Robert Hawkins

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I guess I’m getting at the fact that what type of discussion and evaluation was considered in the BIP office to move?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’m not sure why Mrs. Groenewegen would say there we go or here we go. I think it is very short-sighted and very narrow to thinking what I’m going to…(inaudible)... Actually, I don’t disagree with some of the things she said. My issue was more about the planning and evaluation of what they did. Minister Miltenberger didn’t answer that question, which was, when we look at those jobs, which jobs exactly were they? What type of evaluation? And maybe we can hear about where they’re going. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use this opportunity to table a document. It’s a letter I wrote on January 7th to the Finance Minister, Minister Miltenberger, and it’s regarding a possible breach of the FAM Directive 3307. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the critical components that has been referred to as part of the cost of this potential highway – and, of course, the final decision has yet to be made – is the royalty required by the regional government. Is an actual number pegged to what the royalty is, and why is the Government of the Northwest Territories paying for a royalty when we’ve made a concession on the road as being transferred for land and other options and we’re actually paying for the gravel? Will there be a royalty attached to the final figure of this highway and how much, if so?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to use this opportunity to follow up on my Member’s statement, which was in whole about the Inuvik-Tuk highway and some of the costs and components thereof. I guess my first question is: When will a plain-language document be available for the public to see that actually specifies and drills down what the project is and what the actual costing estimates are? That way we will have something to debate and discuss publicly before an actual vote happens in the House.

That’s fine for now. I wanted to know what they did. Thank you.

Are all four employees accepting a transfer? Thank you.

Thanks very much. I think in large it speaks to what I am talking about, which is we have an opportunity to expand.

I guess I'll lead into the next area of saying, let’s start with first, can I get a copy of the list, or all Members, that is, so we can have it in front of us? What type of evaluation or discussion did the department have with the BIP office? Discussion and evaluation of the BIP office, to decentralize it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I won’t spend a lot of time, although I could probably talk well beyond 10 minutes. I just have a few things I want to pick up where I commented the other day and was unable to sort of highlight my thoughts on the budget because of the restriction on the Member’s statement.

I wish to applaud the government’s focus on the early childhood development, although I caution the government in the sense that I worry about where the money may be coming from or be filtered through and what departmental programs through education school boards will be suffering for that. I’m...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From what I’ve been hearing on the ground, is an actual royalty rate has been negotiated and signed off between the territorial government and the IRC. I have yet to hear what that final number is and I think the public deserves to know. Also, why isn’t the government negotiating a zero royalty considering two things: first of all, this road is, in essence, at the request of people in that region, which I think is a reasonable request per se, but by the same token will this philosophy apply to every single new highway established here? Are we setting a dangerous...