Robert Hawkins

Thanks. Again, speaking about the process here – and that’s what I’ve been concerned about all along – yes, I asked for a plain language document in the House repeatedly last week to the Minister. Of course, he avoided answering the question the best he could, but what the public saw and what they responded to me was the fact that we needed a plain language document out there in the public, no matter how funny it seems to the Minister, so we can get these types of input and value on these projects, because some of the issues, I have to tell you, I’m not fully experienced in these areas. So I...

Mr. Chairman, I’m running out of time, and I know that Members will be moving a motion here shortly, so not to be too far in my anticipation, but on the $5 million, I will support, but at the same time, I do want to ask more questions during the $60 million portion.

That said, I’m just concerned about the way $5 million is being asked for this late in the game because it’s in this fiscal year. Quite frankly, the reflection in getting here is we are trying to make some type of financial commitment, contract, as quickly as possible. Everybody knows it won’t be spent by this fiscal year and that...

I am curious on how the department is familiar with construction techniques on this area of permafrost. As we all know, Highway No. 3 has its I’ll call it technical challenges rather than laden it with some description probably fair and certainly unfair. That said, the constant excuse I’ve heard was the reason Highway No. 3 is the way it is in its own state is the ice lenses. I believe it was interesting terminology picked out of the air a number of years ago to explain why the permafrost is fluxing and the matter of the ice lenses. Those were Department of Transportation words, so I don’t...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is the first time I’ve spoken to this particular issue. I was going to parcel my comments on the $5 million and keep them separate from the $60 million portion, which is on the next supplementary appropriation. I can appreciate the fact that Members had to speak to both at the same time.

I’m certainly in a peculiar position when I think of this project, because, to be frank, I feel that not any one person, I should say it that way, but I feel, to some degree, like we’ve been painted into a corner that if we question the project, that we’ve been seen as questioning...

I’m not seeing the gap here. If we told everybody how much we have for this particular road estimate, our fine work all done. Of course, a $300 million road, everyone knows what it’s worth and we’re going to negotiate a contract. What’s to stop the joint venture from asking for, in all intents and purposes, the full $300 million?

I think I’m a little surprised, more so by the words “if we would like to.” How do we get it clear on the record here? Because the way he said it today made it sound like it was coming to the Assembly and it was a foregone conclusion that we would have a public discussion on this and a final vote, of course.

That said, what type of direction does the Premier need to ensure that we actually have a final vote on this particular issue before this Assembly?

I want to say I apologize for when the Minister said God forbid there be any overruns, I said that that’s hypothetical. At least it would be a hypothetical answer by the Minister, I guess, considering any question in that regard last week was hypothetical. At least now you’ve validated that real possibility. It’s odd what a week does.

On the royalty discussion, this is no surprise to the folks in our gallery, and I’m certainly not uncomfortable asking this question. It is a fair and reasonable question on the budget. How much is the territorial government on the hook for royalties? Just be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I spoke, of course, very highly to the Devolution Agreement, and I certainly underscored my support for the Devolution Agreement that has been finalized today. As we work towards implementation, the only outstanding issue is a couple small ones, which are, of course, public appreciation for the finer details of the Devolution Agreement.

My question would be to the Premier and is: When will we have some type of public dialogue that boils down the finer details of what the Devolution Agreement actually means, and what type of process do we...

Have those negotiated contracts already started and with whom?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s probably an understatement today to say it was a spectacular move forward on the evolution of the people of the Northwest Territories and our governance model with the Prime Minister here today to announce that the devolution negotiations have come to an end. Of course, that only means one thing: We are pushing forward to an implementation of, finally, the authority and respect that we deserve. I would say that today is certainly a great day for the people of the Northwest Territories.

In that great day there are a lot of questions about what this future will bring...