Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise, like my colleagues, to speak in favour of this particular initiative. It’s time that this government moves forward on an emergency health services type of act which outlines what we can do and what we will do for our citizens because they’re important.

In this day and age, it’s a great surprise that we do not have some time of ambulatory act that demonstrates and says that these are the types of services we offer. What we hear today is both the passion and the struggle brought forward by many Members and their communities, where they’re almost helpless, stranded...

Thank you. In the department’s due diligence to get this industry back on its feet, what is the department doing to ensure that this diamond cutting initiative gets done in a timely manner? This project, as I understand it, has been in the works almost a year and they’ve only started signing agreements now. So what is the Department of ITI doing to insist the closure of these deals to ensure we get plants up and working? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment a couple of questions regarding the joint agreement and the development of the diamond industry here. The joint agreement was between Deepak International Limited.

Recently there’s been an announcement about the resurgence of the diamond cutting industry in the Northwest Territories, and I’d like to know what the delays have been from opening these two diamond plants that he’s made a deal with to start cutting diamonds in the Northwest Territories. As I understand it, there have been significant delays. So...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said yesterday, in 2003 there was a fatal accident in the Chan Lake area. What that did was it caused the government to review some of its policies. In 2003 they came forward with a response which further developed in recommendations in 2004 and, of course, a follow-up report on ground ambulance services in 2006.

MACA does do policy development and certainly protocols call upon a measure called Highway Emergency Alerting Protocols.

I will be asking the Minister of MACA questions later today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve pulled out my book that I treasure very closely. Although I’ll be speaking both for and against the point of order, but to make reference, I think the point of order makes sense, by all means, and I give credit to Minister Jackson who has brought it to the attention of the Assembly. Unfortunately, the rules call upon us to call a point of order at the earliest convenience. Therefore, it probably should have been called right after the prayer.

The only thing I will add is, I agree with the comments added by the Premier that it probably should have been done...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will be speaking for myself and not necessarily for committee, although I chaired the committee that oversaw this. I want to use the occasion to thank the work from the committee members who got behind and supported this particular bill. They certainly deserve the credit on taking the position we did, which was this was something we could get behind. This brings our rules and regulations much in line with what the territorial government is doing in the sense of our act that controls and delegates and directs community governments across the Northwest Territories to...

Mr. Speaker, this protocol, as I highlighted, called the Highway Emergency Alerting Protocol, goes to ensure that all emergency responders understand the roles and responsibilities with respect to accidents. Of course, this is for accidents outside the community boundaries, to ensure training is available and community governments are deprived the opportunity to provide this type of rescue. I’ve been so informed that these protocols were ignored in the most recent accident. Is the Minister aware of the impacts of not following through on these types of protocols?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. My question is related to the Highway Emergency Alerting Protocols. Can the Minister give an update or an explanation as to what that protocol is and how it’s implemented? Thank you.

Madam Chair, thank you very much. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure met on March 5, 2013, to review Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 2 to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 2. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Madam Chair.