Robert Hawkins

Thanks, Madam Chair. The question I have is under Health and Social Services Authority administration. Maybe the Minister could break down what the activities associated with the management and administration are just to help get some clarity. Thank you.

Thank you. Sure, if you can have an answer by 6:30, that would be good.

---Laugher

That’s fine. I was only kidding on that one. I’d be happy if they could get back as soon as possible. That would be quite helpful. Furthermore, I would also hope that they would take the guidance of maybe profiling it under a different method. It seems strange that it’s parked there.

The only thing I would ask, then I think we could probably leave this page, is why was there such a jump between the ‘12-13 mains and the revised estimates. I mean, what actually changed in the game? We went from $473,000 to $739,000...

Thank you for that. Just adding a little further, so is it safe to say that… Sorry. Would it be correct to say that medical travel, then, is on budget for core cost and should we be including third-party cost in its normal line budget? If the taxpayers of the Northwest Territories asked the simple question does normal medical travel under the cost of our programs we offer as a government service, are we on budget or are we within budget, is that a fair statement to make?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue I’m raising here is not that I’m not in favour of the road. The fact is, is it seems like we’re in the dark. So I guess my next question is the issue of what threshold of work agreement, compliance or negotiation is needed in order to bring Members into the fold of the discussion. It seems as if there’s some type of discussion and work going on behind the scenes, but Members, in the context of transparency, are in a position where we don’t know anything, but yet industry is coming to tell us work is being done. Thank you.

Thank you. I notice there seems to be an absence of the description under this particular title. Is there a reason why in-house respite services at $225,000 isn’t listed in some type of detail, or furthermore, why isn’t it broken out on its own? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I was to look for a line on medical travel, is this the only funding source area that I would search out or is it listed in any other line somewhere within the government?

Mr. Speaker, as many of us know, this is approximately a 120-kilometre road which could run anywhere about a $2 million project. In speaking to some people who work for Fortune, they’ve coined it as a deal has been struck to work on a framework to do this road and that they’re planning for investment.

I’m trying to find out what has been struck in the form of a deal with Fortune Minerals in order to either build a road, lease back a road, or create a road. What is happening on this issue? Thank you.

Just one last question, I believe, on this particular area. Would we be considered part of the norm or would we be considered part of the generous group? So in other words, is this consistent amongst pretty much every other jurisdiction or is this considered maybe over and above services that we offer just to keep them coming to the North, which isn’t as common in other areas? Thank you.

Would the Minister be willing to provide that type of update and have it in a written form to me, and possibly other Members, as to the current status of this file? When was the last equalizing on the amount that we believe we were out?

I’m sure it was only a few years ago that it was tens of millions of dollars outstanding. I have to admit, I find it almost a bit of a shock to hear that the feds have either come forward and made up the difference, or maybe, rather, did we write down the difference on that particular amount and just walk away from it? It seemed to be a very bitter dispute...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Inflation is at a three-year low. Why? Because of cheaper gas prices across Canada, everywhere but the Northwest Territories. The Canadian Consumer Price Index is saying that it is at its lowest since 2009 in January. Why? Because of gasoline prices, yet again everywhere but the NWT.

I visited the fuel pumps this week, like many Northerners, and we all continue to experience the high prices of gasoline here in the Northwest Territories. Since raising this issue almost four weeks ago, Northerners keep telling me that they feel like they’re at the mercy of the local market...