Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate the willingness or the lack of willingness that the Minister shows interest on this particular issue beyond the fact he turns around and says I understand the concern, but I am sure $250 makes people worry. Well, Mr. Speaker, it is about upping the ante and sending the correct message that needs to be sent, Mr. Speaker. All we have to do is have the ticket submitted to our process, change a regulation so it reflects that. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister show some national leadership on this particular issue and step forward and say we will see if we could find a...

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the deputy minister reading out the flow chart, but what would be new in the sense of developments and new programming and treatment for diabetes for this year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about my concern and, may I add, my disgust about people who park in handicapped parking who do not have the appropriate placard to be there. I would like to ask questions to the Minister of Transportation to see if the department would be willing to take a lead on this type of initiative to demonstrate its position as well as lend its voice to the fact that this is a wrong we should help correct by enforcing this not stricter but with a clear message.

Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Transportation: would he be willing to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the primary care division, would this be the area that is under the program delivery that would cite areas for diabetes care and treatment? Thank you.

If I understand the Minister correctly, we’re not actually negotiating anything. We’re just agreeing to what they’re suggesting that they’ll pay us for services. If that’s the case, I’ll just wait until I get the documentation to help clarify this.

The last point on this particular section: is the Minister aware… Although I asked it earlier, it somewhat buckled into the same problem. Is the Minister aware of the actual dollar amount that is believed to be outstanding by the federal government that is owed to the territorial government?

Thank you. I certainly hope that all that information can be shared amongst all Members. Mr. Chairman, just to continue a little further, when the original agreement... Or let me say it this way. The present agreement had been signed, it must have an expiry date when the whole contract, if I may describe it that way, or agreement, was to go forward. When does this particular agreement come up for full renewal or is that what the territorial government is presently working on when you refer to I think you said about a year from now? Is that when it’s intended to expire or are you trying to find...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress. Thank you.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The long-term vision won’t change with anyone. Everyone wants the caribou herd to survive. Everyone wants the caribou to be around forever. The decision may not change, but the fact is they would be party to the decision. They would be involved into the discussion of the decision and they would also feel responsible because they would be part of the outcome. That’s the type of discussion I’m talking about. I’m talking about getting rid of southern style of consultation by making sure that everyone’s involved in the outcome. That’s why I’m asking for an immediate caribou...

The issue at hand here is that an emergency caribou summit should take place not just with the co-management but also with the affected Dene leadership and groups. That is the issue at hand. I’m not suggesting making the Caribou Summit, which I had the good fortune of attending three years ago, but ultimately the issue is let’s get people here immediately working together on a common solution or path. Would the Minister show some guidance to this issue of saying, I’ll do that right away and we’ll get on that right away and we’ll work together with these groups?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to continue to talk about the caribou issue today in terms of trust and relationship. Today I don’t want to talk about whether the decision was good or bad, right or wrong; I want to talk about it in the context of consultation as more than a fly-by, a coffee, a hey, how you doing? That is a southern mentality that has been brought up here for years when they speak to true Northerners and it does not work. Anyone here even for a short time can tell you that is not how decisions need to be made.

Last week I heard a wise man say, what good is a right if you can’t...