...

Thank you. I think today is a great opportunity if this Minister of Health and Social Services would like to avail himself to it, which is what are many of those good recommendations? I think he said there may be upwards of 10 recommendations. So what are those good recommendations they’ve been hearing from the communities so we can get a sense of what’s actually happening out there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Health and Social Services did a Minister’s statement on the Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I want to quote a couple of things. It says not one community in the entire Northwest Territories can claim to be free from health and social problems caused by addictive behaviour.

That beginning statement is very telling about the problems we’re having here in the Northwest Territories. I believe in prevention and, certainly, enhancing established treatment facilities, as the Minister has highlighted in his statement, but I think we need to go just a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I just have one question. I think we’ve cleared up everything, as far as I’m concerned, and I just want to say I think I just have one question. It speaks more to the philosophy. I think the Minister’s heard enough from me about my concerns on consumer affairs and whatnot. I’d kind of like to bottle it up and maybe I’ll call it one, hopefully, clear ask, which is: What can the Minister do about the somewhat public anonymity that hides behind consumer affairs?

I’m not suggesting they’re not trying to reach out there, but I think there’s a general perception from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week – the exact date was Monday, February 25th – I had asked the Minister of Transportation some information regarding the work on the winter road, or potential permanent road to the NICO Mine, to the Dogrib communities of Gameti and Whati. In that Tlicho area that I wrote, one of the comments back from the Minister, he says my speculation about the work going on behind the scenes and the person I was talking to from Fortune Minerals is it was all guesswork on the Member’s part. I just received an e-mail from the Minister’s office. Maybe the Minister can inform...

The Minister has already promised to provide the enabling documentation, so there’s no sense in asking the question again. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, just for the record, I don’t take issue with the Minister offering to answer my questions. I more so took issue with telling me not to feel sorry for myself because he didn’t answer my questions.

Specific to the issue at hand, what will it take to get policy initiatives that develop opportunities for seniors to be active in their living? The Elders in Motion sounds like an example of it. How do we make it policy? How do we support it? How do we give it a budget? Thank you.

I wasn’t expecting such a detailed answer such as they go in there. Can the Minister maybe elaborate just a little further by explaining what type of partners and relationship they have with the public?

Thank you. Maybe the Minister forgets his role. Quite frankly, the department is in charge of the project, the department is paying for the project. Maybe my next question to the manager of this project is: Who is in charge of the construction of the Inuvik-Tuk highway and who will be responsible for the quality of work?