Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, if I understand it, our college presently offers university courses, but it is not necessarily university based. It works in partnership with other universities. I will let the Minister correct in the record if that is not quite accurate. Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear what the progress milestones are that we could achieve. Are there any types of roadblocks stopping the potential of an Arctic university emerging here in the Northwest Territories? As I said in my Member’s statement, education is the best gift we can offer any future generation. Certainly, I would like to see us...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now we have a great opportunity for the future of education in the NWT. The last 10 years have shown some encouraging trends in terms of graduation rates. Enrolment in post-secondary programs and academic interest in the North continues to grow. There has never been a better time to take steps to create a northern university.

Aurora College, now over 40 years old, offers degree programs in nursing and education through partnership with southern universities. Enrolment at Aurora College is increasing. There is an opportunity to strengthen linkages with colleges in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue really comes down to this: just because they do it, why does it mean we have to do it? I believe this is a capital cost within our system that rightly belongs on the Department of Transportation’s normal capital budget. Why didn’t the Minister take it from that point of view? Thank you.

Thank you. New Brunswick updated their plates and gave people the option if you wanted a new style plate you could pay the fee and take the new plate.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of years ago the government wisely listened to the ideas that came from this side of the House about upgrading drivers’ licences and they didn’t pass on an additional fee when they modernized the territorial driver’s licence. Mr. Speaker, this can’t be viewed as any more than nickeling and diming the average northern resident when the cost of living continues to be an issue.

Finally, if they needed the money and felt that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 8 on our agenda, oral questions. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent denied.

Mr. Speaker, I think we could have saved five minutes by just saying nothing. Mr. Speaker, honestly, this is very upsetting and certainly shameful. The Minister will keep telling this House and the people of the North that the silent majority support her. Mr. Speaker, I was camped out in front of the post office, Shopper’s Drug Mart and a few other places having people sign post cards. Lots of people signed it to tell the Minister to revisit this policy, Mr. Speaker. I only had maybe one or two people said they liked the direction. Mr. Speaker, there is not a silent majority on this issue...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Tuesday, May 11th, I asked a question to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding Section 5, in a very similar vein as Mr. Abernethy has. I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services, has she ever taken back some of these issues to Cabinet to revisit this change to the policy of supplementary health. In her answer on page 31, she remarked outstandingly with a clear absolutely. Mr. Speaker, of course, later during the day, I had asked if she could table those facts. Of course, she began to tell me no, how she can’t. Today in answering Mr. Abernethy’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When will the Cabinet be moving forward on some type of initiative that will stop them from making serious substantial Cabinet directions and changes while any government is out during an election period? Thank you. When?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about an unaccountable legacy provided by the previous Cabinet. Mr. Speaker, the issue really is that former Cabinet has made substantial policy initiatives and changes that have affected the incoming government. Mr. Speaker, my question will be to the Government House Leader, Mr. Miltenberger. Would he be willing to address this issue and pass a Cabinet directive to ensure that no future Cabinet can pass substantial changes to government policy while there is an election period on? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to reflect on the tumultuous life of the 16th Assembly. Cabinet, Regular Members and the public have had fierce debate on issues such as board reform, the Deh Cho Bridge and certainly the supplementary health benefits.

Our first budget sent the public service reeling with the threat of layoffs and cutbacks that seemed to come out of nowhere. Earlier this week, the YK Seniors, in collaboration with the Union of Northern Workers as well as many other concerned citizens, staged yet another protest, an excellent protest against changes to the supplementary...