Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It comes as no surprise to you, and all the Members of this House, that how important it is to have a family doctor on your health care journey. So whether you live in the Mackenzie Delta or you live in the Sahtu, I can tell you it matters to them. I mean how many times have people from Aklavik driven all the way to Inuvik to find a new doctor that they have to explain their story to them over and over again? How many times does someone from Deline have to take that goat trail all the way to the Wells to explain their story why they need their prescription changed or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to return and thank you, colleagues, by the way to recognition of visitors in the gallery. A near and dear friend of mine, their son is a page today. And he wasn't in the gallery earlier when we did it, and I wanted to recognize him when he was here, Mr. Seth Gordon. Thank you very much for being a page in the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item number 7 on the orders of the day. Thank you.

Well yeah, I'll start with that. That's a good point. Seven too many, of course. And I spoke to one who was a former nurse in the Northwest Territories, and she told me it's way more lucrative to quit her job and move south to become an agency nurse. Mr. Speaker, as I said, what is the department doing to reengineer the nursing agency problem and to define this; what is the issue that seems to be blocking the problem that the department doesn't seem to understand? Why are nurses quitting to become agency nurses to come back home to the Northwest Territories and work?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The further qualification to the overall thing is this is a 90day estimate or interim estimate, and maybe for the public's sense and on the record, that is and we'll just say by way of example, the Assembly doesn't support the contract or initiative called the Widget. I'm not going to pick on anyone in particular because we don't want anyone to get the wrong message here. So if the Assembly chose to support the Widget initiative that had currently being the 90day proposal but we decide to vote against it, delete it in the at the let's say the advancement of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024, I will present to the House Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you kindly, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that the following persons be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment to the Northwest Territories Honours Advisory Council effective immediately for a term of three years:

Ms. Jane Arychuk of Yellowknife; and,

Ms. Denise McDonald of Inuvik.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, colleagues. I think everybody should enjoy the thanks. And clerks table too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I want to return to the GNWT fiscal sustainable strategy released. And, Mr. Speaker, this release is not an options paper. This release is not a discussion paper. It's a manifesto for the 20th Assembly. They clearly outlined that this strategy is looking at our financial situation, and they clearly state that proposed changes resulting in this review will be reflected in the upcoming budget that we'll see in days. Not weeks, not months.

Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next question is for the Finance Minister is when is committee going to matter? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I'm going to quote Premier Simpson: It does take time to work together, but that is important. Mr. Speaker, that was said on November 27th by Premier Simpson.

Mr. Speaker, my questions for Premier Simpson is how is he meeting those objectives, the hallmarks of consensus government, by publicly by allowing publicly the release of carbon tax policy and the restoring fiscal balance plan to the public in advance of working with Members? Thank you.