Robert Hawkins

Thank you. Maybe the Minister could elaborate. The 911 issue has been brought up no less than 13 occasions in this Legislature and it was always hinging on being able to reach out to the communities and cell phone services. So I’d like the Minister to actually explain to this House what does he mean by he’s looking into this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we’re going to fight over Karen here because I thought she lives downtown. With that said, she is certainly worthy of the prize to fight for; she is such a great lady. I want to start off by recognizing Karen Wright-Fraser. She is known for a lot of things, not particularly because she worked with me a long time ago, but she is a talented artist in her own right and very well renowned. Her skill is amazing and she has great talent at keeping her traditional life.

The other constituent that I’d like to acknowledge, and who has been acknowledged several times...

My apologies, Mr. Speaker. That was my intent when I said I apologize to this House sincerely and fully, and with that, I withdraw my remarks. My apologies for missing that last piece. It was not intended in any other manner.

The Finance Minister is the one who has to carry this file and it’s unfortunate that he has to carry this file, which really isn’t his file to carry. It should have been handled, rightly so, by the Building Society. If they had provided a letter saying they supported this or not…They weren’t kept in the dark. To suggest that they are coming to the dinner is almost like the spider saying to the fly, come to dinner. I’m sorry, making them culpable by saying they will be there by dinner, don’t worry, we’re all one, doesn’t cut it for me. I don’t think it’s doing our job.

I shame all the MLAs who...

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. It’s hard to hear you over Mrs. Groenewegen, who keeps talking. I missed what you said.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m glad to hear we have Mr. Dolynny on board with this particular matter and I’m happy to welcome anybody else who wants to join this side the of perspective.

Quite frankly, I’m concerned on how we’re proceeding. This is not directed to the stewardship or the mentorship of the Minister who has to carry this through, shepherd it through, this requirement and spending bill, which is, of course, the way we do business, which is, in essence, law; but the reality here I’m suffering from is the full appreciation when I hear the spirit and intent and a legal opinion and all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I thought about this over the weekend and wondered how you would rule on this particular item. Obviously, I was hoping you would rule on my area, but your wisdom and guidance of the documentation before you has led you to your decision today and that I will respect.

Mr. Speaker, in short, I find it unimaginable how to take back…

I guess now begs the question are we not breaking the bylaws or the spirit and the intent as prescribed that the whole surplus money, if there was money, was to be spent on infrastructure? I can appreciate maybe some is spent into the concept of packaging the infrastructure, organizing and launching it et cetera, but it sounds like more than 25 percent of it is being allocated to O and M, which, if I heard the Minister correctly, the intent was to be directed at infrastructure. Maybe he could explain that. Thank you.

I thank the Minister for that. So my next question to the Minister would be that perhaps my NWT math isn’t so good, but I’m noticing there’s a discrepancy between the $400,000 being committed here, or perhaps my NWT math is pretty good. It looks like there’s a variance between the money being allocated and that’s going forward to be spent. Where is the rest of the money, if there is outstanding money, that would have been linked to the $400,000?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think Mrs. Groenewegen put it very wonderfully in that letter in the sense of she spoke her heart. I think the letter conveys the pain that the mother had struggled forward through.

I have no doubt that this is a burden that is carried by many, if not a haunting reality that they go through every day, knowing that they have done everything perfect. Everything may have appeared perfect and then the world comes tumbling down around them.

This is a struggle that many of us may think has not touched us, but in some ways, when we dig deep, we find out that there are...