Robert Hawkins

I would kind of like to hear how the Minister wants to create this type of change. He said there was a legislative issue there. The Northwest Territories, through Aurora College, found a way with the teachers, found a way through our nursing program. Why can we find a way through this path?

I’m asking the Minister: What is he willing to do and what can he do to help ensure that the students in the Northwest Territories who want a Social Work Program, a full program, can obtain this opportunity here in the North where they want, in their home, in the North, where they want to do their work in...

Mr. Speaker, March is Aboriginal Languages Month, and as such, I want to show a little respect. [English translation not provided.]

[Translation] The social service workers need more money. [Translation ends]

The budding Social Work Program in the Northwest Territories has been showing great promise, and as such, our two-year program is starting to ask itself, why are we not a four-year program?

In my opinion, the Aurora College program has been doing fantastic work here. It has reached an incredible success, so successful the students want more, the community wants more.

When I talk to the...

My understanding is that some of these questions were asked last week, but there’s certainly no reason not to ask these questions again and ensure we get clear policy direction from the Department of Education and to show that we’re moving in the right direction.

So, when can we see something that would create enabling legislation so that this organization can be a stand-alone university in the Northwest Territories? They’re working very hard with the University of Alberta and the McGill University. They’ve also told me that they have in the range of 22 Ph.D. professor types who will work in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel terrible I had to waste three questions to ask for something to be looked at. If the Members would so oblige me… Or I should say not me; the heck with me. On behalf of the foster families, if you would also look upon the issue of the fact that since 1996 a per diem rate of $24 a day has not changed.

So, in 19 years, $24 a day for the children under their care has remained stagnant and it’s been a challenge. So don’t look at it for me. Would you be willing to look at this issue on behalf of the foster families? Thank you.

So, a Member bringing it to the attention of the Minister means nothing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For my final supplementary, of course, when can we actually see something on the ground to see the emergence of new policy that will break ground on how we deliver power in the Northwest Territories? I’ll add that citizens themselves can’t wait much longer and we need a government that responds, that’s light on its feet to be delivering real results for the cost of living problem to Northerners. Thank you.

It’s my understanding that the Brighter Futures provided a bit of a promising direction if not a path for the NWT to take. Where does the NWT Power Corporation see the opportunity here to create a better system that works for folks and working to help see collective work come together to help drive down the price of power, make our system more reliable and certainly make a structure that makes sense for all Northerners? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise once again to continue the conversation of power costs and the cost of living for all Northerners. You’ve heard from me and other Members about how important this subject is, and we certainly know the problem. We know the problem is affordability for Northerners. We also understand how complicated this problem is because we know the system must generate the money to cover its costs and that cost falls upon the folks who need power.

So we know what part of the problem is, but what do we do if we don’t do anything? Well, we know it hurts working families trying to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Anything that helps solve domestic violence is a good thing. By all means I will be voting in favour of it. I also will vote in favour of it, thinking that we could probably do more by making our coroner’s recommendations binding. I don’t necessarily think that this is the only solution. I think it’s a step in the right direction and I wouldn’t deny by any means. But I think if we wanted to do more, we would be standing here finding a way to get those coroner’s directions and recommendations and making the government act upon them. We have seen many good ones come...

I think I heard the word “process” four or five times there. I didn’t actually count. When will we see this process actually emerge to a result? Thank you.