Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, if I said today — simply just today — how much money is there in any incentive program for any employer to come in and tap into, so they could use that to leverage their own money in order to hire summer students…? Because, I think, as highlighted by the Minister and me yesterday, the territorial government can’t employ all the students; it certainly isn’t reasonable. We’ve only been able to employ approximately 60 per cent of what we had last year. The private sector wants to take it up. So what programs exist today that they could call to tap into to hire these extra students?

Mr. Chairman, before I go into continuing my general comments, I would disagree with shutting a Member down. I feel that my privilege as a Member has been taken away and my rights are being stepped on. I would caution the Chair in that regard. Whatever advice is given to shut down a Member’s privilege of debate…. This would be an unusual exercise of that privilege, because I have not given it up. I am prepared to accept the position of the Chair, but I wish to highlight that before I continue.

Mr. Speaker, we heard a couple of programs, and they’re certainly good. But the private sector is telling me that they need more support, because there’s certainly enough work in their businesses and in the private industries to take on more summer students, as well as other types of programs. The principle, really, on this issue is: is the government making money available so the private sector can help supplement those summer student wages and maybe take on more summer students?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t have a lot of general comments, but what I’d like to do is maybe search out a little more information. Some of the general comments speak to an approach as opposed to specific line items. On one of the pages here — page 3 of the Minister’s opening comments — we talk about $150 million in deferred maintenance. I’m just wondering if they’ve developed a strategy that will help carry out some of that, or what’s the approach on how not only they’ve identified it, I guess — like I said, a strategy. How are they dealing with it?

As the Minister says, when government moves…. Well, I’d better make sure I don’t miss it, because I’ll tell you, it takes a long time waiting for it.

Mr. Speaker, when can we expect this initiative? The Minister says, “Well, we have 1,200 days, yada yada yada.” This is a simple process. We could move on this initiative sooner than later. You know, the people expect some type of leadership. All I’m hearing is, “Let’s find ways to talk longer; let’s find ways to plan longer.” The problem is out there. The solution is out there. If the Minister wanted to do something, he could.

Mr. Speaker, in...

Mr. Chairman, my question then would be: is this position being refilled after that transfer assignment finishes? And furthermore, if we leave a manager there, my question really would be: what would the manager be managing if they were left by themselves?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister taking the time out of the day to give himself a pat on the back. I mean, my issue really is what are we doing with plastic bags — not to make the Minister feel better about himself.

Mr. Speaker, what support programs are we going to provide for our citizens and our businesses to make this happen? You can hardly go to a store without them having a special little rack of recyclable bags. So what support programs and ideas is the Minister bringing forward to this problem?

Is this office staffed, and by how many people, if it is?

Mr. Speaker, as I always like to begin each Friday, I would like to make special mention that it’s Red Friday and I support my troops.

Today I want to talk about the need for public support in discussion and education in an effort to gradually eliminate the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags are everywhere. For almost every purchase we make, we get a plastic bag. Here in the NWT that adds up to almost 40 tonnes of plastic bag waste each year.

The use of plastic bags has serious impacts on the environment. While some are recycled, most plastic bags go to the garbage and end up in our landfills. It...

Just putting my hand up because we’re turning the page.