Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In economics, there's a phrase called Jevons paradox which occurs when technology progresses in a manner to increase efficiency but the resources actually inversely further demanded because we've lowered the cost. So in order, Mr. Speaker, historically governments have been trying to find ways to be more efficient, but in turn, people -- efficiency gains enthusiasm which increases consumption. This is called the rebound effect of Jevons paradox.

So a good example is when you make fuel efficiency vehicles, Mr. Speaker, people tend to drive more and hence consume more...

Sorry. I thought the ADM was going to answer.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I was just reading some notes there. I just wanted to follow up on a particular area my colleague had just raised a moment ago under the wellness and recovery centre area. Oddly enough, I'm not going to speak specifically to the wellness recovery but sort of how we're going to deal with the broader picture, and she mentioned about sort of space and whatnot for people to stay, whether it's stay overnight or sleep during the day, and we have a perfectly good territorial treatment centre which is, you know, I hate to say it, two blocks over. And is there any...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice earlier today. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I think I'm having a difficult time, and I'm sure this will be a personal joke back or a shot or whatever, but I'm having a difficult time understanding this little dance between what a real layoff notice is. Can you imagine the employees, the 32 employees there, hearing this message. 21 weeks is 150 -- or sorry, 40 -- 147 days. It's 153 days. In other words, six days difference between the end of March 31st. So those who follow the math quickly, is it's almost 21 weeks until the end of the budget year. Mr. Speaker, my question specifically to the Minister is can she make it...

Mr. Speaker, my question really isn't being answered in the sense of was this just a friendly conversation that we don't know what we're doing, or what type of notice was specifically given to these 32 employees? What I'm hearing are concern that they were giving specific job action notice. In other words, your job's ending and here's your notice. Maybe the Minister could be very clear on the record to say -- to explain what exactly was told to the employees with respect to their employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Upon that perfect answer I'm anticipating, is the Minister prepared to bring forward some type of initiative to address this problem? Because Northerners are tired of calling phone numbers and no one answers, and then when it does leave a message, no one phones them back, and they have to drive there to get appointments. Can you imagine how difficult it is for someone in the communities? So is the Minister willing to bring a timely initiative once we get an answer on this perplexing question why we can't do things when we really should be able to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, you can book at least one clinic here in Yellowknife. I looked up in Vancouver -- I said, Vancouver online booking medical appointments, and all of a sudden my Google was flooded with options, Mr. Speaker. So maybe the Minister can explain to the House, but not just to the House, to Northerners, what is the obstruction specifically that's stopping the government from making the system more user friendly for the end user which are the citizens, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, I'll accept that. If the Minister could also elaborate in a manner of, say, staffing capacity, things along that, contractual obligations, whether it's janitorial, whether it's support services, so I'm just looking at an overall cost of, yes, it costs X dollars, but this is what it takes to run it. If we could get sort of that compendium of information, I'll just leave it as a block rather than trying to tie up three or four more minutes of trying to make sure I hit every I and cross every T. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the students of Aurora College. That's an excellent campus downtown in the Yellowknife Centre riding. It's not exclusive in Yellowknife. Yes, we have a campus college in Fort Smith and Inuvik, but today we have the Yellowknife students. Hooray.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to recognize a constituent, Corinna -- it looks like Pookas. I haven't met her but that said, I'd like to -- or Puskas, my apologies. Corinna Puskas and our -- seeing our proceedings before the House. Thank you very much.