Robert Hawkins

Okay, I'll certainly say touché on that one. But it speaks to the broader point, we should have deputy ministers on every subject or ADMs, sorry of every subject, whether it's xray machines and deputy minister of nursing, and like, every area we have. I just think this is a horrible waste of money. And if we want to really support these, we should be giving them to the communities to inspire community homegrown programs. People don't need another another, like I said, upper echelon person. They need program people on the ground. So that's my comment. If I was given an opportunity, which I'm...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm excited that the Minister's really excited, but I'm still curious over here as to what specific information the department tracks that we know what they're doing or how they're progressing through the system to be able to stand up on their own. So is there any other useful information outside of their age, where they live, and their gender that we can build upon to help strengthen the program and the individual as we hope that they can return back to the working world. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What other considerations were given other than hiring another seniorsenior manager? Why didn't we just hire a middle manager or a programs person to help support the communities and committees working to continue to strengthen their language? And we could easily put one in South Slave and the North Slave for half that price. Thank you. Well, not half, but you know what I'm saying.

So thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the government talks about wanting to no surprises and work together and they get the topic in advance when I ask questions, they should come with some answers. And my question, really, is built around the fact that I'm asking what is the Minister doing to work with this? We have constituents and businesses that are at significant risk when these P3 projects decide well, we're going to get all our goods, not some of our goods, all our goods down south. And these are lifetime contracts, Mr. Speaker. So if they're going to wait to supply whether it...

So who is this team and where exactly are they and who is supervising them now?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the management policy looks at construction, but it doesn't look postconstruction, how they intertwine, the relationship between P3s and local northern suppliers. And it was even noted during the review of it is it has caused nothing but problems for people looking for local opportunities.

So my question for her is what can the Minister currently do about the current P3 project to ensure that northern suppliers have a chance on bidding rather than just going south to buy their goods and keeping Northerners out of the game?

I'm just trying to get the sense of why they're going to exist other than believing they'll do a good job. I mean, I think this money could have been better placed in a regional centre, whether it's great places like Fort Providence who really revive languages. You know, we have Tsiigehtchic, you know, or McPherson who are struggling to keep Gwich'in alive; Gwich'in's key. So I'm just curious as to how that rolls out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleagues, I want to talk about income assistance today. I sometimes I see it as dependence versus transition to independence. I read on the internet the other day, it said welfare dependency can be defined as a state in which person or a household is reliant on government's benefits or further income for a prolonged period of time, Mr. Speaker, and without which, they cannot manage or sustain their daily living.

Mr. Speaker, how does the department transition families from dependency to programs to independencies? I worry that the cornerstone of hope is really...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I'm going to ask what's the sales pitch to FMB based on the results and targets and the necessity of this position, could you give it to us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Maybe just to pick up quickly, what type of targets are you setting for this particular position? I mean, we must have some matrix to decide that it's warranted and needed, and so can we get some objectives on how they're going to change this story. Thank you.