Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that veiled response by the Minister of Transportation. Fortunately, I don’t chew gum so I know he wasn’t referring to me.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the Minister did say, as a response, that they have written the committee. They have gotten a response back from committee. I have to put the question right on the appropriate person, which is the Minister of Transportation. So now they have a response back from the committee. What specifically is the Department of Transportation planning to do on this issue and what type of timing is any decision going to be reflected in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that any electronic device used in the Chamber must be on silent mode at all times.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee Report 2-16(5), Report on the Use of Laptop Computers and Hand-Held Electronic Devices in the Legislative Assembly, was read into the record yesterday, May 19, 2010, and subsequently moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion.

Mr. Chairman, I am now prepared to introduce four motions and recommendations by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures in their report. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say one brief thing, which is this is a significant move forward, I believe, in democracy. I believe strongly that this will provide a new dimension to bringing the voice of the people of the North to this Assembly. We will be able to reach one corner to another on a particular issue to ensure that it will be heard on the floor of this House. An example of the rest of Canada and North America should take hold of and watch as we proceed forward to see how it works. This could be a scary adventure for some, but I believe this is an...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee Report 1-16(5), Report on On-Line Petitions was read into the record yesterday, May 19, 2010, and subsequently moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion. Mr. Chairman, I am now prepared to make two motions as recommended by Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures in their report. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table a letter written to me dated May 16th, 2010, by a constituent. The constituent’s name is Mr. John Murray. It’s a well-written letter regarding his concerns on perhaps the history of the supplementary health benefits changes, and I’d like to table it before the House today. I’m certainly hoping the working group will have a chance to look at it.

Mr. Speaker, I am a realistic type of person, so by no means I was trying to assume that we were going to perform organ transplants here in the Northwest Territories or run the system by ourselves. It is more about making sure that it is available and available here in the North. We have had advocates return to the North, long-term Northerners who have come here and actually met with the Minister, that I am aware of, and certainly spoken to me about how important this is. One of the things that they keep highlighting is that it seems to be elsewhere but not here. The promotion of this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I gave praise to those who were participating in the Stem Cell Challenge there and the swab program. I certainly think that more people, as I mentioned in my Member’s statement, should consider the Living Donor Program. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what work has been done to date to bring forward a program for living donors. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the use of laptop computers and hand-held electronic devices continue to be administered through the sole discretion of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly or the chair of Committee of the Whole, and if the user of any electronic device is deemed to impinge on the decorum or dignity of the House, the offending Member may be ordered to discontinue use.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Members be permitted to use laptop computers and other hand-held electronic devices only during Committee of the Whole proceedings; and further, that laptop computers and other hand-held electronic communication devices are not to be used by a Member who has the floor; and further, that a Member who has the floor must have his or her laptop computer closed and/or his or her hand-held electronic device turned off.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.