Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, without sufficient resources and crime fighting laws such as the SCAN legislation, we will continue to have problems with drugs and alcohol in our community. Mr. Speaker, my question will be to the Premier of this House to answer this, but the fact is SCAN legislation won’t be the end all. I realize it’s part of the puzzle; that we will require good education, poverty plays a role as well as treatment options. So my question to the Premier in regards to SCAN is, will he commit to having the SCAN legislation reintroduced into this House so we can have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, or SCAN as it is known, Mr. Speaker, that failed in the last Assembly. As we all know too well, most of our serious crime and violent crime in the NWT is related to the sale of drugs and the abuse of alcohol. There were many issues from many residents just about how the SCAN legislation would work and be implemented. There were also issues and concerns that arose about an individual’s due process rights that could be circumvented by the process implemented by SCAN. As well, there was legal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It sure sounds like a lot of work is being done, but nothing is being done or accomplished. Mr. Speaker, we could be building this facility now. I think the issue really at hand is what is slowing us down. I can’t see why we would have stalled some type of sod turning just because there was an election. The fact is it sounds like we have delayed this. What is the Minister telling us today? Is there going to be a project? If so, when are we going to start by sod turning, launching it, announcing it, etcetera? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next set of questions will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the dementia centre. Mr. Speaker, the dementia centre has been a dream of many people in the city of Yellowknife to see built. It has been developed. It has been worked on for many years. It keeps getting stalled and redeveloped. It never seems to move forward. So, Mr. Speaker, I would like an update from the Minister of Health and Social Services. What is happening with this project? Can we expect anything to actually finally move forward on this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the answer from the Minister, but the real question is that NACC is a territorial organization. Although, yes, it is established here in Yellowknife and for a long time quite a community organization, but they make every effort they can to get out throughout the Northwest Territories. They involve youth and culture. The fray of the complement of exciting things they pride are many, but the fact is that their funding doesn’t meet the times and the needs. Would the Minister commit to seriously evaluating this problem to make sure that we can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would, first of all, thank the Minister for her commitment on that, but the fact is that it is not a difficult process because I have a two-sided paper. If they are looking for a lengthy bureaucratic approach, I will walk across the way and hand them the paper. We could do this today. We need a policy today so we can start this mechanism today. It is not a lengthy one. Would the Minister clearly say yes they will move forward on this and have something so we can discuss maybe in the next session in February? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this isn’t something I’m always going to say, but it’s not just about Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact is…

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…places like Poundmakers have a short little form. It is called the three-month follow-up and they do a yearly follow-up and several other types of follow-up. So running into somebody at bingo or at the store is not a follow-up, Mr. Speaker. I would like a formal policy developed so we have our treatment folks that we contract out to have a formal procedure to follow as what I would call a follow-up program. Would the...

Well, Mr. Speaker, just in short, my community area feels that resources are lacking and they’re not blaming the RCMP, they’re blaming the support mechanisms. Would the Premier take the initiative on to communicate with the RCMP to make sure -- not just in Yellowknife we don’t have enough human resources -- that we’re being staffed properly throughout the Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, there are many pieces to the puzzle and I pointed out quickly that human resources continue to be a problem. Has there been any further requests from the RCMP to help fulfill the demand of human resources in the fact that the SCAN legislation hasn’t been reintroduced and we’re not sure when it may come? So have there been any requests for further resources of that regard in anticipation of the potential new law? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As November is Special Olympics Month and in that spirit I wanted to make special mention of a constituent and their significant special achievement. Yellowknife Centre’s swimmer Terry Kuliktana was a member of Team Canada at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai in October. Kuliktana competed in three events and received a silver medal for his efforts in the hundred metre freestyle and two personal best times in his events. He had tremendous support from his training coaches in Yellowknife as well as his family and home community of Kugluktuk. Thank...