Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize and acknowledge a few people in the gallery. You can never recognize one of our favourite Yellowknife people, who is Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford. When you read out his bio earlier, I think it alone could have been a Member’s statement for how many titles he has had, but I think you missed one where he is a marriage commissioner as well.

As well, I would like to acknowledge Ms. Lydia Bardak. She is the executive director of the John Howard Society. I would also like to acknowledge, as well as the Premier has, Melody McLeod. I have...

If I understand the process correctly, the feds, in allowing these leases, at present it’s outside of our control and they are following the process until they wish to. They are steamrolling until theoretically April 1st when we take this over.

I am wondering if the MACA Minister sees this as a potential problem for enforcement. I’ve even heard rumours that people are building two-storey cabins or whatever the case may be. Who knows what they are building out there? So I guess there’s going to be an enforcement type of issue that is going to fall on the shoulders of the NWT government, as well...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Mr. Bromley for raising this issue. I certainly wanted to give a first shot at it. I think he did it very well. This problem out there on the Ingraham Trail is not just a problem here in Yellowknife, it is certainly a problem in other regions. The bigger issue here is that it is affecting this region quite hard. One of the issues raised here today was about the relationship with the YK Dene and certainly that this new issue has fallen on their lap.

I want to know what the MACA Minister is doing to help maybe build a relationship with the YK Dene on this...

When I hear the Premier how he feels about this issue, I mean, to be quite frank, I don’t care how he personally feels. But it sounds as if the decision has already been made on that biasness, and there are five provinces who already regulate as very good and simple models.

What type of public input has the Premier gone to beyond his personal feelings, or the government’s feelings, of price regulation? What type of public input on what the people would like on this issue? That’s ultimately the question here is: Is price regulation needed in the Northwest Territories, and is it wanted by...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On February 28th this House passed a motion regarding fuel price regulation, to investigate and evaluate the possibilities of gas price regulation here in the Northwest Territories.

My question to the Premier of our Assembly here is: What has this government done to date in preparing for the 120-day response over gas price regulation for the people of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Northerners continue to be held hostage. This is a reality and it is far too common to hear this question. Why isn’t our government standing up for our northern people? The government would tell you they are fighting and working hard on the cost of living problem. Talk is certainly cheap. I can tell, from looking around here, that it must have been on sale too.

We live in a time of ever increasing energy costs. Last week Northerners experienced rate shock at the pumps. Why? Because they could. That is why. No one holds them to account. Normally a free market being left...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will have questions for the Minister of ITI regarding diamonds.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 7, 1897, Frederick Haultain had taken the reins of the Northwest Territories as its first Premier. We lost that dream on September 1, 1905. Then Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier, who happens to be my favourite Prime Minister not because he’s liberal but for a lot of reasons, took away the rights of the Northwest Territories’ people to govern itself. For 109 years we have been waiting for home rule to finally return to the Northwest Territories where it belongs in the hands of the elected people of the Northwest Territories. Home rule has finally come home and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe if the Minister could elaborate what this goal line specifically is and when it’s targeted. The Minister has said there seems to be equipment problems and purchase agreement problems. Can he elaborate what those specific problems are and how his department is working to solve these problems so we can get people in the industry back up and working, cutting diamonds and selling them? Thank you.

Thank you. More specifically, what are the delays in the purchasing of the buildings? Thank you.