Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Members.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, what I’m saying is we need significant movement on this issue. Our citizens have been waiting for it in a timely way. I think the adolescence of the Northwest Territories has grown and we’ve matured and it’s gone. It’s time for Canada to recognize that we have come of age and we deserve the respect, Mr. Speaker. Respect is a two-way street. We offer Ottawa respect every single day. Regardless whether it’s a Conservative government or Liberal government, we give it to them, and it’s time that they recognize we deserve it.

So, Mr...

But let's keep in mind, nice is a balance. I don't want him to be nice in Ottawa, because that means he has to be less nice in the Northwest Territories, because I want him to be nice to our people and be tough on that Prime Minister, Mr. Speaker. Be tough on him. He's not going to cry, okay? I feel that the Prime Minister can shoulder a little criticism and I'd like to hear it from our Premier of saying put…Mr. Speaker, I want the Premier to put his foot down and say well, I can't say the right language in the House, but I can say that the Premier can say it in a nice or less nice way of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to table this document. On October 20, 2006, there was a press release from Yellowknife Education District No. 1. It is titled, YK1’s Metro Huculak Recognized for Exemplary Leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5 on the orders of the day, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Education Minister working with the coalition, with the other Education Ministers in this regard to basically knock down the door of Ms. Finley’s and saying what are we going to do to get attention of this issue? Mr. Speaker, what is this Minister doing, for the record to, again, bring highlights to this issue? Is he going to arrange not in a letter, but a full force down there in Ottawa to finally get attention to these literacy cuts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the first day of session, which was October 17th, I was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions about the literacy cuts and what he was doing about it. Mr. Speaker, if I may roughly quote from page 627 of our unedited Hansard, the Minister said he would be hopefully attending this meeting next Tuesday, which would have been yesterday, on the 24th of this month. His meeting was supposed to be with the Council of Ministers of Education. Mr. Speaker, did anyone go on the Minister’s behalf? If they did, what did they say and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to reaffirm. I didn’t say that in the context that I’m against the pipeline or in the context that I’m against resource development, because I have significant environmental concerns as well as economic concerns. Until we get that control, we can’t control either of them. We’re in a difficult situation.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier had spoken about partnerships. I’d like to hear from him today about what is he doing with our local Dene Nation of the Northwest Territories or aboriginal groups to reach outside of the Territories and say, well, wait a minute, let’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I was referring to in my Member’s statement today, the people of the NWT contribute to Canada. This is an amazing country and we do our share, Mr. Speaker. But respect is a two-way street. So as I pointed out in my little press story that could have been anywhere between yesterday and two years ago, Premier Handley says that we are close. Where are we on this deal? Where are we? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to continue the theme. Mr. Speaker, I ask myself, where are we? Well, I start out by asking that question by reading a quote by Mr. Handley: "We’re close." Now that quote could have been said yesterday. That quote could have been said last week, last month, maybe even two years ago, Mr. Speaker. Because I have heard that the Premier’s office says we’re close. But I can tell you today, if this Premier is able to deliver on a resource revenue agreement I’ll be the first one to put a motion on the floor that we do a Wayne Gretzky statue like in the Rexall with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm a believer that the citizens of the Northwest Territories should be finally taking control of their own destiny, Mr. Speaker, and that doesn't necessarily mean the revenues from petroleum or minerals, Mr. Speaker, it's about setting a course, a northern course, that we will guide ourselves by our own principles in relationship with the aboriginal governments, Mr. Speaker. I've been a supporter of that, I always have and I always believe that the Northwest Territories government will play a leadership role in that. As a council is, we build a giant council for our...