Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to come back to my earlier statement addressing the impact of funding cuts to literacy in the NWT. Mr. Speaker, investing in adult literacy is a key component to ensuring a healthy Canadian society and economy. So where opportunity is at its best for people in the Northwest Territories, cutting back on literacy programs is the worst idea possible. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t agree with these cuts and I call them non-acceptable. So my question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is, what exactly is he doing to stop these cuts? Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The point I’m getting at is, we have to invest wisely, Mr. Speaker. Literacy funding in the NWT, in the words of the NWT Literacy Council, was cut by approximately $600,000 and that affects basic education at the local level, Mr. Speaker. It affects Aurora College, it affects all working families in the NWT.

In closing Mr. Speaker, the national or federal literacy program cannot replace local learning. That’s where literacy programs need to be delivered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve made it amply clear here today that I believe literacy is key to a person’s success, both economically, socially, it goes a long way. So, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to know today, the Minister is clear to me when he said he spoke to the NWT Literacy Council to ensure that we can be there to help. So I want to find out what the Minister has in his back pocket as a plan if the federal government does not reinstate these unnecessary, ridiculous cuts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because these, in my opinion, I’ll say it that way, I see these cuts more like a butcher filling in for a surgeon, Mr. Speaker. I see them just being chop, chop, chop and where they fall they fall, Mr. Speaker. So what is this Minister doing to ensure that the speciality, localized programs are going to be restored, because that’s where they really truly will have their effect? So what is the Minister going to do on a territorial level to ensure that the haemorrhaging of things like the NWT Literacy Council will not continue? Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, I would like to recognize members from the UNW, Mr. Todd Parsons, Mr. Ken Woodley and Ms. Gayla Wick. I would also make special mention to David Wind, our newly elected city councilor just above me. Vivian Squires, YK Seniors; and Ed Jeske, one of our fine seniors in Yellowknife. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Conservative government promised many things when they ran in the last election and, in fairness, they are delivering on many of the promises regardless of what political stripes you wear. The key platform they had was to stand up for Canadians and that resonated everywhere. At least it was the very theme of their campaign. But like all good advertisements and slogans, you have to read the fine print. Maybe they had a disclaimer as to which Canadians or issues they were standing up for, but as always the devil truly is in the details. The Conservative government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I can truly understand why the Health Minister would say that his perspective is the board, or I should say Stanton is functioning quite well, because he’s sort of running it. So through the deputy minister. So why would he think anything else? I guess, really, my final question, Mr. Speaker, in a timely way will be, would the Minister do the right thing and eliminate any concerns that I’ve arisen here, whether implied or not? Would he appoint, in the spirit and intent of the act, an independent board; I don’t have a problem with the JLC, but an independent board...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it’s in my view that there seems to be some difficulty. I see this as a conflict, in my humble opinion. Although I’m not a lawyer, and I just, you know, I don’t have those skills to define that, but I see it as a perceived concern where the Minister sits there. I’d like to see where the Minister shows me in the act of a timely way and mechanism for the reappointment of a board that’s an independent public board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’ll be asking him questions regarding the spirit and intent of the act that empowers this Minister. So, Mr. Speaker, knowing, as I said, the spirit and intent of the act recognizes health authorities, maybe we could trouble the Minister today to explain to us where in this act it shows that he should be the chair of Stanton Territorial Hospital when it talks about appointments of board members to hospital boards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. As I said, the Minister has the ultimate responsibility of his department and the authorities. I believe if he chairs the Stanton board the Minister could be perceived as being in a position of conflict where he cannot show objective thinking where it may be compromised in their discussions. That will lead us nowhere and yet it will make the board look silly.

What does he really want, Mr. Speaker? He should be Minister, which he’s appointed to now. The role of the board is to provide strategic direction to ensure regional perspectives are brought...