Robert Hawkins

The Minister failed to recognize the fact this issue isn’t before the courts at all in any manner. The Minister further failed to recognize that this was a particular issue that he thought was fraught with problems. All I’m asking the House here today is: Would the Minister be willing to take a look at this particular issue, ask someone within the department to take a look at this particular situation to see if changes and adjustments need to be made if an EPO was issued in error due to false information? The burden of the removal of the EPO falls on the person it’s issued against. It does...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about emergency protection orders and the concerns that have arisen out of that.

The Protection Against Family Violence Act has been in force for about six years now, and I have no doubt that the emergency protection orders that have been issued have been instrumental in preventing violence against many people such as women and children. However, recent events have certainly highlighted potential abuse in this process and it has created terrible consequences that we have seen. The act does not provide relief for people who have been subjected...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The other day we’d heard from Mr. Miltenberger that there was a report coming forward to this particular Cabinet regarding recommendations for addictions. I’d like this government to be known as a government that took action on the addictions problem.

Before the Premier hands out the portfolios, I’d like him to seriously consider giving whoever takes the Department of Health and Social Services a clear and precise mandate that they must finally take up arms and deal with the addictions problems.

I don’t need to lecture this House about how closely homelessness is related...

Thank you. As I said, in the 16th Assembly the Department of Health was given the mandate to start hacking away at supplementary health benefits, and in no way that was ever discussed in a Caucus discussion and in no way that was developed in Caucus visioning. But yet, the Department of Health was marching to the orders given by the Premier of the day. That’s the concern I specifically have here. So is the Premier saying here today, without any doubt, that there are no mandates issued to any of the departments, and furthermore, is he also saying that all departmental mandates will be developed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about addressing the addictions problem, and perhaps, maybe, we could actually gain ground this particular Assembly and deal with this particular issue. Now, I don’t suspect any Assembly – although it would be nice – or any government ever to fully deal with that particular problem, but the important thing is never to surrender to allow addictions to happen in the manner that it is, as well as the fact of how little it’s actually been happening.

I highlighted the focus of the mandate of a particular department as well as this...

Thank you. The Premier didn’t address the question about specific mandates and I highlighted the point about supplementary health benefits. That was a Cabinet decision mandate handed out to the department to fulfill. It didn’t have Regular Members involved in that type of decision.

Suggesting that we wait for the business plans for these holistic mandates is great, but before you put any bologna on the table, it’s the decisions made in Cabinet that are the ones that are the real meat and potatoes of the government’s marching orders. Those are the types of mandates I’d like to find out.

When...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to give a Member’s statement today. First off, I’d like to congratulate you in taking the helm of the Assembly. I look forward to your leadership in the Assembly for the next four years. I’m quite pleased that you’ve assumed this role and I feel I have every confidence in what you’ll be doing for us here in the leadership role.

Mr. Speaker, next I’d like to acknowledge the constituents of Yellowknife Centre, and sincere thanks goes out to them for the opportunity to serve them in this 17th Legislative Assembly. Yellowknife Centre, in my belief...

Centre. You’re always right, Mr. Speaker, don’t worry.

---Laughter

It’s the only way to do this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a list and I’ll run through them really quickly. Certainly I’d like to acknowledge Sandra Taylor, president of the YK Seniors; Vivian Squires, executive director of the YK Seniors. Thanks, Mr. McLeod, for recognizing Ed Jeske, Mr. Hockey; Chief Superintendent Wade Blake; Jenny and Dave Tucker, neighbours up there; Phila Fyten, she works with the Commissioner’s Office; Floyd Adlem, who was our piper today; Monique Marinier, that would be Tom Beaulieu’s partner; Lorraine...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize, once again, the two Pages from Yellowknife Centre. We have Emma Ouellette and Edward Esau. I certainly hope they’ve enjoyed their time here paging at the Assembly. I know many of us have appreciated their help and the services they provide. As well, we appreciate all the Pages and the work that they do, so I want to thank them personally.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use my final Member’s statement to thank a lot of people over the last four years.

Firstly, as I entered this building I thanked the citizens of Yellowknife Centre, and I’d like to begin the same way by finishing this term by thanking the constituents of Yellowknife Centre, the many friends and the seniors who constantly provide advice and support through the years. As we all know, we deal with challenging issues and sometimes very emotional and stressful issues, and many of my constituents have provided much needed advice and support through those and have...