Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I had the pleasure, if not honour certainly, to speak to the executive directors of the Centre for Northern Families daycare, the Montessori daycare, and the Yellowknife daycare as well, Mr. Speaker. Although I didn't get a chance to speak to the YWCA daycare, I still feel for their plight and their concerns will be in my statement as well.

Mr. Speaker, the ladies quite eloquently, and I'll say firmly and clearly, made it very clear their challenges of staying alive in the sense of a business are being impeded by the government-imposed wage grid. Now, the wage...

Mr. Speaker, the Minister said something probably where I was going next at the end of her last answer which was believing that it did not increase the return. Would the Minister, in a response to my previous question, be willing to table that analysis before the House; in other words, as a return to the oral questions or whatever function she wishes to desire, also with the analysis of is it actually playing out as initially planned? So in other words, have they reviewed and studied the initial decision? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And for the record, I appreciate your guidance. Mr. Speaker, my question is when can Members expect this draft legislation to come forward for review? Again, I can't stress enough, nothing can really happen without it hence we're waiting and want to ensure that the process is moving forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm full of compliments today; here's one to Aurora College.

I went to their website recently, and I don't know if it's in response to my earlier questions several months ago or in the sense they were doing it anyway and just decided to do it better, I like what they've done with the timelines and the progress tracker on the work being done for the polytech.

Mr. Speaker, that being said -- not a criticism, just an observation. Mr. Speaker, on its website, it points out that they have a lot of things outstanding even though it shows it looks like they should...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll take the Minister on their offer of how we know and how we know.

So, Mr. Speaker, other jurisdictions place health care dollars so high on their list, they actually make health care cards also an identity card. So in other words, their picture's on their health care card. And places such as Ontario, BC, and Quebec do this to ensure the quality of the health care is going to the right people. They can guarantee the number with the person. So, Mr. Speaker, my specific question is this: Is this an initiative that the department of health can take on to, again, protect...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak to some of the challenges of consensus government today, somewhat of the fundamental lacks or concerns I'm seeing.

In my 14th year, I've personally never seen -- or I want to stress or felt -- it being so ineffective or paternalistic in many ways. And, again, I'm saying I've seen and I've felt. Mr. Speaker, when I watch two-thirds of Members want to support something and it seems to paralyze Members or the Assembly to the point it has to be watered down so far it becomes meaningless, it questions what value do Members at large present here.

Mr. Speaker, we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of constituents who are quite upset about this. As a matter of fact I even have a few of her constituents asking can we bring this back. If the Minister will table this information, I'd appreciate that. If she feels she can only send it to me, well, I'll take that too.

Mr. Speaker, I'm asking when -- often when we cut a program, we'll say we'll do an analysis after the fact, like extended health benefits, we heard that promise. Would the Minister be doing any type of 360 analysis after the fact to assess the impacts and choices made by the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We found out with great shock there last year that the northern bonus program was cut in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It was embedded into the deepest of the budget details and I, like many members, didn't realize it had been done until after the fact. My question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is simply this: What type of analysis had justified that choice to eliminate that program that is very near and dear to many of our returning students here to the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, maybe to help the Minister, the old Minister used to say in the fullness of time, which if you were paying attention, that could mean any time. So needless to say, please don't use that further proof of what's happening.

Mr. Speaker, establishment of new legislation for a polytech university is the cornerstone of where it's going, defines it, and everything then comes out of it. In other words, its budgets, its plans, its mandate, etcetera, etcetera. It needs legislation to be real.

Mr. Speaker, when -- sorry, on the website, it says it will be released for completion obviously --...

Well, it's funny because I get -- what's the right phrase -- I don't want to say targeted, but I get target -- I'll say it anyway. I get targeted for not giving my questions to the Minister or advancing this up, but yet she scooped my last question. So good on her for being on her toes, Mr. Speaker, instead of heels.

Mr. Speaker, that said, I just want to reaffirm, with the contract coming up, will she ensure that Members are involved in some type of early discussion and will she commit to this contract we are going to do health care card business differently and more improved? Thank you.