Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I am simply asking the question how does the government monitor, manage and validate the numbers presented as what we define as a northern working force. In the socio-economic agreements, it is a very specific description that says the mines must live up to a certain amount of workforce. That said, is the government taking it on blind faith or do they validate this? If they validate this, how do they report it? Thank you.

So it’s determined by the winning vendor in a competitive process. Okay. Is that publicly disclosed in some manner or form?

Would the Minister be able to describe the holdback scheme, how it’s applied to northern contractors and southern contractors, how it’s applied to projects in large communities such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, or Hay River, and furthermore, how would it be proscribed in a manner that it would be in Fort Good Hope or Wekweetì or Lutselk’e? Can you explain the dynamics of that situation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I want to take a moment to recognize our N.J. Macpherson students here. Ms. Bisaro is quite correct; it’s quite impressive, both their flash mob dancing as well as their behaviour here in the House. She’s quite correct that the way we’re seeing our students behave here today is so impressive, I agree with her that many people could learn quite a few things from the students. That said, this is the generation that is standing up to bullying and I thank them for that, because the line needs to be drawn and they’re certainly showing their support with their pink...

Thank you. And at the same time if he’d provide the breakdown of the pricing information, he doesn’t have to read it here today, but if he could attach that information and I’ll look forward to him saying that he will do that.

At the same time, what does Public Works and Services do for fuel stabilization to avoid rate shock? What is the program or policy that we have? Do we build a bit of – I hate to use the word profit – but do we build a bit of a profit scheme into it to balance that out?

I swear the Minister’s reading the same paper that I am, because his answer is almost identical to what he said back on May 29, 2012. I’m not sure what WHMIS and heavy duty equipment has to do with grades 9, 10, 11 and 12. I’m talking about building it into the school curriculum through their normal programming. I’ve had a number of teachers say that they’d like this.

What’s holding the Minister back from having a real dialogue that talks about delivering resources to schools so they can hire, for example, St. John Ambulance to deliver this training or even train within, to have instructors...

Madam Chair, I have a different view on BIP on how it’s used in that regard. But that said, how do you ensure that the compliance of those types of commitments are when they’re not BIP? What you’re saying is that BIP is the almighty tool, but it isn’t because if a southern contractor said that they would use some northern labour force, how are we ensuring that they’re tackling and using that type of force and how do we make sure that they comply as well? It’s easy to say, well, I think you mentioned 55 percent local, I think, labour. I couldn’t write as fast as you were talking. The point of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The recent tragedy along our highways has once again reaffirmed and reminded us about how important our first responders are. They are critical to the fabric of the Northwest Territories and certainly to the health of the people. It’s only in times when urgency is required we often think about what pillar of society that they play and that important role that they represent.

Not everyone has the experience and training a first responder typically would go through, and depending on where you are in the sense of where you’re located in the Northwest Territories as a first...

Thank you, Madam Chair. There’s just a question about the Inuvik school and the removal of the old Inuvik schools. I’m just wondering on some detail on that. One of the complaints I’ve received recently was the fact that a southern contractor was used. Could I ask, maybe more so on process, as to what the department does to write our contracts to ensure that southern contractors don’t seem to have the edge or seem to just, by default, get these things. I’m noticing a bit of a trend here.

I have to admit I didn’t quite understand the Minister’s response. We, in 2011-2012, funded them $430,000, in 2012-2013 we gave them $345,000, there’s a request for $345,000 continuing and he’s saying they’re not spending their money. What I was asking was, is there a report or deliverable done on this research. It looks like it says it’s funding provided by Health Canada to research, design and develop the intervention treatment services module that would have both residential and community components, and enhanced capacity, yada-yada-yada. I mean, I’m sure they have it in front of you. I’m...