Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, is the Minister supportive of the program to get the nominees and what's wrong with getting 50 refugees? It will help solve our economic crisis here we're having in the Northwest Territories, in all our communities, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister write the federal Minister responsible for this file and take the 50 refugees so we can get the 150 nominees?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up with a further question with the Minister of ECE.

So we've been told by elected officials outside of this House that the Minister has been offered 150 nominees if the GNWT demonstrates their utilization rates for asylum seekers, Mr. Speaker, through the program. Basically, take 150 refugees and get 150 -- and just to be clear, take 50 refugees and get 150 nominees. Can the Minister confirm this? Thank you.

I'm not here to hurt his feelings so I'll drop -- withdraw. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, his point of order was intended to interrupt me. You are the judge, Mr. Speaker, on that process, and there is no defined finite rule on it. There is a framework of conversation around it, and hence it was just to interrupt the flow. He's told me this himself. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, a couple things there were a little on the confusing side, and that's how I'll describe it. First of all, it's the old government, not the current government. Second of all, it's the allotment change, not the program. Mr. Speaker, the refugee deal wasn't taken. So, Mr. Speaker, on this meeting that she claims to have, why doesn't she extend an olive branch to the Members, you know, who are very interested in this, and we go down as a delegation and say we're going to take the 150 back, and we're going to ask you, Minister, Mrs. Federal Government, whatever you want to call it...

Mr. Speaker, I have heard from words in the community, so I'm going to thread this needle carefully of course, that there's concerns that they -- the board may be dissolved or the authority may be dissolved based on the fact that they don't like the position the board has taken.

Mr. Speaker, is the department putting pressure through the superintendent with this particular position, and if the board wanted to address the superintendent, who is really in charge; is it ECE, or is it the board? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too am going to join in on the question regarding the DEAs in this Fort Simpson and the DDC in the -- DDEC in the region, Mr. Speaker. So for those listening, Mr. Speaker, just to clarify, of course, this problem applies equally across the NWT to all elected authorities and councils, so it isn't just a Fort Simpson issue. It's a Yellowknife issue. It's a Smith issue. It's a Tu Nedhe issue. It's a territory issue.

So, Mr. Speaker, my question here, to be very focused here, is strictly built around this simple premise and clarification that's needed. The...

The public administrator, Mr. Speaker, has been appointed I believe, if I could remember, for about five months. Mr. Speaker, they have a one-year contract. So what does we will do this mean? We've already had five months of water behind us, very little in front of us; can we get some timelines as to when you're going publicize this information? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was quite clear that I'm calling someone names, was her statement. That said, I wasn't calling anyone names. As a matter of fact -- and I thank you for the opportunity to do this, which is, as quoted, in the realm of health care and government, a czar is an informal term used to describe a high level official usually appointed to address a specific issue or crisis. The term is often applied to individuals or its authority to tackle complex problems in a particular field. As if anything, Mr. Speaker, it's an incredible accolade of respect for the expertise the...

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.