Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the potential of the film industry in our Northwest Territories. We have such a wealth of people, scenery, and landscapes to showcase to the world, yet it seems a shame that we don’t have more films being produced here in the North.

It’s true that we’ve had many talented independent filmmakers who have worked on commercials and entertainment projects, but with the few grants available through the NWT Arts Council it makes it tough for them to be established and working. We know Western Arctic Moving Pictures. They work very hard on showcasing...

Mr. Speaker, the Minister highlights a financial pot and by itself it does sound quite significant. I will acknowledge that. But the problem is a lot of people are coming to the table, and when they all split up the pie it ends up being very small, and that industry does need some serious focus to help keep it moving forward and to continue to develop.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister has been, or I should say it sounded pretty clear that he made a commitment to review the program as what we offer for the film industry, but I’d like to ask the Minister specifically, what does Industry, Tourism and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today will be to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and it goes back to my Member’s statement today where I talked about the film industry. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement, really, the crux of it really was getting at the fact that the foundation for the film industry has certainly been planted in the Northwest Territories, but I’m not sure it’s been cultivated and grown properly. I think we still have a significant amount of potential out there to continue and grow.

So, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Industry...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today I talked about the relationship of this House and how we propose ideas and sometimes, if not most of the time, we feel like they get shot down. Mr. Speaker, I am going to have questions for the Premier, who I think is best suited for this type of question.

Mr. Speaker, I try to be a stalwart defender of consensus government, but sometimes, if not most of the time, it feels like it’s a one-way valve. I would like to ask the Premier what he does to advocate particular issues on our behalf when we raise them such as new schools or...

We know the money is chopped up at the Cabinet table but we will not stand for this. We need Cabinet to realize we have priorities that represent our communities and constituencies and they’re very important. When an MLA brings forward an issue, quite often you’ll hear from the Ministers a relentless defence of it and you’ll hear the Five-D Approaches, as I like to call it: the Minister will defend, defer, delay, and sometimes deflect and defy the issue over and over. I had to add another one because they divide the House on the issue. The Ds just keep rolling.

When do you hear from the Cabinet...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you can see the D list keeps growing. Now we add discard to the list and, certainly, defend. Mr. Speaker, I haven’t heard the can-do approach. I have heard the defend, defer, delay, deflect, divide approach. Mr. Speaker, the issue really comes down to this: MLAs, including Cabinet, represent issues raised in our communities that are very, very important. I think those have to be some of the fundamentals that need to go forward, because when an MLA gets elected and they spend their four years in this Legislature, it can be boiled down to many issues are significant...

I come to work just like many of my colleagues and have the attitude of can-do, but it seems like the response from Cabinet is can’t-do. As much as they like to think that they can, most of the responses from them are we can’t. This is why we can’t. The other thing is when it comes to budget money, it seems like they’ve got a big bag of money and then they give us these little scraps to fight over for community issues. Mr. Speaker, the issue comes down to the response of how can we help. Mr. Speaker, is there any type of policy from the Cabinet position about when an MLA raises a particular...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to do a special recognition to Chief Superintendent Tom Middleton, and pass on my well wishes to him and his wife, Susan, who will be retiring. He’s a constituent for just a few more days. At the same time, I’d like to recognize, although I haven’t had the pleasure to meet the incoming Chief Superintendent Wade Blake, so I’d like to wish him well on his new adventures leading our RCMP of the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again you hear issues raised from this side of the House and they continue to be pushed away. As said quite clearly by my colleague Mr. Menicoche, we raise issues because they are of community interest and they are important. The relentless pursuit of these community and constituency issues will continue regardless of the deaf ears on the Cabinet side of this House.

When we speak about health board issues, education board issues, Power Corporation board issues, Liquor Board issues, municipal issues, or even housing board issues, we’re not speaking just for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment:

Please identify the grants and contributions provided to the Barren-Ground Outfitters for the fiscal years, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

Can the Minister also identify the purpose of each grant and/or contribution to those outfitters?

Can the Minister provide any accountability measures required by the grants and contributions?