Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the summer a very interesting and serious concern came forward to my office. It was the issue of emergency medical pick-up of a person who was at a well-known northern lodge. We all have heard about the government preaching for years about how important it is to get active and be active, to ensure that we live healthy lifestyles and stay healthy as long as possible. This occasion was clearly no different than matching one of those wonderful campaigns about being active. However, during this outing a serious respiratory problem became the highlight of the occasion...

I’m very aware of people who have met tragic ends outside of regional municipalities, be it large communities or small communities. I can think of one particular case where one lady fell through the ice on a skidoo. The access to emergency services is very important. I’m not asking the Minister to solve all the world’s problems, although that would certainly be nice, but I’m asking him to investigate and use this opportunity to investigate developing some type of program that can offer assistance. Because when people are in jeopardy on the land, whether they’re skidooing, hunting, or visiting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your anticipation that I would want to have an oral question today. My question today will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the concerns that I raised in my Member’s statement today, which is the lack of emergency services provided to people on the land or even at lodges who may be seriously injured.

Mr. Speaker, the direct question to the Minister on this particular subject is: what is he doing to fix this policy so that we do not have a serious and significant gap that our citizens are left fending for themselves when their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a few members in the gallery at this time. I think they’re still up there. First of all, I recognize my constituency assistant who is a constituent of Yellowknife Centre and that would be Maud Robinson-Spence. As well as, I think, flanked somewhere up there I am recognized not as the MLA but also as the father; my two children are up there somewhere: McKinley Hawkins and Hudson Hawkins. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Mr. Hockey of Yellowknife, Mr. Ed Jeske; the highly esteemed Anthony W.J. Whitford, as we all know him; and certainly the lovely Ms. Vivian Squires, who is accompanying Mr. Jeske on his visits here at the Legislative Assembly. I, too, at this time would also like to recognize Ms. Lydia Bardak. I believe I saw her there. She’s a city counsellor as well as wearing many hats in helping the community. Ms. Lona Hegeman, and I would be remiss to not mention this person, although Minister McLeod already acknowledged her, but I’d like to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I spoke about a process problem that a constituent went through, and their experience of having an EPO issued against them. Fortunately for me and in this circumstance, this matter is not before any type of judicial consideration, and that gives me the ability here to talk about the process and the whole problem.

It’s my view, and certainly the view of many, that apparently there was some unfair due process not fulfilled on this particular case. Training and the ability of third parties being able to advocate and certainly put forward EPOs...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue I’d like to discuss today is how a constituent’s experience could have been handled much better. A few short weeks ago an emergency protection order was issued by the justice of the peace, but what makes this different and unusual is this was under false testimony, with the support and the assistance of a third party. At the time the EPO was issued, it moved swiftly through the justice system without a chance for my constituent to be heard, because if he had been heard, the accusations made against him may have warranted a balancing of other considerations to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Have any customers been identified for that type of potential partnership and does the Premier see an opening to work with the federal government to work with Alberta to create ourselves as the customer of choice, or I should say provider of choice to the province of Alberta, considering their need for clean energy that the Northwest Territories has a lot of? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Premier for that particular answer. Mr. Speaker, the potential of southern customers such as Alberta I think is a great area that this Power Corporation should explore, because I think that Alberta has a significant demand of power and we certainly have a pent-up demand of clean energy that we could be selling them that could help sustain our pocketbooks or territorial purse for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, if it was done wisely, we would have our own Churchill Fall example where Newfoundland provides cheap power…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the Hydro Strategy and I’m certainly curious, at the very least, as to where the direction is now going with this strategy seeing as there has been a bit of setback with the Taltson expansion as well other issues such as the Bluefish needs almost $40 million investment.

Mr. Speaker, I look to the Premier for some guidance for the House as well as for the public as to where the Hydro Strategy is taking us from this present position as the direction towards the future, noting the concerns I highlighted. Thank you.