Robert Hawkins

What does the Minister have by way of information that he can share with Members, such as myself, with regard to the $2 million that would have been spent by this March 31st? I’m trying to see what project development, what’s guiding information, planning documents, trying to get a sense of it. At the same time, the other additional question is: Who is doing this work?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where else would you do capital planning and discussion other than asking questions in the Assembly? What is the problem that’s holding this particular issue back? Is it because it’s an investment in the city of Yellowknife, or is it because the Premier has other ambitions or obligations that he is afraid to meet and cause conflict with this idea?

That’s one of the worst answers I’ve heard from Premier McLeod in a long time. The fact is, the 15-year-old study said we needed a new courthouse. The existing building was built in 1977 when we only had four judges and limited staff and processes. The territory has practically doubled in size. What will it take to get the courthouse situation reviewed by this government, weighed and balanced fairly, not an emotional decision? Because does this Premier have an issue with investing in Yellowknife or is he thinking that our needs in this territory don’t matter when it comes to a territorial...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use this occasion to recognize Kain Bezha, who is a St. Pat student and a Yellowknife Centre constituent. I would like to let him know, as well as everyone else who is a Page here, that I am greatly appreciative of their services, as Mr. Menicoche was saying. He is quite right. Several of us MLAs got our start as Pages in this Assembly. You never know where you can go next.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to provide a couple of quick opening comments and more points when we get to the specific page.

I do want to acknowledge the work that is being done by the department, I personally would have liked to have seen more work done on midwifery, expanding it to more of a territorial program. Certainly it’s much needed here in Yellowknife. As a matter of fact, I’m sure the Minister is well aware, if not, he’ll hear it first, that, of course, there’s a bit of a rally towards the Ledge tomorrow and it’s coming here, so I would hope that they would take note of the...

More job opportunities for the southern workforce as I describe as tourists just visiting. Section 8 of the socio-economic agreement speaks to remedies. I have not heard any solutions other than let’s talk, let’s trade dialogue, let’s have meetings. Who is defending the northern person who needs a job, who is opening up opportunities? It doesn’t sound like this Minister, and if he is, then let’s hear concrete facts and commitments on how he’s doing that, because I haven’t heard anything to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment what he’s doing about holding the mines to account on their economic agreements and perhaps even inviting the opportunity of having the mines – let’s be very clear – subsidize a northern workforce to come south to work at those mines. So, in short, what is the Minister of ITI doing with regard to Section 10 of the socio-economic agreement in having ensured it’s implemented and fulfilled? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that committee reports progress.

---Carried

Mr. Speaker, I’m not the problem. The reality is the mine isn’t meeting its commitment. It barely meets 50 percent of northern Aboriginal workforce, just barely over 50 percent northern workforce, 64 percent of our workforce in total is coming from the South. You know, those tourists, just visiting, working here.

I have not heard anything on what concrete actions can he take to get Northerners working at this mine, because the way the commitments are written in the socio-economic agreement they’re not fulfilled, Section 10 is ignored, Section 9 is ignored, Section 8 is ignored. Who is...

I could have sworn that was an answer from the Minister of Education; we need discussions, discussions, meetings and more discussion. For the record, Section 10 is about remedies where, if you cannot reasonably meet those commitments, you put in a formal written statement that talks about how you can achieve them and how can you.

So now to Section 9, how is the Minister holding these mines to account under Section 9 of the socio-economic agreement that puts Northerners to work?