Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be directing my questions to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger. I, too, am concerned by the summer student hire, or I should say lack of hiring thus far. My first question to the Minister of Finance is: the Department of Finance hired nine summer students last year; to date, how many students have they hired this year both in the territorial capital as well as the regions?

I think the Minister answered the question, I’d say, quite thoroughly. I want to give him credit for that particular answer. I think that’s only fair.

I would disagree with him on the context of blanketing tenant collection on rents at 161 percent, because I think what that does is present the House with a false number. What I mean by that is, I’m not saying that the Minister is misleading the House, what I’m saying is...

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I slightly disagree, because we don’t actually know that 100 percent of people paid their rent. Now he’s said that 161 percent are paying, we’re getting 161 percent back. Whether that includes the rent and arrears, we don’t know that breakdown, and that’s the type of information that I think would be helpful for all Members specifically targeted to each LHO.

Mr. Speaker, the other issues I raised in my Member’s statement was distributing fairly the annual income for a particular tenant and their family to take out some of the spikes and certainly the drops in both their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although recognized very nicely by Minister Miltenberger, I, too, wish to recognize Lorraine Phaneuf, executive director of the NWT Status of Women Council. As well, I’d like to recognize a very distinguished elder in our community and a resident of Yellowknife Centre, Mrs. Esther Braden. Thank you.

I think the Minister answered the question, I’d say, quite thoroughly. I want to give him credit for that particular answer. I think that’s only fair.

I would disagree with him on the context of blanketing tenant collection on rents at 161 percent, because I think what that does is present the House with a false number. What I mean by that is, I’m not saying that the Minister is misleading the House, what I’m saying is...

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although recognized very nicely by Minister Miltenberger, I, too, wish to recognize Lorraine Phaneuf, executive director of the NWT Status of Women Council. As well, I’d like to recognize a very distinguished elder in our community and a resident of Yellowknife Centre, Mrs. Esther Braden. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Human Resources, the Honourable Bob McLeod. Clearly, the Members on this side of the House are very interested in helping our students obtain meaningful employment during their short summer. This work helps them afford to go to school and be successful in their studies. Clearly, we would like to see some progress in the areas this summer. Clearly, you can hear from all the Members, the message is quite loud and crystal clear, that this government must do better, and we’re prepared to help support that type of initiative. We...

I’d like to thank the Minister. Is the Department of Finance planning to hire more summer students by the end of summer and are they looking to expand into the regions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Human Resources, the Honourable Bob McLeod. Clearly, the Members on this side of the House are very interested in helping our students obtain meaningful employment during their short summer. This work helps them afford to go to school and be successful in their studies. Clearly, we would like to see some progress in the areas this summer. Clearly, you can hear from all the Members, the message is quite loud and crystal clear, that this government must do better, and we’re prepared to help support that type of initiative. We...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sort of hearing a comment for consideration here from the Minister and I want to take advantage of that opportunity by saying would the Minister be willing to assess this particular proposal, because I think it would provide a lot less work to clients, provide a stable environment for them in the sense of payment schedules, as well as be less work for the LHOs to manage once a year to re-evaluate the whole line. No different than when you’re taxed. I mean, you’re not taxed one month by CRA, high one month and then not the next. I mean, it’s a formula base. Let’s...