Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, what type of public campaign or information awareness campaign does the GNWT provide for the citizens of the Northwest Territories here so they know they could consider this option? How are they approached on the particular subject? I have been made aware that most people don’t know anything about it. I would like to find out what the government is doing to make sure that it is available, whether people want to register for kidney donation or other types of matters, that they know where to go and what to do and how our government supports that. What does the government actually do...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Abernethy, Member for Great Slave, I, too, wish to speak to the issue of stem cell challenge clinics here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, over the lunch hour, I actually went down with a group of friends to meet this challenge head on. Several of us wanted to ensure that we participated, because many of us believe that this is an important program that does save lives. Mr. Speaker, sadly, as we know very well, more people die waiting for a donor than receive them and we certainly wish that wasn’t the case.

Mr. Speaker, the process really...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the guidelines governing the use of laptop computers and hand-held electronic devices be set out in a document entitled Direction Regarding the Use of Electronic Communication Devices in Committee of the Whole and that the document be attached as an appendix to the rules of the Legislative Assembly.

That’s the final motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I remind the Premier that the Minister is ultimately responsible? That’s what I’m asking for, is the Minister step in, stop protecting a bad decision, stop justifying a bad decision, and stop managing by the rear view mirror by saying we’ll look into it after it’s done. Because you know, by that time it’s long past. Mr. Speaker, it sets up a reputation of bad governance, bad contracting.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t really want to hear about board reform. I think it’s a red herring and a waste of this Assembly’s time. The question really comes down to, and I ask the Premier...

I’m glad the Premier is rolling in on this issue, because I’m glad to see someone’s taking it serious. The fact is, when the Minister says we’ve been contacting -- yes, as of yesterday, the first time they’ve made any effort to get back to this company. They placed repeated calls to the contact on the tender of request to no answer, only until it’s brought to the Minister of Health and Social Services’ attention, when the clock is ticking.

Mr. Speaker, the only honourable thing to do is to pull this contract back, pause it and tender it in a fair way that doesn’t show the competitor’s inventory...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am just curious. By what policy or what ministerial authority can this Housing Minister guarantee every single process was followed? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, just by chance, the woman who has been evicted, her mother happens to be sitting in the gallery here today. The Minister clearly says the Housing Corporation will only get involved if they feel the need to. Mr. Speaker, I want to hear from the Housing Corporation Minister, does his department support illegal evictions, which is exactly what is going on here today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and they are in relation to the Growing Forward Program administered by his Department.

Would the Minister provide the following information for the previous two fiscal years as well as the current fiscal year 2010-2011:

How much funding has been made available and how much was accessed from this program?

What amounts of funding have been distributed under the Growing Forward Program and who were the recipients whether it was a business, individual or non-government organization? Could this information...

I think this is where the Minister clearly misunderstands the situation. This looks like nothing other than a sole-source. Clearly it says one supplier’s name. Anybody who wants to compete has to call the local competitor and say, well, I need to understand what these local product numbers are. Are these catalogue numbers out of your book? Because they’re certainly not out of any of the national suppliers’ books, they’re out of a very specific company’s book. They also used the spreadsheet off this specific company where they have to go to to get pricing in order to compete. To pull this back...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three items I would like to table. The first item is a request for tendered goods issued by the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services and it has the detail I referred to today.

The second item, which is a package of two, is the NWTAC has their 2010 Adopted Resolutions Summary. There are 12 of them. I won’t bother to read each one in today.

And, the NWTAC 2010 Reaffirmed Policy Summary, and I have all their motions here as well as a package. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.