Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I was talking about the Addictions Forum work and certainly trying to compare it to the work that’s already been done to date and tying it equally together with some of the issues I’ve raised, as well as many other Members have raised here in the Assembly today. It’s no surprise to the Minister and I’ve repeated it many times. I believe we need a treatment centre here in Yellowknife and that we need treatment facilities that are appropriate, of course.

My question to the Minister of Health and Social Services today is: Speaking to the...

The only thing I want to reaffirm is I’m not suggesting in any way they’re doing anything bad. I just think that they are a little-known office. They fall through the cracks of public view and they tend to get forgotten. Again, I just want to make sure it is absolutely clear. It’s nothing that they’re not doing. It is a question of just how they blend into the folds of government and the public loses sight of that and certainly what role they play. That’s all I have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has completed its review of Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act. The committee wishes to report that Bill 2 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By all means I’m sure that these are good people. I just would have thought we would have heard more about their expertise than the life they’ve lived.

My next question, of course, is the last one, which is: Has the Minister been getting any feedback about two particular areas that I am very passionate about, which is youth treatment options and certainly a treatment centre here for Yellowknife for dealing with addictions? Those are two very important recommendations that I hope are coming forward on how to deal with youth on a youth treatment level, and certainly, as I...

Thank you. I think today is a great opportunity if this Minister of Health and Social Services would like to avail himself to it, which is what are many of those good recommendations? I think he said there may be upwards of 10 recommendations. So what are those good recommendations they’ve been hearing from the communities so we can get a sense of what’s actually happening out there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Health and Social Services did a Minister’s statement on the Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I want to quote a couple of things. It says not one community in the entire Northwest Territories can claim to be free from health and social problems caused by addictive behaviour.

That beginning statement is very telling about the problems we’re having here in the Northwest Territories. I believe in prevention and, certainly, enhancing established treatment facilities, as the Minister has highlighted in his statement, but I think we need to go just a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, now that we’ve narrowed down that the Department of Transportation is Bob the Builder on this particular reference, what innovative construction techniques have been found by the Department of Transportation to ensure that this highway will be built and maintain a decent standard? I liken it to Highway No. 3 as we’ve all seen fall apart over the years after and even during its building.

Land lease. Would the Minister provide me the last time land leases were looked at? I’m looking for the information as to when the last time land fees or leasing fees were adjusted. How do we come about with a particular rate on charging those things?

Although we’re still under the directorate, and I harken back without going to the page that is under the direct to be description, we have strategic planning and policy support. When I draw that to our attention here, do we use our support mechanisms to develop policy or policy initiatives, in relation to direction given to Arctic Energy Alliance?

Thank you, Madam Chair. It’s my further pleasure to offer more insightful comments and questions to this particular page. I was reading some information here under responsibilities, and that’s referring to one of the particular transfer agreements from the Government of Canada to the Department of Transportation. For the official record, we should say that’s the transfer date of May 1990.

Under the responsibility section, plus sections, sections, sections, under there it further goes on that, “The GNWT will assume the following responsibilities…” and if we further follow the chain down, “...