Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of environment some questions regarding caribou.

Mr. Speaker, I was on the highway a couple weeks ago, and I saw a small herd of eight caribou near the Whati Road, and I only thought to myself jeez, I sure hope they know where they are. Because I'll tell ya, they looked delicious. Anyway, that said, the numbers have always been at risk and hence my question specifically to the Minister is is what is the most current count of herds, and do we have any that are on the increase? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I should mention I forgot to say that MLA for Range Lake was also advocating on this issue too.

So, Mr. Speaker, back to the question at hand. Mr. Speaker, the Premier and I had some conversations in the last sit -- sorry, in the last month about a joint working group. Would he still be interested on creating a joint working group, and I'll table the terms of reference today. I'm curious on his opinion on that with respect to national defence spending.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Section 48(1) of the Human Rights Act provides for the establishment of an adjudication panel composed of at least three persons appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS Section 48(4) of the Human Rights Act provides that the members of the panel hold office, during good behaviour, for a term of four years, with the exception of the first member appointed;

AND WHEREAS, there are currently two appointments to the panel which expire March 31, 2025;

AND WHEREAS, the board of management is tasked with recommending...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with approximately 937 days left in this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, I wonder what will happen next. Mr. Speaker, in my February statement I talked about being bold, reaching out to the defence Minister, talking about getting investment in the North.

Mr. Speaker, recently a Cabin Radio story talked about Inuvik and Yellowknife becoming the hubs in the North. Mr. Speaker, their story said there's $218 million over 20 years going to be spent. Let's be frank, Mr. Speaker. That's a drop in the bucket as far as defence spending goes. Mr. Speaker, if I spoke in NWT...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 13th, 2025, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Sheldon Toner of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and Jay Sengupta of Hamilton, Ontario, be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for reappointment as members of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel, effective April 1, 2025, for a term of four years.

And, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this specific motion later today. Thank...

Whatever I said, Mr. Speaker, I withdraw.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my Member -- or sorry, my oral questions -- I think even mentioned in my Member's statement -- I have a draft joint working group terms of reference. And, again, I can't stress enough it's a draft to start a conversation off. Thank you.

Well, Mr. Speaker, there must be some future with respect to what's happening with both. The Minister can speak to that. And it's her letter, so it's not confidential if she speaks about it. It's confidential if I speak to it. So that said, can she enlighten the House as to the direction of this relationship: A, with Rockhill; and, B, with the NWT Disabilities Council; which way or where is it going? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, only for a sentence at most, really, Bill 21 in Quebec is used to protect them from their philosophical position. I don't necessarily agree with it, and I want to make that clear. But that said, that is a state which is protecting their objectives, culture, rights, whatever. I'll let them defend it, not me. That said, the affirmative action program was a way of recognizing the value that P2s provide, including the other areas of women and persons with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, how unconstitutional is it so bad that people don't even have a legal opinion but yet flog it and say...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to pick up where some of the questions were left off with respect to the Minister of Finance and the Indigenous employment program. And one of the things she had mentioned how Indigenous Canadian summer students would be able to qualify. So I'm curious would they qualify above local P2s? Thank you.