Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Worldwide the Human Papillomavirus, or commonly known as HPV, is a common sexually transmitted disease. I could go on at length, but it’s not necessary today, regarding how many problems Northerners have with sexually transmitted diseases and the fact that it is a real problem here. It is a problem whether you live in a large or small community, so we must do whatever we can.

In short, when was this program for vaccination rolled out? The NWT was one of the last jurisdictions. It would have been the last if we didn’t have Nunavut behind us, to finally implement this back...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ll just quickly run through a few of them. Although a number of them have already been mentioned, it is certainly worth noting.

I have expressed over the years, 10 years certainly, the need for an expanded role for Aurora College and certainly for the Department of Education to respond to the need. Aurora College has, within themselves, outgrown their existing space here in Yellowknife. I’m certainly always pleased to hear Members like Mr. Menicoche talk about how they want to work with other Members to achieve our goals, too, so I look forward to him helping this...

Mr. Speaker, for my final question of the day on this HPV vaccination, I want to make sure it is absolutely crystal clear in this House today that the Minister is saying he is going to see if he can correct it. He says he is going to see if he can fix this process to ensure that they are fairly covered.

I want to make sure it is clear before this House and certainly clear for the people of the Northwest Territories. If this is not the case, I would like the Minister to clarify this in the House through a Minister’s statement, explaining why these young men will not be getting the vaccination...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 13, An Act to Repeal the Curfew Act; and Bill 14, An Act to Repeal the Pawnbrokers and Second-hand Dealers Act, and wishes to report that Bills 13 and 14 are ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 3, Wildlife Act, and wishes to report that Bill 3 as amended and reprinted is also ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr...

When I was at the open house a couple of weeks ago, one of the Yellowknife Dene councillors asked if there was a way to solve this problem, and asked us to make the arsenic inert in a way that it doesn’t cause any problem. The staff said there is no way of dealing with this. Quite frankly, it is because no one is looking at it. Out of 56 recommendations, there is not one that talks about innovation. It’s almost like we need a Donald Trump here in the Northwest Territories, or a Richard Branson, saying how important this is for humanity to talk about let’s find a breakthrough.

That said, there...

Mr. Speaker, it should be no secret by now that I’m concerned about the way the Giant Mine has been left and the fact that arsenic is being left in the ground and certainly frozen there for the end of time. Whenever that may be scheduled, I don’t think we should give up on trying to find a solution. No Northerner asked for this tragedy to be left here in the ground, and I don’t know a single Northerner that thinks that that’s the best solution.

My question for the Premier today is, of course, I’d like to hear the government’s position on AANDC, which is the department that is now responsible...

Mr. Speaker, everywhere I go I hear the same story: Freezing of the arsenic in the ground is the best temporary solution, but people are expecting something better at the Giant Mine site. Yes, they know that the best engineering of the day is being implemented, but they don’t want that as the long-term solution. There lies the problem, Mr. Speaker.

Some of the world’s greatest innovators of our time have always found a way by facing down insurmountable challenges with both genius and, certainly, perseverance. The Giant Mine problem, as we know it, has left a costly legacy of arsenic in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s no secret, I recently went with the Minister to the Bakken to do some studying on hydraulic fracturing, and I’m going to table two stickers we received while we were there, and it speaks to the quality and attitude of hydraulic fracturing in North Dakota. The first sticker I’m going to table is Will!ston, Rockin’ in the Bakken; and the second one is Build Baby Build. I encourage anyone to ask me details on the way they do business there. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to send the Premier my most recent press release, and of course, I would be happy to walk over a copy of my Member’s statement. I am talking about the federal government spends $1.9 million every year to maintain this site. I am suggesting that we encourage them to package some money out of that. It wouldn’t be ongoing funding; it would be a balloon payment – think of it as that way – to encourage. If anyone could come up with a solution for the Giant Mine problem, they can come get the reward or balloon payment. Call it what you will. Quite frankly, it costs the...

I know the Premier was listening closely to my Member’s statement, as I know he always does, of course. He hangs on every word. I’m sure he would recognize that not at one time in my Member’s statement or in my press release the week before I talked about stopping what we’re doing today, because the engineering solution today is probably the only solution we have thus far.

But the same innovation that brought Banting to the solution for insulin, and the same spirit and drive of why people fight the good fight against cancer every single day is because they’re looking for that solution and they...