Robert Hawkins

Thank you for that. I appreciate the Minister’s response. The issue of what’s possible, is this a concept that the department could get behind and evaluate, investigate and perhaps provide some consideration for the board? I’m not going to split hairs, 90 tags, 110 tags. Let the experts help drive that answer that makes sense. Caribou tags at 100 tags per outfitter, which I think we’re only talking about five outfitters here that are probably active that could be saved. Is that something that your department could investigate and see whether they could support and perhaps provide some...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to pick up with the same subject Ms. Bisaro has raised. Specifically two areas I’d like to discuss.

In my Member’s statement and questions back in October, I talked about identifying what’s considered a number that will trigger our system to be re-engaged on an outfitter participation level. That would be question one. Recently in some discussions with some outfitters, as few as a hundred tags could make that much of a difference and we would no longer have to subsidize their lodges. It could get them back into business. Two questions there.

Would the Minister...

I’ll take it as notice, the answer.

What I’m asking is, will this information all be sent to my office. It can be blacked out hiding proprietary information. I understand that. But there needs to be proof that they complied with the requirement as stated out in the tender, which is to demonstrate that they have northern content. That is the critical issue, to make sure that information is conveyed before the final contract has been signed. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Minister help me and help the House by allowing himself to go get educated in his area of authority on this particular issue? Thank you.

In the interim, at the suggestion of my colleagues Ms. Bisaro and Mr. Dolynny, they suggested setting up a petition. As such, I have done that on the Legislative Assembly website. Of course, don’t worry, a press release will be on its way very soon.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my time here today to focus in on the pluses and minuses of this motion. First, on the plus side of the ledger, I want to thank Mr. Bromley for bringing forward this motion. This is the second time it’s been around. The first time, I’ll have to tell you, the tone brought forward to the Members was less than receptive I have to admit. But that said, I wish to acknowledge Mr. Bromley’s relentless pursuit of environmental initiatives. There are times that we think that that’s the only focus he’s got, but I have to admit he is a good colleague to work with and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement on the Mackenzie Valley Review Board employees, those six employees that were fired. Mr. Speaker, if I may, the review board is almost like an arm’s length, a bit of a reach on some of the work we do here, but they were unceremoniously fired last week. My question to the Premier is, and I’m going to link towards a devolution type of relationship because they are an agency we depend on. Would the Premier be willing to look at assisting those employees, those six Yellowknifers that were fired, by putting them on our priority...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow your lead and acknowledge my wife, Sue, of almost 13 years. I want to say, when you add the wind chill to that some days…

---Laughter

… it’s still 13 years happily married, Mr. Speaker.

A great deal has been said in the House and in the media this week about disturbing news that the Mackenzie Valley Review Board has fired, not laid off, fired six members of their staff. I am sure that every Member of this House would agree it is detrimental to the protection of our environment in the NWT, and our federal government Department of Aboriginal Affairs and...

Mr. Chair, I move that we report progress. Thank you.

---Carried